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At first I thought this was all good. I still think it is, but if you look at when he started working with Coach Cutcliffe, Sept of 2011, that would've been when the season was just getting underway. Coach has stated Peyton wasn't a distraction to the team and I can go along with that to some extent, but for the coach...if you're watching tape of Peyton and helping Peyton with his mechanics, then you're not working with Renfree, Connette, or Boone. Beyond the QBs, you're not working with linemen, WR, TEs, RB, or the Defense. Maybe a little more time with Synderwine would've changed the outcome of a few games....Likewise there's some decrease in the game film being watched on Duke's opponents. Certainly it's not an absolute, I'm not saying he didn't work with the Duke team, but time is limited in a day, so it had to make an impact.

What do you think? Would Duke have had a better record without Peyton being there?

...and we suppose the long-term impact is positive, but we had another 3-9 season, does the record over the last several years destroy whatever positive recruiting impact is made by Peyton's presence. Losing has an impact on the psyche and it does get easier. Almost no one would say last season was a success. We were all disappointed.

So, is it possible that even the long term impact of Peyton's presence was and is in fact negative?

Interesting perspective. I'd like to think that the history, reputation and presence of Peyton would enhance the image, recruiting and performance of the Duke program and players by making playing for Duke and Cut more attractive and elevate the level of practice and play once they came to Duke. I could certainly see it as a distraction, too. This year and next will be telling because if he has another 3-9 season or two, his seat becomes mighty warm and the improvement from multiple 0-1 win seasons may have stalled and maybe bowl-eligibility is not in the foreseeable future and we embark on another coaching search as Cut approaches/reaches his 60s and retirement becomes an option. I love what he has done, his enthusiasm, his optimism and dedication so far but can we get beyond being competitive and start winning some of those shoulda/coulda/woulda games in the next couple years.

BTW, I still hear Roper's mama calling...

devildeac wrote:I love what he has done, his enthusiasm, his optimism and dedication so far but can we get beyond being competitive and start winning some of those shoulda/coulda/woulda games in the next couple years.

Coach Cutcliffe has to do better than 3-9 this year and he has to take us to a bowl game no later than next year or his tenure is going to be in serious trouble. That means we absolutely have to win against FIU, NCCU and Memphis because if we lose one of those games we could easily be looking at another 3-9 season. Coach Cutcliffe has moved us out of the laughing stock category but we have to win more games now in order to be considered competitive. Perhaps he has peaked and it is going to take another coaching change, but I am sure he will be given plenty more time to finish what he has started.

Sticking this here since the article addresses Manning as well. Coach Cut talks about Sean's senior year...

He's got to handle pressure. He's got to do the things that at times have been a problem for us. Is he a pro prospect? Definitely. I think he will get drafted. To what level depends upon this year.

http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/3 ... in-renfree