GREENSBORO, Ga. - Before hiring football coach David Cutcliffe, then-Duke athletics director Joe Alleva said the school would not compromise its academic standards in order to get recruits.
The high admissions standards often have been used as a reason for Duke's football struggles because some top recruits who get into other schools can't gain admission to Duke.
"I really embrace who we are," Cutcliffe said Monday. "It's our greatest advantage, a Duke education. If you're a great football player and a solid student, the reason they won't come is the sorry football program. It wasn't the academic requirements. It was the football program."
Cutcliffe said Duke's administration wants good students but will interview recruits and work with the Duke staff as long as the players have good character and credentials.
"We don't have to have all perfect ACT and SAT scores," Cutcliffe said. "We've just got to sign good students, good people, people who want to excel academically and athletically."
The goal, Cutcliffe said, is for Duke to get to the point where players want to play in a great football program and get a good education on the side. He doesn't want players just coming to get a good education without caring about the football program.
With the Blue Devils in the midst of of 25-game ACC losing streak, that time may be years down the road.
Comments
New
Wed, 07/30/2008 - 01:38 — route66^ It definitely helps to have some context. I don't see it as an either/or proposition, though. For far too long, Duke treated it as such. Not committing resources or doing it in outdated fashion was the mode. The academic standards haven't been the problem--getting a coach who has been successful in football and who can be the architect of a football program has been sorely lacking.
I agree with academic excuses here. Frankly, I'm tired of the jokes about players discussing Psych 101 on 3rd and 9 type of crap. I love college football and have supported Duke Football, and I'm glad that the university took a stand.
Duke listened to the eggheads in the 60's with Doug Knight and paid for it in spades athletically--particularly in football--no reason why you can't excel in both arenas.
Academic Excuses
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 11:10 — SDK (not verified)For to long Duke, and it's very small football fanbase, have been using the "Our acaemic rstrictions are too tough" excuse. Well take a look into the vast expanse of the NCAA Division I schools and I promise you there are schools with just as tough if not tougher standards out there competing at a very high level in football. Is Wake Forest easy to get into? Is Stanford just a local community college? And how about Navy, talk about tough!
Duke alumni and fan(s) should start thinking about how to win instead of thinking up more excuses.
Mrs Speck, its too late.
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 14:44 — Beezer (not verified)Mrs Speck,
its too late. DUIke has brought in a SEC coach. albeit, the school will mascerade as long as they can!
Atta Boy Dave !!!
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 09:44 — FloydTurboJust imagine if it is actually possible to field a competitive FB program w/ legitimate "student-athletes" ..... WOW!
Players who actually take for real courses not just "stay eligible" pretend classes. If Dave can accomplish that I could definitely become a Duke FB fan .......
Good Luck Coach Cutcliffe!
Duke's Priorities and Football
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 22:39 — Linda Speck (not verified)In your article, "Coach embraces Duke's academic standards," Coach Cutcliffe is quoted as saying that the goal now "is for Duke to get to the point where players want to play in a great football program and get a good education on the side." I hope that's not really what he said (the quote is an indirect one), because it looks as though the priorities are backwards.
As an alumna of Duke (B.A.) and The University of Michigan (M.A., Ph.D.), I long to see both universities put academic concerns ahead of sports. Michigan has been getting a black eye recently regarding questionable academic requirements for its football players; I hope the same will not happen to Duke.