Are you ready for some Duke football? BDN wraps up kickoff week with a preview of Duke’s week 1 matchup with the Elon Phoenix.  

Duke in 2009

The Blue Devils finished 4^th in the ACC Coastal Division in 2009 with a record of 5-7, including wins against Army, North Carolina Central, Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina State. Led by senior QB Thaddeus Lewis, the offense carried the Blue Devils with a prolific passing attack. Duke’s top three receivers formed one of the most formidable receiving corps in the nation in 2009, as All-ACC first team performer Donovan Varner, Freshman All-American Conner Vernon, and junior Austin Kelly all caught over 50 passes. Duke struggled to run the ball, finishing last in the ACC and the nation in rushing with only 63.5 yards per game. The defense was led by seniors DT Vince Oghobaase (All-ACC honorable mention), DE Ayanga Okpokoworuk, LB Vinnie Rey (2^nd team All-ACC), and CB Leon Wright (All-ACC honorable mention). Despite falling short of a bowl berth, the five wins marked the most for the program since 1994. 

Elon in 2009

Elon is coming off the program’s first ever FCS playoff invitation in 2009, in what was head coach Pete Lembo’s fourth year with the program. The Phoenix finished 2009 ranked in the FCS top 10, losing in the first round of the FCS playoffs to Richmond, 16-13. The Phoenix dominated opposing offenses, finishing fourth in the country in total defense, allowing just 248.33 yards per game. Elon also finished in the top 10 in scoring defense, pass defense, and sacks. The offense was equally impressive, led by senior WR Terrell Hudgins, who was runner-up for the Walter Payton Award in his outstanding senior campaign, in which he recorded 123 receptions and 1633 yards, becoming the all-time FCS leader in receiving yards. Scott Riddle led the offense in his third years as starting quarterback, eclipsing the 10,000 yard mark for his career. The Elon ground game was paced by sophomore Jamal Shuman, who led the team with 677 rushing yards, and junior Brandon Newsome, who rushed for 7 touchdowns in 2009.

Analysis

First week matchups are always difficult to predict, as teams adjust to new personnel, coaching, and opponents. Every team has question marks heading into week one, and Duke and Elon are no exception. The Blue Devils must replace a record-setting quarterback and five starters on defense. They must develop a consistent rushing attack and utilize their speed on defense to pressure opposing offenses. QB Sean Renfree appears poised to take over under center and should have the benefit of a veteran offensive line and receiving corps. Five players will play at running back for Duke in 2010, led by sophomore Desmond Scott, who showed flashes of his potential as a freshman in 2009. On defense, Duke will attempt to utilize depth at linebacker and different schemes to disrupt opposing offenses. A deeper and more experienced secondary should have better playmakers than a year ago. After a disappointing loss to Richmond in last season’s opener, Duke should be better prepared in 2010. 

The Phoenix have questions of their own heading into their season, though expectations are still high. Elon was selected 2^nd in the Southern Conference and 7^th in the FCS in preseason polls. Preseason Southern Conference Player of the Year Scott Riddle has already cemented his name in the record books in just 3 years at Elon, but loses his top receiver from 2009 in Terrell Hudgins. Seniors Lance Camp and Sean Jeffcoat will have to fill the void, but may struggle to get open against Duke’s speedy secondary. The Phoenix have the biggest concerns on defense, where they must replace starters on the defensive line and the secondary. The linebackers will be called upon to lead the defense, starting with junior Joshua Jones and senior Brandon Wiggins. Elon was one of the top defensive teams in the country last season and are well-coached, but with significant losses, their 2009 dominance may be hard to repeat.  

BDN Prediction

Pete Lembo has built the Phoenix into a top program within the FCS, but Duke is now a competitive FBS program and has aspirations of competing for future ACC and BCS championships. Elon was overmatched against their lone FBS opponent in 2009 in Wake Forest, losing 35-7 in Winston-Salem. The Blue Devils have better athletes than Elon at nearly every position, and have finally built up quality depth at key positions. With Duke’s youth, consistency has been a concern throughout practice and will continue to be important throughout the season. Riddle, a savvy veteran quarterback, will take advantage of the Blue Devils’ defensive aggressiveness and inconsistencies, but Sean Renfree and the Duke receivers should have no problems with the inexperienced Phoenix secondary. The Blue Devils will attempt to control the game on the ground, sharing carries among multiple running backs, while opening the game up through the air. 

