The last time Duke started the ACC 0-2 was the 1995-96 season, when they dropped games to Clemson and Georgia Tech and it got worse from there. 

Duke ended up with two more losses to Wake Forest and Virginia going to 0-4 before they rebounded to finish 8-8 and tied for fourth in the ACC.

Assistant Coach, Chris Collins was a captain on that team and he is sure to tell the young Blue Devils that the following season Duke went 24-9 and then 32-4.

Nobody knows for sure how the season will play out, but you can be sure that Coach K will find a way to get to his guys.  Even then, there are going to be more struggles as this team rounds the learning curve.

That learning curve will be there until players not only become comfortable in their roles, but define their role.  Quite simply, the four freshman have hit a temporary wall, and have to find a way to play through it. 

In the freshmans defense, the sophs haven't been a lot better of late.  This is basically Josh McRobert's first year of playing full time and then there is junior DeMarcus Nelson, who despite being the most consistent player this season, had his share of mishaps in the loss to Georgia Tech.

The bell has rung and Duke is waiting to see which player will step up and define their role.  Who will seize the opportunity?

Clearly the most bothersome point this season is the point.  I am certainly not giving up on Greg Paulus yet, but there were several Duke fans throwing him under the Chartered Flight out of Atlanta.  While I understand the frustration, it isn't going to help to harp on him in a mean spirited way on the various message boards.  Still, discussion of Greg's play is natural and his play will inevitably be the tale, tell.

He was suppose to run the show this season, being selected as a leader and awarded a captainship.  There is a lot of responsibility in being a captain and K handed the keys to the ship to Paulus and with that comes pressure.

How Greg handles the obvious pressure that has come about will define the season.  If he doesn't develop consistency, Duke will be forced to have Scheyer run the team much of the time. 

If it isn't hard enough being a freshman for Scheyer, imagine playing thirty five minutes a game at a new position in the Atlantic Coast Conference while learning a new system.  The fact that this is the first year he has played with his teammates doesn't help matters either. 

It is imperative to show up in every game for you are the focal point of where it all needs to start.  That is the book on the PG position

What concerns me most is that a funk can rub off on your teammates and it is time for young Greg to reach deep within himself, take a deep breath and let the game come to him while being aggressive in every area of your play.  You know, the Nike slogan, "just do it."  Regardless of his struggles, I still feel as fans, that we need to allow him the chance to play out the season before hanging him in effigy.

Strangely, there is a lack of vocal leader and communication has been a team problem on offense.

That said, the offense is obviously struggling to score.  Communication is part of the problem, knowing where to be without the ball is another. The movement of the ball in the motion offense has been troublesome to those so spoiled on watching the well oiled machines but the biggest struggle is finishing easy shots.  You have to hit the gimmes.

At some point, our young players will realize they may be making the game harder than it should be on offense.  One good game can take the monkey of their backs and the release of  pressure would give them a little more bounce in their step and that confidence generally will carries over to other important areas.

Until that happens though, the team truly needs support.  I bet that many of you have never experienced two losses to open the season.  If you are a young fan of the Blue Devils (30 and under) then you are probably quite spoiled, possibly even thinking it is our birthright as fans to win.

All I can say for those fans, is be patient and take a step back to realize how good you have had it and that our roster is oh-so young.  I promise you as the years go on that you will come to appreciate the wins more if you experience a little hunger.

Hunger, may be the keyword.  You can bet that the team is every bit as dismayed by the loss as you are and that the staff that has been together longer than any in college basketball will be there searching the right buttons to push.   After all, every coach on the team has experienced adversity and they will provide leadership.

Scheyer is having to learn on the fly in the tough Atlantic Coast Conference. 

Anyhow, back to hunger.  I truly think that this game got the players attention and they realize they have to grow up quick.  Coach K will surely have their attention now and he will not hang them out to dry.  No, he will coach them until they become accustomed to each other.

There are a lot of games yet to be played and you can only take them one at a time.  Next up is another road test with Miami.  Not only did the Canes beat Maryland on the road, they had their way with the team we lost to in Georgia Tech.

Hopefully, Duke will find a way to get a much needed win.