DURHAM — The Duke football team crashed the Duke Blue-White basketball scrimmage, before its loss to Miami. The basketball crowd stopped and gave the football team a standing ovation, a sign that it's a new age at Duke.

It also signals that a strong relationship is blossoming between Duke football coach David Cutcliffe and basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.

DURHAM — It's homecoming weekend at Duke and the festivities culminate with several sporting events on Friday and Saturday.

The basketball team opens its season with a practice session that coach Mike Krzyzewski will open to the public on Friday. Cameron Indoor Stadium doors open at 4 p.m.; practice begins at 5 p.m.

DURHAM — Duke coach David Cutcliffe doesn't think he's crazy for taking on the reclamation project that was Duke football after the 2007 season. Even now, with Duke 3-2 and 1-1 in the ACC, some of his coaching friends do.

"I've already had some coaching friends call me crazy," Cutcliffe said Wednesday during the ACC coaches' teleconference. "I've already had some people call me about [NFL] coordinator jobs. But I say, 'Listen, I am right where I need to be and I'm thrilled to be here."

DURHAM — The Duke defense has had a knack in ending drives for other teams in back-breaking ways — interceptions, forcing fumbles, key stops on third or fourth down. That's what the Devils did in beating Virginina 31-3 a couple of weeks ago.

Duke (3-2, 1-1 ACC) will have a much tougher time doing that against Miami, which ranks 11th in the nation in red-zone offense with 13 touchdowns and eight field goals. Twenty-three times this season the Hurricanes' offense has made it within 20 yards of the goal line and 21 times they've walked away with points.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe talks, in this audio clip, about what Duke will do to slow Miami down.

DURHAM — A day after Tommy Bowden stepped down as coach of the Clemson Tigers midway through the 2008 season, Duke coach David Cutcliffe said it's always difficult to hear of any of his fellow coaches having to leave jobs or getting fired.

Cutcliffe, a father of two daughters and two sons, said he has the most sympathy for the children who have to pick up and move. Cutcliffe talked about Bowden and the nomadic life of a coach during his Tuesday press conference. It's included in this audio clip.

DURHAM — Miami lists some crazy number of young players, sophomores or younger, on its depth chart, 18 on its two-deep, but Duke coach David Cutcliffe said that doesn't mean the young Canes are too green for ACC football.

Cutcliffe said Tuesday south Florida, specifically the county
that includes Miami, is a recruiting hotbed because of the quality of football played there. Miami starting LB Sean Spence is one that cut his football teeth nearby.

DURHAM — Duke coach David Cutcliffe released his injury report for Saturday's noon game at Georgia Tech and star senior receiver Eron Riley, who hails from Savannah, Ga., was listed as questionable with a hand injury.

"Questionable" means there is a 50-50 shot he will play. Riley, with 36 points, currently ranks second — Wake Forest Sam Swank is first (40) — in the ACC in scoring. Riley injured the hand during practice this week.

DURHAM — Ryan Wood quietly has become irreplaceable to the Duke football team in the often unsung role of placeholder on field goals and PATs.

Wood, who's father Dexter played for the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant at Alabama and coached his son in high school in Buford, Ga., took over holder duties last season.

DURHAM — Jabari Marshall caught an earful while riding the David Cutcliffe straight-talk express on Saturday. Marshall's mistake? Taking a swan dive into the end zone to celebrate his 42-yard interception return for a touchdown in Duke's blowout of Virginia.

DURHAM — Duke coach David Cutcliffe definitively proclamied his profound distate for yellow jackets during his weekly press conference on Tuesday. But it's personal, not professional.  He wasn't talking about Duke's Saturday opponent in Georgia Tech.

Just listen to the retelling of the story about getting stung by a nest of nasty yellow jackets as a young boy growing up in Birmingham, Ala.