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Leon Wright signed a national letter of intent before he enrolled at Duke in 2006. He signed knowing that the Blue Devils had won just three games over the previous two seasons.
He was undaunted.
He left St. Petersburg, Fla., with the intention of helping a hapless football team become respectable. Though the turnabout has come molasses-slow, with Wright struggling through a winless freshman season, Duke has made strides. Duke has a chance to capture its sixth victory of the season on Saturday at home against state-rival Wake Forest. A sixth victory would be the most the program has won since 1994.
A sixth win would signal progress for a team that finished 4-8 last season and has lived with losing records for over a decade. A sixth win would show players their dedication and sweat has meant something.
"It'll let us know as a senior that we've paved the way for the guys and the program for the years down the line," Wright said. "We signed saying we wanted to make a commitment and wanted to make a change here. That would be something that would be a change. Not having a losing season."
It's a tough task for a team currently on a three-game losing streak. And the Devils have not defeated the Demon Deacons since 1999.
As they prepare for the last game of the season, the Devils no longer have a bowl game to motivate them. With the loss to Miami, they were officially eliminated from bowl contention, needing seven victories this season to become eligible for the first time since 1994.
A win Saturday, however, would represent the first season-ending victory for this group of seniors. .
Duke coach David Cutcliffe spoke at a Tuesday news conference about his admiration for what these seniors have accomplished. It was a conversation he started in Miami after another heart-breaking defeat that featured a Hurricanes' fourth-quarter rally.
"I don't know anybody anywhere who can appreciate what they've done," said Cutcliffe, who left South Florida on Saturday disappointed for his seniors who endured a two-season spate (2006 and 2007) where they were 1-23.
Cutcliffe spoke on Tuesday about the turmoil of this season, starting with the H1N1 virus circulating among team members and leaving the Devils short-handed during preseason camp.
And then there were injuries to key players such as senior quarterback Thad Lewis and senior defensive tackle Vince Oghobaase, who is listed as day-to-day with a leg injury.
"They picked themselves up time and time again," Cutcliffe said.
Cutcliffe, in his second season at Duke, also spoke about a group that accepted his system and worked hard to implement it. He said they set an example for future teams.
Vincent Rey, a senior linebacker from Far Rockaway, N.Y., received his only Division I scholarship offer from Duke. He signed his letter of intent hoping to make an impact. He was voted team captain in 2008.
"I feel like I'm leaving it a lot better than I found it," Rey said.
