Danny Miller wears a pair of torn-up polar bear shorts to every game. Chris Loftus has not taken a razor to his beard since the end of August. These superstitious quirks are only a small part of the puzzle to understanding Duke’s phenomenal success so far this season.
Take the No. 2 recruiting class in the country, add it to a team that won six of its final eight games last season, and what do you get? Simply put, the 2004 Duke men’s soccer team is undefeated through 11 games and ranked No. 4 in the NSCAA national coaches poll.
“If you had told me in August we would be 11-0, I probably would have said you were drunk,” senior Nigi Adogwa said after Duke slid by North Carolina Sunday in front of more than 6,000 screaming fans Koskinen Stadium.
“You need a group of very talented players who work extremely hard, it’s that simple,” head coach John Rennie said. “We have a good level of talent... but the ACC is full of talent. You add the work ethic and mentality that these kids have, and that’s why you have a very good team.”
Last year, the Blue Devils had talent as well and were picked during the preseason to have a good year. The 2003 team, however, finished 8-10-1, only 2-4 in the ACC. So what has changed?
“Most of sports is about the quality of the players. Character, work ethic and talent are what you need to be successful,” Rennie said. “This team is as well-balanced a team as I’ve had in a long time. From our goalies to our goal-scorers, this team has great balance.”
One major difference is the counterattack. With a solidified defensive unit, Duke is converting defensive stands into high-percentage scoring opportunities. Against North Carolina, the Blue Devils exercised the counterattack with efficiency. A pair of stops yielded goals for Adogwa as the Duke defense pushed the ball upfield quickly.
This type of chemistry is defining a reinvented Duke team. A squad that last year lost eight of nine games in the meat of its conference season has now outscored its opponents 36-5.
“We’ve got a completely different team than we’ve had in the past,” senior co-captain Justin Trowbridge said. “I think our work rate has been extremely good.”
Leading the charge and the change is a class of 10 freshmen, five of whom are in the starting lineup. On defense stimulating the counterattack is Tim Jepson, who quickly become an on-field leader.
“I don’t think there’s another freshman in the country who could come out and lead a team as a freshman,” Miller said. “As a freshman I was hesitant, Tim’s not hesitant.”
It seems like this year’s Blue Devils have undergone a complete psychological transformation. Miller said that the team was not as mentally strong a year ago.
“This year, there’s a difference because we are taking every team so seriously,” Miller said. “The main difference is that we are not taking any team for granted... we treat every team as the best team in the country.”
With a freshly sharpened mental edge, Duke has dispatched opponents like preseason championship favorite Maryland and Tobacco Road rival UNC.
On-the-field success has resulted in a closer team, which is only adding to the chemistry.
“We get along really well,” star freshman Michael Videira said. “Everyone hangs out together as a team... everyone does their part in encouraging the team.”
Well aware of last year’s struggles even though he was still in high school, Videira understands the vast improvements in this year’s team. “On defense, we’ve been communicating a lot, we’ve only given up five goals,” Videira said.
The team still has seven games to talk their way through before the ACC Tournament in mid November. Four of the remaining seven will be conference contests, including a matchup with No. 10 Virginia in Charlottesville, Va.
Although Duke has handled the pressure of playing the No. 1 team on the road and sparing with an arch rival in a packed Koskinen stadium, the stakes will only rise heading toward the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. This young team has already put memories of last year behind it.
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