Duke Vs. Cincinnati

[Bob Green]

We have to have a Belk Bowl thread on the Football Forum...the Bearcats are a 10 or 11 point favorite. I'm interested in seeing what new wrinkles Coach Cutcliffe inserts into the offense. With three+ weeks to prepare, I'm sure he is going to show some new looks. What new looks?

Things I'd like to see include:

1. Toss sweep - we primarily run between the tackles to set-up the play action pass, which plays to our strength (passing game) so that is a good thing. However, it wouldn't break my heart to once in a Blue Moon see us quickly toss the ball to Jela Duncan or Josh Snead, pull a guard or have a slot receiver execute a legal crackback block to allow the running back to turn the corner and operate in the open field.

2. As much as we line up with two QBs on the field, I've been expecting to see a double pass. Perhaps we will see it on December 27th.

3. The inside hand-off to the slot receiver in motion seemed to be a staple play last season but has disappeared this season. I guess Donovan Varner was the receiver best suited to execute this play, but I'd really like to see us run it with Desmond Scott. While this isn't exactly a new look, it is a look Cincy will not find in 2012 game film.

[devildeac]

We have to have a Belk Bowl thread on the Football Forum...the Bearcats are a 10 or 11 point favorite. I'm interested in seeing what new wrinkles Coach Cutcliffe inserts into the offense. With three+ weeks to prepare, I'm sure he is going to show some new looks. What new looks?

Things I'd like to see include:

1. Toss sweep - we primarily run between the tackles to set-up the play action pass, which plays to our strength (passing game) so that is a good thing. However, it wouldn't break my heart to once in a Blue Moon see us quickly toss the ball to Jela Duncan or Josh Snead, pull a guard or have a slot receiver execute a legal crackback block to allow the running back to turn the corner and operate in the open field.

2. As much as we line up with two QBs on the field, I've been expecting to see a double pass. Perhaps we will see it on December 27th.

3. The inside hand-off to the slot receiver in motion seemed to be a staple play last season but has disappeared this season. I guess Donovan Varner was the receiver best suited to execute this play, but I'd really like to see us run it with Desmond Scott. While this isn't exactly a new look, it is a look Cincy will not find in 2012 game film.

Bubble screen 9.3.1


I'm not sure we'll see 2 QB on the field as I thought Connette separated a shoulder vs Miami. Was Jela Duncan also hurt that game?

[CameronBornAndBred]

Cincinnati's coach Butch Jones has been hired by Tennessee and won't coach the bowl game.

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootbal ... ats-120712

[Bob Green]

Sitdown everyone - shocking news here - I entered two Bowl Picking Contests and picked Duke to win in both. I also picked Notre Dame to beat Alabama in the National Championship Game. I believe the Fighting Irish defense is going to shutdown the Tide. My call is 17-13 for the Irish.

[Bob Green]

Gameday has arrived! To all who will be at BOA Stadium, have a great tailgate and cheer our team to victory! I'll be camped out in front of my TV.

[DukePA]

Go DUKE! I so wish I could be there with the TBCC. You guys have a great time! I'll be pulling for the Devils from Emerald Isle.

[lawgrad91]

Go Duke! I am really sad not to be at BOA, but Mom is in town and has a cold and isn't doing well.

But we will all be in front of the TV, yelling and screaming.

[Bob Green]

Go DUKE! I so wish I could be there with the TBCC. You guys have a great time! I'll be pulling for the Devils from Emerald Isle.

Go Duke! I am really sad not to be at BOA, but Mom is in town and has a cold and isn't doing well.

But we will all be in front of the TV, yelling and screaming.

I'm looking forward to "seeing" you both in chat....hey, Loran16, will you be chatting tonight? Or, at the game? We need you to infuse some positive vibes in Section 21.

[Bob Green]

My official prediction: Duke 41, Cincy 38. It is going to be a real nailbitter which means my cuticles will be bleeding in the 4th Quarter.

[lawgrad91]

Go DUKE! I so wish I could be there with the TBCC. You guys have a great time! I'll be pulling for the Devils from Emerald Isle.

Go Duke! I am really sad not to be at BOA, but Mom is in town and has a cold and isn't doing well.

But we will all be in front of the TV, yelling and screaming.

I'm looking forward to "seeing" you both in chat....hey, Loran16, will you be chatting tonight? Or, at the game? We need you to infuse some positive vibes in Section 21.

Glad I went to the restroom before I read this, or I'd have wet the couch.

[YmoBeThere]

Too many mistakes to overcome at the end. So close to having a very different outcome.

