08-06-2002, 07:45 AM
From today's Macon Telegraph, home of the most unbiased ACC sports coverage:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">DUKE BLUE DEVILS
Franks trying to end Duke's 23-game slide
By Joseph Person
Telegraph Staff Writer
• Coach: Carl Franks, 3-30, fourth season.
• 2001 finish: 0-11, 0-8 in ACC.
• Postseason: None.
• Returning starters: Offense (5); Defense (7); Special teams (2).
• Local impact: There are no Middle Georgians on Duke's roster.
• Season opener: Aug. 31 vs. East Carolina.
• Projected finish: 2-10, 0-8 in ACC.
The football gods were not smiling on the Duke this summer. The football gods never smile on Duke.
The hapless Blue Devils, mired in a 23-game losing streak, finally had something to celebrate when they moved into a new $20 million facility, compete with all the bells and whistles necessary to improve morale and recruiting. But in June Duke learned that quarterback D. Bryant, who had started 18 games in a row, had failed out of school.
If that weren't enough, head coach Carl Franks has been bothered by a chronic lower back injury. Suffice to say that Franks' mental anguish has been just as excruciating.
"It could have been avoided," Franks said of Bryant, "but it's just unfortunate for him."
Franks is 3-30 since leaving Steve Spurrier's Florida staff to return to his alma mater in 1999, and has yet to crack the win column this century. The fact that Franks still has a job is due largely to the new facility, which is supposed to give him a shot at landing those highly skilled players that always wind up elsewhere on Tobacco Road.
The powers-that-be in Durham figured it wouldn't be cool to make a commitment to the football program, then sack the coach before the construction was finished. Clearly, though, Franks' grace period is nearing an end.
"The (administration) has a lot of faith in us," noted tailback Chris Douglas. "I think it's time for us to produce."
Douglas, also a kick returner who led the ACC with 1,849 all-purpose yards, will be asked to do even more this fall with Bryant gone. After all, Douglas' two pass attempts last year make him one of the Blue Devils' more experienced passers.
The three sophomores competing at quarterback - Rutgers transfer Chris Dapolito, Adam Smith and Chris Wispelwey - have combined for only 17 pass attempts. Those that follow Duke football - there are some - have questioned why Franks didn't try to get the backups more work behind Bryant, who was 0-18 as a starter.
"I thought D. gave us the best chance. I would've played one of the other guys if I thought they gave us our best chance," Franks said. "If I knew he wouldn't have been there, I would've played them more. But I didn't know that."
Franks likely will go with either Smith or Dapolito, who hasn't seen game action since his senior year of high school in New Jersey. The 6-3, 215-pound Dapolito is more mobile than Smith (6-5, 205), who owns the stronger arm and had the better showing in the spring game.
Whoever emerges at quarterback can expect to hand off a lot to Douglas, who is the ACC's third-leading returning rusher behind Wake Forest's Tarance Williams and Maryland's Bruce Perry.
The defense should get a lift from new coordinator Ted Roof, whose attack philosophy was reined in last year at Georgia Tech by former coach George O'Leary. Roof, a former Tech linebacker, inherits an above-average linebacking corps headed by captains Ryan Fowler and Jamyon Small, who is the only senior on the entire roster.
"It's amazing to look around and not see any other seniors around you," said Small, who had 83 tackles, an interception and two fumble recoveries last year.
Small said it's also humbling to look in the media guide and see those two straight 0-11 campaigns staring back at him, especially at a school where the basketball team can book its hotel rooms at the Final Four in advance every year.
"A lot of people don't realize nobody has gone through this," said Small, whose high school team in Pontiac, Mich. was 8-2 his senior year. "We all came from winning programs. We were all-district or all-area. To step into this situation is definitely difficult."
