Catron Gainey News

Entering Saturday's contest with Wake Forest, it was clear that the final result would be meaningless to the rest of the college football world, with both teams already eliminated from bowl contention.

Following two straight dispiriting loses, the message Duke coach David Cutcliffe sent to his football team was simple.

Duke football coach David Cutcliffe was honest when asked whether the Blue Devils' 16-9 loss at North Carolina last week halted some of the momentum brought on by a solid start.

Thaddeus Lewis has put up plenty of big numbers during 3 1/2 seasons as Duke's starting quarterback, but he's still looking for his signature victory.

Coaches usually steer clear of bringing up gambling lines, but that didn't stop Duke's David Cutcliffe from posing a rhetorical question about the Maryland game.

Thad Lewis threw for career-highs of 459 yards and five touchdowns in a dazzling one-man show to help Duke beat North Carolina State 49-28 on Saturday.

Kansas defensive end Jeff Wheeler smashed into Duke quarterback Sean Renfree as Kansas defensive end Jake Laptad rushed around the other side in the third quarter during the University of Kansas and Duke University football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sep 19, 2009, in Lawrence, Kansas.

Todd Reesing's third-down pass had been batted down at the line of scrimmage, and it was time for the Kansas offense to return to the sidelines once again.

David Cutcliffe expects to be coaching in a bowl game this season. In his second season at Duke, he is seeing exactly the kind or progress he wants and considers necessary to build a top-flight program.

With a good amount of talent among the front seven, the Blue Devils enter the 2009 season with some genuine questions surrounding the ability of the secondary.

Matt Daniels has heard that Duke's secondary is too young to strengthen the defense and that opposing quarterbacks will prey on its inexperience.

Following the month of September, everything seemed bright, as the Blue Devils, the proverbial doormats of the ACC and the FBS for that matter, sat at an impressive 3-1, with victories over James Madison , Navy and Virginia .

Hoping to build on a foundation established during the 2008 season, the Duke football program opens practice for the 2009 campaign Thursday evening.

Hoping to build on a foundation established during the 2008 season, the Duke football program opens practice for the 2009 campaign Thursday evening.

Hoping to build on a foundation established during the 2008 season, the Duke football program opens practice for the 2009 campaign Thursday evening.

North Carolina running back Shaun Draughn runs past Duke safety Catron Gainey enroute to a first quarter first down which set up the Heels first touchdown at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham,NC Saturday Nov.29 , 2008.