DURHAM During a stroll at the beach this summer, Karen Cutcliffe found “six lucky pennies” and started calculating. Maybe, she suggested, that could mean at least six victories for Duke's football team this fall.
While the penny theme rings with a positive jingle, Karen's husband, first-year Blue Devils coach David Cutcliffe, says he's not “the superstitious type” and isn't predicting a victory total.
He just promises to “absolutely make sure our team understands hard work, but that they have fun playing football. If you are not careful as a coach, you can take the fun out of this game.”
Cutcliffe, with his down-to-earth personality, infectious enthusiasm and impressive resume, has kindled hope for long-suffering Blue Devils' football faithful.
Why the excitement?
Cutcliffe, who is 53, has credibility. He was a highly successful assistant in 19 seasons at Tennessee and made his mark as a head coach at then-struggling Mississippi, where he produced four bowl teams and a 44-29 record in five years.
Elsewhere
EAST CAROLINA: The Pirates' final scrimmage of the preseason is set for Friday afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, N.C. The team opens its season against Virginia Tech at noon Aug. 30 in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium.
After Tuesday's workout, Charlottean John Williamson, a Proctor & Gamble executive who starred at linebacker for the Pirates in the mid 1980s, delivered a strong motivational message to members of the team.
FLORIDA: Former Gator safety Jamar Hornsby has been charged with four misdemeanors in Gainseville for using the credit card of a woman, also a Florida student, killed last year with another football player in a motorcycle accident.
GUILFORD: The college promoted Joe Mitskas to defensive coordinator and added five assistants to coach Kevin Kiesel's staff: Brad Davis, Matt Hutchings, Bracy Maynard, Shawn Thomas and student assistant coach David Hayes.
TENNESSEE: The NCAA cleared former Florida State tight end Brandon Warren to play this season for the Volunteers. He had left FSU in February 2007 to go to Alcoa, Tenn., to be near his mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer.
WINGATE: Professionals in the law enforcement, firefighting and emergency-medical fields may show their agency ID badges for free admission to Wingate's game at home against Elizabeth City State on Sept. 13.
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