How Cutcliffe can sell Duke to recruits

By Marc Hudgens | Wednesday, March 12, 2008 | ( 0 )

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There are infinite reasons as to why the Blue Devils will never have a good football program. These same thoughts will also cross many recruits' minds when a Duke coach makes contact with those players when trying to get a commitment.

Needless to say, Duke will be a very hard sell for new coach David Cutcliffe & Co. But, it won't be impossible.

Perhaps the most widely-believed hindrance to the program is the school's academic standard. While academics are top-notch at Duke they may not be as big of an issue strictly when it comes to recruiting, because a Duke education will appeal to parents. However, acceptance into the university may be an issue since the university's academic board will determine if a student-athlete can succeed. But I'm going to assume that Cutcliffe and his staff are keenly aware of the entrance standards while on the recruiting trail. After all, they wouldn't want to waste their time on talking to a student who couldn't cut it in a Duke classroom. So the wheat gets separated from the chaff almost immediately.

It's also common knowledge the athletic department's bread and butter is the school's elite basketball program, leading many to believe the football program was intentionally neglected because of it. Maybe so. But it appears football got a vote of confidence back in November from legendary roundball coach Mike Krzyzewski, who turned on the pressure to get the university to throw some support toward the football team. Krzyzewski then stated, "Whether you do or not, the attitude to win (championships) has to be there in everything that you do. That to me is the missing ingredient, not one person.”

Throw in there the university trustees recently approved $5 million in stadium renovations, and it's clear there are some wheels finally turning in Durham. Which is another selling point for Cutcliffe - the university, from the trustees to Coach-K himself, actually cares about the football program now. And for an entire university to care about you says volumes to a recruit.

When Greg Schiano took over Rutgers, the Scarlet Knight program was a disaster not unlike Duke today. However he was able to turn the program into being a legitimate Big East title threat. When asked a few years ago how he pitches Rutgers to top recruits, he said he told the player that he could sign with a big, traditional powerhouse and sit on the bench the bulk of their career behind more experienced talent, or he could come to Rutgers, get real playing time, and be on the ground floor of bringing a program from the rubble to being a contender. To many this worked like a charm, and since Duke is in a similar position this same approach could work for Cutcliffe.

It may have already worked, as Duke now boasts landing Sean Renfree, a highly-ranked high school quarterback from Scottsdale, Arizona. Duke beat out Dennis Erickson's Arizona State and other bigger programs for this good get.

Believe it or not, the Blue Devil football program will be one of the most-watched in the nation in 2008. Why? Sheer intrigue, to see if Cutcliffe can raise the Lazarus of college football. And that, in turn, means exposure, which is very appealing to high school athletes with NFL dreams dancing in their heads. And exposure leads to getting noticed by pro scouts - another selling point.

Gutter teams crawling out of the grave and making a statement have marked the past few years. Rutgers, Wake Forest, Mississippi State, and Navy just to name a few. If they can crawl out of the gutter, it stands to reason any team can.

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	About Marc Hudgens Marc Hudgens has been with RealFootball365 since 2007, covering college football, specifically Clemson and Oregon. He also writes for SouthernPigskin.com covering the ACC. He enjoys the acidic wit of Hunter S. Thompson, is a freelance graphic designer and has written several screenplays. He...
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