It’s that time of (new) year again, when we take out a moment to look back at the year gone by. And what a year it was for the Duke Blue Devils, featuring countless exciting finishes, outstanding individual efforts, milestones, awards, and yes, two national championships. In four installments over four days, the Chronicle Sports Blog picks the best ten of these to celebrate a memorable year in Duke sports. Without further adieu, moments three and four:
4. January 15: Cutcliffe Turns Down Tennessee
When David Cutcliffe spurned Tennessee to remain at Duke, he shocked the college football world. Keeping Coach Cut was the biggest step towards legitimacy that the football program has taken since Steve Spurrier graced the sidelines, solidifying the revival of Duke football. Despite a 2010 campaign plagued by the growing pains of a rookie quarterback and young backfield, Cutcliffe continues to manufacture a program built for the long haul. Say what you will about the team’s win-loss record last season, but the program is light years ahead of being legally declared the worst program in Division I-A football (only three years ago, no less!). Programs left for dead don’t often change direction this quickly, and that will be Cutcliffe’s legacy.
3. April 19: Singler Wants A Repeat
Kyle Singler’s decision was perhaps the more surprising; as the Final Four’s Most Valuable Player and a national champion, there appeared little left for him to achieve at the college level. His choice to return for his senior season gave Duke fans a reason to be hopeful for the immediate future after the departures of Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas and late-bloomer Brian Zoubek. And while Nolan Smith has shouldered the bulk of the scoring load since Kyrie Irving’s toe injury in December, Singler remains the best high-pressure shooter on the roster. He passed 2,000 career points against UAB last night, good for 11th on Duke’s all-time list, and if last season is any indication, he will just get better as the season goes on. Without a doubt, this may not have been “The Decision” of the summer, but it couldn’t mean more to Blue Devil fans.
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