Staff photo by Chuck Liddy
DURHAM — Lightning delayed the start of the David Cutcliffe Era by 90 minutes but it did not derail it.
The Blue Devils stuffed James Madison 31-7 to give Cutcliffe a win in his first game as Duke's head coach.
Eron Riley and Clifford Harris each scored two touchdowns to end two losing streaks for the Blue Devils.
The Devils entered the game with a nine-game losing streak overall and a 16-game losing streak at home. That's why Ted Roof's gone and Cutcliffe is in.
With twin white stripes around each shoulder, the Devils new uniforms look just like the Indianapolis Colts, the team of Cutcliffe's No. 1 prodigy, Peyton Manning.
Duke QB Thad Lewis wasn't Manning-esque, but he threw two touchdown passes, and the Devils played with a renewed energy in front of a crowd of 32,571.
The student section, which has been moved from the visitors'
sidelines to behind Duke's bench, is as full as it has been at any time in the past 10 years.
Harris scored on Duke's second possession and the offense didn't let up. Harris finished with 96 rushing yards. Riley caught seven passes for 67 yards.
Even kicker Nick Maggio made all four of his PATs and a 27-yard field goal.
Comments
FINALLY
Sun, 08/31/2008 - 00:44 — RexJOver 30,000 in the stands, a fairly easy win when it SHOULD be a fairly easy win...even if it is only one game, it is high time we see this sort of thing in Wallace Wade.