Fanbogs - College Football Weblogs

November 26, 2007

Roof fired at Duke

Duke Univeristy will hold a press conference today to announce that Ted Roof has been fired as head coach.

The Blue Devils were 6-45 under Roof, although two of those wins were during his time as interim head coach. Duke currently owns a 25-game losing streak in the ACC.

Famed Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski spoke out this weekend in support of the Blue Devils football program, but said that the university must make more of a committment to field a winner.

Speaking after his team’s 78-43 win over Eastern Kentucky, the winningest basketball coach in Duke’s history questioned the university’s commitment to football.

 

“Whether you do or not, the attitude to win (championships) has to be there in everything that you do,” Krzyzewski said. “That to me is the missing ingredient, not one person.”

Krzyzewski, who has won three national championships, says simply expressing the desire to win - and not simply “compete” - in football should be among Duke’s first objectives.

“If I’m recruiting your son, and I say, 'We want you to come here because we’re going to be competitive,' and the next guy comes in (saying) 'We want to win a championship,'" Krzyzewski said. "You only play once, right? I’m going to go with the person that wants to win a championship.”

It's hard to argue with Coach K and no - Duke hasn't given enough support to the football team.

Posted by Kevin Donahue

 

Comments:

  1. Spartacus Author Profile Page said:

    posted on November 26, 2007 1:01 PM — 72.25.84.228 — link — abuse?



    Actually, Duke had improved by about ten points per game on the field this year. They had to get rid of him - as he did not win the ACC Championship. Come on, man, it's Duke for cryin' out loud. What is goin' on in college football? Are we really gonna fire everyone who does not win a conference championship? This is just getting to be ridiculous.

    Tommie Trojan

  2. College Pigskin Fan said:

    posted on November 26, 2007 2:11 PM — 4.245.18.14 — link — abuse?



    The only reason that Duke still has a team at the Division I-A level is because of their basketball program. Otherwise the football team would be out of the ACC, and playing in the Southern, Colonial, or even the Ivy League.

    They've won 22 games in 13 years, and four of those years were winless seasons. Good luck to the next Duke coach.

  3. Fanblogs Author Ben Prather Author Profile Page said:

    posted on November 27, 2007 1:12 PM — 150.176.192.1 — link — abuse?



    I read nothing to indicate Duke is buying out the coaches contract, like I see at other institutions. Maybe it came time to renue the contract and Duke decided to give someone else a chance.

    No one is arguing Duke has been successful in football... pretty much ever.

    Does the media differentiate between a school allowing a contract to expire and firing a coach during a current contract? I think the only difference is that in the latter they tell you how much the coach got payed to leave.