Each week in 2010, BDN will provide our consensus pick from football contributors Mark Watson, Bob Green, and Patrick Cacchio. The consensus BDN pick here is: 

Duke – 31

Elon – 14

Blue Devils star wideouts ready for Elon. Pictured are Donovan Varner Austin Kelly and Conner Vernon. Photo copyright Blue Devil Nation

In preparation for kickoff Saturday night against Elon, BDN provides a  guide to the 2010 Blue Devils. Hop on the Duke Football bandwagon now and join Blue Devil Nation as we cover the Duke Football beat all season long.  We’re ready for some football! 

Gameday

Blue Devil Walk: Coach Cutcliffe has adapted this pregame ritual to Duke. Two and a half hours prior to kickoff, the entire team gathers in front of Duke Chapel for a moment of reflection and prayer. The team is led by the marching band on their procession across West Campus and into Wallace Wade Stadium. Fans line the sidewalk to offer encouragement and support. Arrive early to find your spot.

Blue Devil Alley: On football gamedays, the area commonly known as Krzyzewskiville during basketball season is transformed into Blue Devil Alley. Blue Devil Alley is an area of games, music, and concessions for all ages and opens two and a half hours prior to kickoff.

Gameday updates: Visit Duke’s A to Z guide for information on parking, traffic, and other stadium policies. New for 2010 will be text message and Twitter updates.  And of course BDN’s twitter site has long been a popular destination on gameday for updates.  We’ll have same day/evening post game interviews as well on Blue Devil Nation.

Coaching Staff

Coach David Cutcliffe goes into his third season with Duke. Photo copyright Blue Devil Nation

Coach David Cutcliffe is in his third season as head coach of the Blue Devils, having turned down the opportunity to coach at the University of Tennessee this past offseason. Coach Cutcliffe is best known for having coached several great quarterbacks at Tennessee and Mississippi, including both Peyton and Eli Manning. Coach Cutcliffe’s teams feature a no huddle offense and prolific passing attack. In his two seasons at Duke, Coach Cutcliffe has a record of 9-15, having won 4 games in 2008 and 5 games in 2009. Kurt Roper serves as Duke’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Marion Hobby takes over as defensive coordinator in 2010, after the offseason departure of Mike MacIntyre to become the head coach at San Jose State.

2010 Blue Devils

Duke returns 18 starters from last year’s team that finished 4th in the Coastal Division of the ACC. The Blue Devils will play 7 home games in 2010 against Elon, Alabama, Army, Miami, Virginia, Boston College, and North Carolina. Duke’s 5 road contests will take place at Wake Forest, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Navy, and Georgia Tech. This represents the third most difficult schedule in the ACC, based on 2009 records ; Duke’s opponents were a combined 94-60 overall. Season tickets have sold out, but individual game tickets and ACC 3-packs are still available at GoDuke.com

Duke senior tight ends Brett Huffman and Brandon King pose for BDN on photo day - copyright BDN photo

Returning Players to Watch

#19 Sean Renfree QB, redshirt-sophomore: Renfree takes over at starting quarterback in his third season with the Duke program. In 2009, Renfree played in 5 games, throwing for 4 touchdowns with 2 interceptions and completing 68% of his passes. Renfree suffered a torn ACL against Georgia Tech and missed the remainder of the 2009 season and 2010 spring practice. He was a full participant in fall training camp and has impressed his coaches and teammates with his grasp of the offense. A highly-ranked recruit out of high school, Duke expects big things from Sean’s arm in 2010 and beyond.

#26 Donovan Varner WR, junior: Varner’s 2009 campaign earned him first team All-ACC honors, as he posted team-high 65 catches, 1,047 yards, and 8 touchdowns. Despite the graduation of QB Thaddeus Lewis, analysts expect Varner to maintain his high level of performance, selecting him to the preseason All-ACC first team and preseason All-American honorable mention. Varner joins a dangerous receiving corps for the Blue Devils with senior Austin Kelly (#83) and sophomore Conner Vernon (#2).

