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Duke football: Worst head coach hires in program history

By Josh Yourish

Oct 14, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Elko runs out before the first half of the game against North Carolina State Wolfpack at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 14, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Elko runs out before the first half of the game against North Carolina State Wolfpack at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 24, 2007, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Ted Roof with his team in the North Carolina Tar Heels 20-14 overtime win against the Duke Blue Devils at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 24, 2007, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Ted Roof with his team in the North Carolina Tar Heels 20-14 overtime win against the Duke Blue Devils at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Barry Wilson did the Duke football program the most harm by crushing the momentum generated by Spurrier, but Ted Roof’s tenure was still much worse. Roof was first the defensive coordinator for Duke. He coached under Carl Franks, beginning in 2002, but midway through the 2003 season, Roof took over the program. He led the Blue Devils to a 2-3 finish which earned him the full-time position.

His official tenure got off to a terrible start with the team going 2-9 and 1-7 in ACC play. The next year Roof led the Blue Devils to 1-10 overall and he never won another ACC game after 2004.

Roof’s worst season came in 2006 when his team went 0-12, but it still wasn’t enough for him to be fired. Roof got another year to prove his worth and managed to improve to 1-11 before being dismissed. In total, Roof went 6-45.

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