That's putting it mildly.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Seems like a pretty fair summary. With the lack of experience on offense, it looks like Franks will be relying on Ted Roof to have the defense ready.
edited for grammatical correctness. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />
<small>[ August 06, 2002, 03:30 PM: Message edited by: Lucy ]</small>
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">DUKE BLUE DEVILS
Franks trying to end Duke's 23-game slide
By Joseph Person
Telegraph Staff Writer
• Coach: Carl Franks, 3-30, fourth season.
• 2001 finish: 0-11, 0-8 in ACC.
• Postseason: None.
• Returning starters: Offense (5); Defense (7); Special teams (2).
• Local impact: There are no Middle Georgians on Duke's roster.
• Season opener: Aug. 31 vs. East Carolina.
• Projected finish: 2-10, 0-8 in ACC.
The football gods were not smiling on the Duke this summer. The football gods never smile on Duke.
The hapless Blue Devils, mired in a 23-game losing streak, finally had something to celebrate when they moved into a new $20 million facility, compete with all the bells and whistles necessary to improve morale and recruiting. But in June Duke learned that quarterback D. Bryant, who had started 18 games in a row, had failed out of school.
If that weren't enough, head coach Carl Franks has been bothered by a chronic lower back injury. Suffice to say that Franks' mental anguish has been just as excruciating.
"It could have been avoided," Franks said of Bryant, "but it's just unfortunate for him."
Franks is 3-30 since leaving Steve Spurrier's Florida staff to return to his alma mater in 1999, and has yet to crack the win column this century. The fact that Franks still has a job is due largely to the new facility, which is supposed to give him a shot at landing those highly skilled players that always wind up elsewhere on Tobacco Road.
The powers-that-be in Durham figured it wouldn't be cool to make a commitment to the football program, then sack the coach before the construction was finished. Clearly, though, Franks' grace period is nearing an end.
"The (administration) has a lot of faith in us," noted tailback Chris Douglas. "I think it's time for us to produce."
Douglas, also a kick returner who led the ACC with 1,849 all-purpose yards, will be asked to do even more this fall with Bryant gone. After all, Douglas' two pass attempts last year make him one of the Blue Devils' more experienced passers.
The three sophomores competing at quarterback - Rutgers transfer Chris Dapolito, Adam Smith and Chris Wispelwey - have combined for only 17 pass attempts. Those that follow Duke football - there are some - have questioned why Franks didn't try to get the backups more work behind Bryant, who was 0-18 as a starter.
"I thought D. gave us the best chance. I would've played one of the other guys if I thought they gave us our best chance," Franks said. "If I knew he wouldn't have been there, I would've played them more. But I didn't know that."
Franks likely will go with either Smith or Dapolito, who hasn't seen game action since his senior year of high school in New Jersey. The 6-3, 215-pound Dapolito is more mobile than Smith (6-5, 205), who owns the stronger arm and had the better showing in the spring game.
Whoever emerges at quarterback can expect to hand off a lot to Douglas, who is the ACC's third-leading returning rusher behind Wake Forest's Tarance Williams and Maryland's Bruce Perry.
The defense should get a lift from new coordinator Ted Roof, whose attack philosophy was reined in last year at Georgia Tech by former coach George O'Leary. Roof, a former Tech linebacker, inherits an above-average linebacking corps headed by captains Ryan Fowler and Jamyon Small, who is the only senior on the entire roster.
"It's amazing to look around and not see any other seniors around you," said Small, who had 83 tackles, an interception and two fumble recoveries last year.
Small said it's also humbling to look in the media guide and see those two straight 0-11 campaigns staring back at him, especially at a school where the basketball team can book its hotel rooms at the Final Four in advance every year.
"A lot of people don't realize nobody has gone through this," said Small, whose high school team in Pontiac, Mich. was 8-2 his senior year. "We all came from winning programs. We were all-district or all-area. To step into this situation is definitely difficult."
That's putting it mildly.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Seems like a pretty fair summary. With the lack of experience on offense, it looks like Franks will be relying on Ted Roof to have the defense ready.
edited for grammatical correctness. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />
<small>[ August 06, 2002, 03:30 PM: Message edited by: Lucy ]</small>