#33 Desmond Scott RB, sophomore: After leading the Blue Devils in rushing as a true freshman in 2009, Scott won the starting running back job during fall training camp. His 2009 campaign included a breakout 100 yard game against North Carolina Central, followed by mixed success. Coach Cutcliffe has praised Scott’s ability as a “complete back,” being able to excel in running the ball, catching the ball out of the backfield, and pass-blocking.

#62 Bryan Morgan C, senior: Morgan was elected a permanent team captain in 2010 by his teammates, and for good reason. The senior center leads the team with 24 consecutive starts and over 2,000 career snaps. Though undersized for an offensive lineman, Morgan is one of the strongest linemen on the team and consistently battles on every snap. His musical gifts and community service are also well-documented. He is a true leader for the team on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.

#8 Abraham Kromah LB, redshirt-senior: Kromah was also elected a permanent team captain in 2010 by his teammates and is the vocal leader of the defense. After battling injuries in 2009, Kromah is one of the strongest players on Duke’s defense and should become one of the team’s leading tacklers.

#56 Damian Thornton LB, senior: Thornton is Duke’s strongest player on defense and will line up in several different formations at linebacker. Having played over 1,100 snaps in his career, Thornton is one of Duke’s defensive leaders and hardest hitters. Thornton will use his strength and speed to bring pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

#40 Matt Daniels S, junior: Daniels is one of Duke’s most talented defenders and is also the active leader in career tackles with 105. An Academic All-ACC selection, Daniels started all 12 games for Duke in 2009 and showed flashes of his playmaking ability. Duke will call upon Daniels to be a consistent playmaker in the secondary in 2010.

#16 Chris Rwabukamba (RUB-uh-COME-buh) CB, redshirt-senior: Rwabukamba is Duke’s senior leader in the secondary and is the third permanent team captain elected by his teammates. A fourth-round selection in the 2010 Canadian Football League draft, the Ontario native is Duke’s active leader in pass break-ups, including a game-saving interception at the 1-yard line at Vanderbilt in 2008.

#3 Johnny Williams CB/WR/PR, junior: Just call him Johnny-on-the-spot. Williams transitioned from WR to CB during spring and fall practice, but will be on the field in all phases of the game. As one of the best athletes and playmakers on the team, Williams will line up at cornerback, wide receiver, and punt return for the 2010 Blue Devils.

New Players to Watch

#81 Cooper Helfet TE, junior: the junior college transfer is an explosive receiver and will line up in several different positions in Duke’s potent passing attack. At 6’4” and the fastest of Duke’s tight ends, Helfet will help the Blue Devils stretch opposing defenses downfield.

#9 Josh Snead RB, freshman: From nearby Smithfield, NC, Snead enrolled at Duke in January and hit the ground running, leading the Blue Devils in rushing in the 2010 spring game. Snead will use his dynamic speed to break open runs on offense and special teams.

#23 Juwan Thompson RB, freshman: Another speedy freshmen who has earned playing time with his play during training camp.

#5 Brandon Braxton WR, freshman: Even with Duke’s depth at wide receiver, Braxton has earned playing time already as a true freshman. His big-play ability brings a new weapon for QB Sean Renfree.

#18 Brandon Connette QB, freshman: Another January enrollee, Connette beat out returner Sean Schroeder (#12) for the backup quarterback job. He will receive snaps as a true freshman and will utilize his ability to run the ball to help Duke move the chains.

Duke offensive lineman Kyle Hill poses for the Blue Devil Nation on Duke's annual picture day. BDN caught up with Hill who talks of the season opener. Stay tuned to BDN for true Duke Beat coverage of the football and basketball programs and join BDN Premium for full site access including our subscription only message board and you'll be in the know.

DURHAM – It’s not long before Duke kicks off their 2010 football season against Elon where they have been installed as 7.5 favorites over the Southern Conference power.  One of the keys this season will be the play of the offensive line where Kyle Hill helps anchor the front.  BDN caught up with Kyle to get his thoughts on the season opener which you can hear on BDN audio -

Myck Kabongo is a Texas commit but many are saying he might de-commit. BDN caught up to Kabongo after hearing he might be interested in Duke and North Carolina to get his thoughts.

