Philadelphia, PA -- (Sports Network) - 2007 SEASON IN REVIEW: The Blue Devils finished 2007 with just one win and went winless once again in the ACC, setting the stage for the departure of Ted Roof.

The season opened with a rout at the hands of Connecticut (45-14), followed by a conference setback at Virginia (24-13). Duke got in the win column in the next game however, topping Northwestern in Evanston (20-14). That would be the only taste of victory on the season, as Duke would drop nine straight games to close things out. Several of those losses were competitive however, including heart-breaking setbacks at Navy (46-43), against Wake Forest (41-36) and at North Carolina (20-14 in OT). It marked the team's eighth winless ACC campaign in the last 12 years. A last place finish in the Coastal Division made a move necessary at the top of the program, as Duke went out and landed former Ole Miss head coach and Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe.

2008 ANALYSIS:

OFFENSE: Just how much Duke improves in the win column this year will depend on the play of junior QB Thaddeus Lewis. The 6-2 signal-caller has struggled with consistency in his tenure under center and last year was no different, as he completed just over 55 percent of his passes, for 2,430 yards and 21 TDs. The one thing Lewis has going for him is his toughness, a sentiment echoed by Cutcliffe.

"I didn't realize how good an athlete he was until I got on the field and worked with him. He has the one thing you have to have to play quarterback at this level and that is toughness. His biggest challenge is his inconsistency."

The weapons at Lewis' disposal will help him in that area, led by 6-3 senior Eron Riley. The veteran wideout was a Second-Team All-ACC selection in 2007, hauling in 40 balls, for 830 yards and nine TDs (all team-highs).

The ground game was nonexistent in 2007, averaging a measly 64 yards per game, but the hope is that senior tailback Re'Quan Boyette (4.2 ypc in 2007) can produce this year in a more expanded role.

The offensive line returns three of the five starters from last season, but look for senior Cameron Goldberg to move from left guard to left tackle in 2008. There is plenty of work cut out for this group, as the unit surrendered a whopping 45 sacks in 2007, while paving the way for a mere 2.0 yards per carry. Despite a revamped line, the only place to go for this unit is up.

DEFENSE: Duke struggled in just about every facet of the game defensively last year, but a lot of that had to do with the offense's inability to stay on the field. The Blue Devils finished dead last in the conference in scoring defense (33.2 ppg) and total defense (424.3 ypg), while placing 11th in rush defense (180.2 ypg) and 10th in pass defense (244.1 ypg). The team returns 10 of the 11 starters from a year ago, so this unit should be improved.

This defense will be led by the linebacking corps, namely junior Vincent Rey (team-high 111 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and senior Mike Tauiliili (108 tackles, four sacks, three INTs). Perhaps this team's top playmaker, Tauiliili earned All-American honors as a freshman. Defensive tackle Vince Oghobaase headlines the defensive front, after the 6-6, 310-pound tackle finished 2007 with 49 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Junior cornerback Leon Wright (67 tackles, three INTs) will lead the way in the secondary.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The team has a pair of youngsters manning the kicking game, with sophomores Nick Maggio and Kevin Jones returning after being force-fed action as freshmen. Maggio hit all 13 of his extra points and made 2-of-5 field-goal attempts, including a long of 40 yards. Jones got much more action, punting the ball 75 times on the season, averaging 38.3 yards per attempt.

2008 OUTLOOK: "Earning the right to win" is the mantra that Coach Cutcliffe has instilled from day one in Durham. Just how well the team responds to it remains to be seen. There is a talent base present at Duke that needs to believe it can win games and then go out and get the job done.

That job begins on August 30th against FCS-foe James Madison. Two more non-ACC games follow with Northwestern and Navy both making the trip to Durham. The non-league slate concludes in late October at Vanderbilt. Splitting those four games is attainable, but wins in-conference won't come easy. The Cavaliers are on the docket first in late September and with the Cavaliers retooling, the Blue Devils could get off to a fast start. Miami, NC State and North Carolina also come to Wallace Wade Stadium this year, but those three games will be exponentially harder to win. Picking up an ACC win away from home isn't in the cards this season, with treks to Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Clemson and Virginia Tech representing a murderous road slate. Still, a possible three- win season in Cutcliffe's foray into ACC football should be considered a step in the right direction.