Students seeking a late dinner in the Marketplace Monday night were surprised with another class at the end of the day-but this one didn't require a textbook.
Football 101 was in session, and head coach David Cutcliffe was the professor.
Armed with a projector and video highlights from Saturday's 24-20 loss to Northwestern, Cutcliffe broke down game film and sipped some Coca-Cola with a group of about 30 freshmen. Already well-known for reaching out to the student body, Cutcliffe said he wanted to grow the film sessions into a large, consistent, bi-weekly event.
"I like to get out with the regular students," he said Tuesday. "There was a lot of energy in the room, and I think they enjoyed that."
When he was Mississippi's head coach from 1999 to 2004, Cutcliffe taught an accredited class one semester. Despite the early morning start time, he said more than 100 students enrolled and consistently packed the classroom. Since arriving at Duke, Cutcliffe has mentioned an interest in doing something similar, and it seems these informal lectures might be just the thing.
"He just wanted to have an avenue to be able to speak directly with students," said Director of Promotions Bart Smith, who is responsible for organizing the event. "To have some time with them, showing them about football, develop and cultivate those relationships a little bit.
"I think any coach, this is their expertise, and this is where they're most comfortable-showing different plays and explaining what they're doing during different situations."
A self-professed lover of X's and O's as well as a game-film guru, Cutcliffe said he enjoyed the first lecture but will continue to tweak it in order to make improvements.
Such changes may include relocating to the Bryan Center or Armadillo Grill, as well as possibly catering the seminar with the help of Director of Dining Services Jim Wulforst, Smith said.
Either way, it's something Cutcliffe intends to continue.
"Right now, I think we have the best student section in all of America," said Cutcliffe, who commended the costumes of Tailgaters. "They're into it. They're having a good time. I look forward to that each week, interacting with them, so I decided to take this to them on Monday night."
Smith said the next class session is tentatively set for the week leading up to Duke's matchup against Virginia Sept. 27.
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