From Toronto to Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada, Myck Kabongo has been showing everyone that he is one of the elite players in the 2011 class.  The 2011 prospect displays a tight handle and great court vision, often making passes through tiny windows of space.  But what people really want to know is if Kabongo will open his recruitment back up as has been rumored and you can hear what Myck has to say about the Elite 24 event and more in our third premium interview this week.

BDN: We’re here with Myck Kabongo at the Elite 24 Midnight Run. Myck how’s it feel to be selected to the Elite 24?

MK: Oh man I’m blessed and I thank god first and foremost.  You know being selected as one of the top 24 guys in the country is something that every kid that plays basketball dreams of. I’m just happy to be here and I’m excited”

BDN: That is awesome, it’s a big honor.  It’s a big event going from the East coast in Rucker Park out to the West Coast in Venice Beach. Going into the game on Saturday is there anything you want to try to do?

MK: Really it’s just about giving them a good show because that’s what they came out for, but I just want to win, I’m so competitive, and at the end of the day I hope I win. As far as showing out, I’m just gonna try and do the best that I can do and hopefully I just come out on the winning end, that’s

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Duke LB Damian Thornton will play a key role for the 2010 Duke defense

While many have pointed to Duke’s rushing attack or the installment of a new quarterback as the key to Duke’s 2010 season, it was the opposite side of the ball that had the head coach’s attention this spring. “I’m concerned about our depth on defense,” Head Coach David Cutcliffe said after the spring game, “I’m concerned about our front, to be real honest with you, coming out of spring practice, but we’re going to be a very multi-front, multi-schematic defensive team.”

In 2009, the defense forced a total of 18 turnovers (T-9th in ACC) and totaled 19 sacks (11th in ACC). Both of these totals were significantly down from Coach Cutcliffe’s inaugural season in Durham in 2008, when the Blue Devils forced 26 turnovers and totaled 27 sacks. In 2009, Duke finished last in the ACC in third down defense, allowing opponents to convert on 45% of third downs. If Duke hopes to reach its first bowl game since 1994 in 2010, the defense will need to improve upon these numbers.

Led by new defensive coordinator Marion Hobby, the staff hopes that a new approach with an emphasis on speed will translate into more big plays and takeaways by the defense. “What we’re switching to is ‘multicality,” said Coach Cutcliffe at the ACC media day, “We’ve been so pure 4-3, so we’re going to be in a lot of personnel groupings…We had a lot of fun watching it in the spring. It really puts a premium on speed. We’re going to put a lot of speed on the field.”

It’s no secret that Duke is thin along the defensive front, having lost starters Vince Oghobaase and Ayanga Okpokoworuk to graduation and the dismissal of freshmen John Drew and Brandon Putnam. To compensate, the defensive coaching staff, led by Hobby, Jim Collins, Jim Knowles, and Derek Jones, will employ multiple defensive sets, including a 3-4 scheme, as suggested by the preseason depth chart and Coach Cutcliffe’s comments.

The new defensive schemes will be anchored on the ends up front by redshirt seniors Wes Oglesby and Patrick Egboh, with redshirt junior Charlie Hatcher at nose guard. In their 52 collective starts, this starting line has produced only 7 sacks, 26.5 tackles for loss, and 3 fumble recoveries: numbers they hope to add to in 2010. The Blue Devils will have talented underclassmen behind them on the depth chart in redshirt sophomore Kenny Anunike, who switched to DE from TE this spring; redshirt-sophomore NG Curtis Hazelton; redshirt freshman DE Sydney Sarmiento; and redshirt freshman DE Justin Foxx. It remains to be seen whether any of Duke’s true freshman lineman (Jamal Bruce, Will Bryant, Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo, Steven Ingram, Dezmond Johnson, and Jamal Wallace) are ready to make significant contributions in 2010, and a few have stood out in early practices.