[The Football Fan]

Instant Analysis

1. Both teams played well enough to win. Only one can and it hurts that it wasn't us. Complete package, I think we were a little better. We gift wrapped this one at the end.
2. Offense. Total Yards, we were great today. Crowder looked like a star in the making. I was proud of our rushing attack and man does it look promising. However, 2 fumbles ruined an otherwise awesome day. I sincerely feel for Snead and Duncan. The whole team made plays to put us in position to win and the whole team made some errors. We finished with 4 turnovers (I think) and Renfree's stat line doesn't look good at all, but overall, I was really proud of him. I doubt he gets much of a shot in the NFL, but he's good enough to be on a practice squad if he so wants to try that route. We can still improve with a our line getting a little more depth/strength. We have the players for it, they just need another year. I think the offense we ran in the 1st and 4th quarter is ideal, I just don't know that we had the depth to do it the whole game. We'll lose some precision/accuracy to our offense game next year, but I'm hoping we'll improve with our decisions and execution under pressure. That's the piece that lost the game today and it was true for both the offense AND defense.
3. Defense. This is no surprise, but we gave up too many big plays and couldn't stop Cincy when it mattered most. End of the half and end of the game. There's a talent gap between our defense and their offense. Any evidence needed is the last big offensive play for Cincy when a 6'6" BIG TE out runs everyone. Blakeney is fast, but he isn't thick like that dude. Their QB pounded us on 3rd downs because we couldn't bring him down. It's hard to see it in the scores, but the defense is improving. We're getting a little more pressure and a few more interceptions. I think we're 2 players on defense away from being a top 25 team. The problem is we've lost 1-2 critical players every year meaning we start every year needing 3-4 players. Next year may be different though,...but that's another topic. Bottom line for this game. It's all about execution and decision making. Ross takes a bad angle that leads to a TD at the end of the first half. Canty decides to cover the middle of the field leaving the TE open. I'm not saying we don't need more talent on the line, but to win this game, we needed a little better tackling and few better decisions. A few plays and it's a different game.
3. Special Teams. Lights out. Don't tell Monday, but I think he'd get drafted if he came out in the draft. He and Ross are special. Crowder returning kicks and punts was great for this game, but not something I'll want to see next year. Blocking the punt for a TD. Wow. I'm amazed at this one.
4. Coaching. It's easy to get frustrated at the Coaches for pulling what was working at the end of the game and putting in the wildcat. Part of me wants to say the difference in this game and the UNC game was personal at the end, but if Snead doesn't fumble, we're a yard out and force Cincy to burn another time out. We have 1 play from 1 yard out to punch it in. Who knows what the call would've been at that time, but that would've given our defense the best chance to put the game away regardless of whether we went up 7 or 3. On some level, it's all hindsight which is always so clear. The play calling was great for this game. The coaches did an outstanding job preparing the team, getting a great game plan, and calling the plays. I wish Renfree could've finished the drive, but overall, the coaching across the board was great.
So, that's how I see it. A few better decisions (limiting big plays), better tackling, and not turning it over. Fairly obvious stuff, but no I wouldn't get upset with the coaches and I was very proud of the effort and intensity the fellas put out today. It's a tough loss, but there's a lot to be proud of in this team.

[EarlJam]

The game's end result truly sucked, but getting to watch the first half with Shelly (FordGirl) before heading back to Atlanta rocked! Shelly, that was fun, and great seeing you again! Thank you!

FordGirl and EarlJam enjoying the first half of Duke/Cinn. Had to, unfortunately, bolt back to the ATL at halftime.

Dan Shelly.jpg (35.72 KiB) Viewed 765 times

A season to be proud of for Duke Football! Now, onto Hoops and the #1 Ranked team in the land!

Oh, and also to bed. My goodness. Very tired but couldn't sleep a little while ago. Feel certain I can now.


-EarlJam

[Bob Green]

Now that it is morning, I can look at the final results from a non-emotional perspective. You cannot fumble twice in the Red Zone and expect to win.

Moving forward, the staff has to figure out how to stop giving up the big plays. There were a lot of positives last night including the offensive line, our running and passing game, the play calling, the defense for huge chunks of the game, the blocked punt for a TD, our kicker and punter....

Big plays and turnovers killed us.

[Cheermom]

Amazing story about Josh Snead
http://fayobserver.com/articles/2012/12 ... =fo.sports

[CameronBornAndBred]

Heard on the radio many times on the way back "the better team lost". Hard to disagree, but then again "the better team" is the one that finds the ways to win. We kept finding our ways to do that, unfortunately we kept shooting ourselves in the foot in the process. Still, it was a great, fun game and for a bowl experience I could not have asked for anything more outside of a victory.