Football: Dana Hills’ senior is determined to change things at Duke

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No one made a big deal when Sean Schroeder orally committed to Duke back in late June. Come to think of it, there was much more hype surrounding the spring and summer pledges given by his higher-profile quarterback counterparts such as Richard Brehaut (UCLA), Allan Bridgford (Cal) and Josh Nunes (Tennessee).

Perhaps we should take a closer look at Schroeder, though. He is, after all, heading to a school that is well-known for its greatness on the hardwood, not on the gridiron. But if the 6-foot-2 senior from Dana Hills has anything to do with it, he’ll be at the forefront of the Blue Devils’ eventual turnaround.

‘First and foremost, I’m going to get a great education at Duke, one that’s second to none,’’ Schroeder said. ‘And I know Duke will always be a basketball school. Everyone knows that. Good thing is, I have the chance to be a part of a program that’s on the verge of changing its image and building its own tradition.’’

And it appears as if Schroeder will have some help once he arrives in Durham. According to this report, the Blue Devils landed Desmond Scott, a senior from North Carolina and one of the top all-purpose backs in the country who recently changed his mind about going to Rutgers to attend Duke.

The 2009 class is shaping up rather well, in fact. New coach David Cutcliffe, considered a quarterback guru of sorts, was able to secure a commitment from Ryan Hall in late April. The highly-regarded 6-foot-3 tight end from Florida will provide Schroeder with another option in the passing game down the road.

‘Getting Desmond Scott on board was huge. It’s another step in the right direction for us,’’ Schroeder said. ‘Ever since I joined the Duke family, since Day 1, I have been committed to do whatever it takes to help out the program. If that means calling other recruits, I’ll do it. We can get some good things done around here.’’

-- Sean Ceglinsky