Duke LB Austin Gamble will see more time this season. copyright BDN Photo

With a lack of experienced depth along the defensive line, the Blue Devils will need help from a deep and talented linebacking corps to bring effective pressure. Duke will feature sets with three linebackers and a new “Devil” position, which will likely contain elements of both linebacker and safety. Heading into fall camp, Duke projects to start three seniors in Damian Thornton, Abraham Kromah, and Adam Banks, who will man the “Devil” position. These three seniors have combined for 20 career starts, 175 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 2 fumble recoveries. The seniors have earned Coach Cutcliffe’s praise early in camp: “Those guys have done a great job…they’re veterans, they care, they’re committed; it all starts with that, and they certainly know what to do.” Redshirt freshmen Kevin Rojas and August Campbell, along with sophomores Austin Gamble and Tyree Glover, are also likely to see significant playing time in 2010. Even without recent standouts Michael Tauilili and Vincent Rey, this may be the most talented collective group of linebackers during the Cutcliffe era. “The good part is, I think we can play two deep [at linebacker],” Cutcliffe recently said. “I’m looking at [Kevin] Rojas, [Austin] Gamble, [Tyree] Glover, and Auggie Campbell – that’s a pretty good group.” Duke has some fast and heavy hitters at linebacker, and they will need to assist the defensive front in bringing pressure against opposing offenses. While Kromah may be the vocal leader on the field, Thornton is a player to watch, as he set offseason Duke linebacker lifting records at bench press (475) and power clean (363), and has impressed in early fall practice.

The Duke secondary should be improved from a year ago, despite the departure of All-ACC performer Leon Wright. Led by redshirt senior Chris Rwabukamba and junior Matt Daniels, Duke will have many potential playmakers at safety and cornerback in 2010. After finishing last in the ACC in 2009 in interceptions and third down defense, the secondary will need to drastically improve its pass coverage, particularly on crucial third down plays. Junior Johnny Williams joins the secondary this year after playing two years at wide receiver, and has earned high praise from Coach Cutcliffe for his transition. “Johnny Williams had a terrific night,” Cutcliffe recently remarked in regard to the second fall practice, “he was the best I’ve seen him to date, and a primary reason is that his conditioning level is the best since he’s been here.” Williams is challenging redshirt freshman Ross Cockrell for the starting job at left cornerback, and will also likely see playing time on special teams and offense. Sophomore Zach Greene, who played in all 12 games in 2009 as a true freshman, and redshirt freshman Lex Butler will back up Rwabukamba at right cornerback. Duke is also deep at safety, where junior Lee Butler and Daniels are expected to start, but will be pushed by redshirt sophomore Jordan Byas, sophomore Walt Canty, and redshirt freshman Anthony Young-Wiseman.

Matt Daniels is ready to hit an opponent and he'll get that chance when Duke opens with Elon this Saturday in Wallace Wade Stadium. copyright BDN Photo

The aggressive approach on defense was especially evident during Duke’s early morning practice on Thursday, as the offense was stopped on all 6 possessions during the 2 minute drills. Key defensive plays during Thursday’s drills included a sack for Thornton, two sacks for freshman Jamal Bruce, fumble recoveries by Canty and Glover, and interceptions by Rwabukamba, Cockrell, and Byas. After practice, Coach Cutcliffe offered this assessment: “I think the thing that happened was the defense got on a roll today and I think our secondary is whipping our receivers pretty consistently. I think our pressure got to our offense today.” Given the strength of Duke’s receiving corps, the dominance by the secondary so far in practice is a positive indicator for the season. Turnovers will continue to be a point of emphasis for the defense as Duke prepares for the season opener against Elon on September 4.

Looking ahead in 2010, the Blue Devils will face two prolific running offenses in Alabama and Virginia Tech, along with four option-style offenses in Wake Forest, Army, Navy, and Georgia Tech. With a thin defensive front, the ability of the linebackers and secondary to make plays in the offensive backfield may determine several wins and losses for the Blue Devils. The defense will also have to do a better job this year of forcing punts and turnovers, providing the offense with a shorter field. If Duke’s new defensive schemes are able to consistently put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, it ultimately may be the defense that carries Duke to a 2010 bowl game.

Conner Vernon pictured with the Duke wideouts - BDN Photo

DURHAM – Duke sophomore wideout Conner Vernon is anxious to play against somebody else after weeks of practice and he’ll get that chance this Saturday versus Elon a team which led the Southern Conference in almost every defensive statistic last season.  BDN caught up with Vernon for his comments -

Jay Williams - ESPN Analyst

The courts were all but empty and Jay Williams was packing up ready to call it a day, but he still took time to chat amidst the light rainfall. BDN got a chance to speak with the former Duke legend and national champion during the Boost Mobile Elite 24 event in Venice Beach, California.

We’re here with Jay Williams at the Elite 24 skills and dunk competition out in Venice Beach. Jay, how has your summer gone and have you had a chance to do anything special or head back to Durham?

You know, I have a home in Durham and I did have a chance to go back there and play against the guys, and I can gloat about it because Kyrie will get mad (laughs). Us both being from New Jersey we have a lot of pride, and I truly think he is going to be a phenom style of point guard there. But I can say the last time I was in Durham we won 4 games to their 2, we beat them in a series. So, Kyrie, I didn’t particularly leave Durham in good standings with him (laughs) cause we won, but they are going to have a chance to be so special. Every time I go back to Durham, it’s home. I love being around there, the people are great. That’s my family and it always will be.

You get to spend a lot of time with the kids out here. Is that something you really enjoy and what advice do you give them for their future?

Yeah, you know, I really do enjoy spending time with them out here, and we had a session yesterday which was called a ‘Life Skills Session’ that ESPN Rise did. It was great because we talked to the kids about the power of the social media like twitter and facebook. We talked about being more conscious of your actions in public. Now you have to start looking at yourself as a business, not that you want to, you still want to have fun and be friends, but you really want to be careful about what you do and the people you associate yourself with. We’re just trying to make them more aware of the situations they are going to come to in the future, and just trying to help them grow up a little bit.

Definitely some powerful advice there. What did you think about the Skills and Dunk competition?

You know I’ve been to the Elite 24 for the past 4-5 years, and I thought this was truly one of the best. For Deuce Bello to jump over Quincy Miller and do a windmill, and have Brad Beal come out here and do the skills, Quinn Cook did his thing. I wish Austin Rivers would have jumped in a contest to, but I thought it was great and this is a great venue. I think it’s good to be bi-coastal, go back from New York to L.A and touch on different parts that have significant meaning to this country.

How do you like what you’re doing now, your current position with ESPN? Is it something you think you will keep doing or perhaps go into coaching one day?

I don’t know if coaching is in the future for me right now. The recruiting aspect of coaching really turns me off (laughs). But doing television is something I truly love. I don’t know if that is going to be on the basketball side forever or maybe hopefully some more NBA in the future. But I love what I do, I love being impactful to kids and helping make a difference, and TV is a great platform to do that on.

So Duke won a National Championship this year and has the opportunity to repeat. You won a National Championship and had that same opportunity, though unfortunately it didn’t happen. Can you talk about the mindset going into the 2nd year in trying to repeat?

Yeah, sure. The second year was a lot more pressure. The first year, my sophomore year in 2001, when you look back and reflect upon it, it was myself, Chris Duhon, Shane Battier, Mike Dunleavy and Carlos Boozer. I mean 5 guys who, if I didn’t get hurt, we’d all have been playing basketball professionally. And you look at this team that just won it, the expectations really weren’t on them to win it. They got positioned nicely in their bracket and they were able to take care of business. Different year, different national championship. This year coming up, now the expectations are going to be for them to win it, and now everybody is going to be gunning for them. People gunned for them last year because they were Duke, but now it’s a double thing. Now their Duke AND they are the National Champions, so how are they going to handle that? Is Kyle Singler going to step up and handle that responsibility. Jon Scheyer was a critical part to that team last year. He came in at the point guard spot and allowed Nolan to be a slasher and really did a good job of delegating the ball to people at the right time. Now Kyrie as a freshman, he’s great but he’s going to have his ups and his downs. Will he be able to really play up to the level that we know he can play to at the right time, and not have a lull, and really be the leader of that team.

Absolutely. Now Kyrie is a New Jersey point guard, you’re a New Jersey point guard, can you talk about the expectations were like?

Well the one expectation at Duke is to always win a National Championship. And you know you’re going to be the focus of the media every single day, and people have come out and said he could potentially be the best point guard to ever play at Duke. So that carries a lot of weight upon a kids shoulders, who is 17 years old. I’m sure he’s going to have his ups and his downs. The one thing that I know Coach K and his staff will do a good job of is trying to keep him consistent. Let him know that ‘listen you’re going to mess up and have mistakes but you have to think next play’. And that was the one thing that got me through my freshman year, I would mess up sometimes and get really down upon myself but Coach K would always be in my head making me think about the next play. When you think about the next play a part of you lets go of the old play and you focus on the positives of the new play, and he needs to continue to do that in order to be the elite kind of guard you need to win a National Championship.

Thank you very much for the time, Jay.

No problem man, anytime.

Monday Musings DUke Cheerleaders Pics Return!

There is a lot going on in the Duke Athletics world these days and in this version of Monday Musings we’ll take a look at those happenings.

Football set to kickoff against Elon

The Duke Football team kicks off their 2010 season this Saturday at 7:00 in Wallace Wade Stadium and we are very excited here at BDN.  It’s important for the Blue Devils to get off to a good start with a win and they’ll need fan support, so turn out for the opener.  In the meantime, check out our latest football article, which takes an in-depth look at the depth of this season’s team.  I will be at tomorrow’s final press conference to bring you Coach Cutcliffe’s comments, and we’ll be churning out material all week long leading to the start of the game.

BDN Premiums Elite 24 Coverage

I’ve said many times before that there is no off-season for basketball, especially recruiting, and BDN Premium is bringing its members what they want.  BDN covered the Boost Mobile Elite 24 event in Venice Beach, California and updates appeared on our message board with the information you covet way ahead of the curve.  There is already an interview posted with Alex Murphy and today we released one with the latest on coveted recruit Austin Rivers and we’ve just scratched the surface.  Later this week we’ll release interviews with several key recruits, both from the event and other channels.  It’s a good time to join BDN Premium, for the information is timely and hot and, as always, BDN is there in person to bring you genuine eyes on coverage without the smoke and mirrors effect.  While some others talk about two weeks old non-news and rumors, we attempt to keep it fresh by covering all the major recruiting events and addressing what is going on with key prospects.

BDN is not just a pay site

One of the things I learned while taking a well-needed break at the coast to refresh myself before the football season this weekend is that many think BDN is a pay only site.  This is far from true — we offer a lot of free articles and recruiting information via our popular Twitter site.  We will address the issue of distinguishing premium and free offerings by inserting a flag in the title letting you know if it is a premium or free article.  This will start some time in the near future.

Team USA rolling right along

Coach Krzyzewski has Team USA rolling right along and it is just another bit of excitement surrounding Duke Athletics at the moment.  BDN has always covered the USA Basketball scene and we’ll continue to do  so.

So stay tuned to BDN for complete coverage of the Duke Athletics beat and feel free to let us know what you think of our site and offerings for we are always here to listen.

We’re number one

Pre-season basketball magazines will hit the stands in the next week or so and Lindy’s already has Duke tabbed number one in the nation with Kyle Singler being the pre-season POY.

Next up on BDN Premium -Shabazz Muhammad, Myck Kabongo, and so much more.  Thanks for following Blue Devil Nation.

We’ve got Austin Rivers here at the Elite 24 Midnight Run. First off, congratulations on being invited to the Elite 24 for your second year in a row, that’s a big accomplishment. Last year, you were out at Rucker Park; this year, you head out to the West Coast for Venice Beach.

Thanks man, appreciate it.

Now, you’ve been playing AAU for a few years now, do you find at events like this that you bond with players? And have you been hanging out with anyone particular over the summer?

Definitely. I think being with the best players in the country just hangin’ out with them you get to bond with them and create relationships with people you’d never get to meet. I’ve become best friends with Myck Kabongo, he’s one of my real good friends, Brad Beal, Quincy Miller, Quinn Cook, all of the guys out here. I’ve became friends with

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