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DURHAM -- The story of the last 15 years of postseason football at Duke can be found on the pages between Nos. 175 and 176 in the Blue Devils media guide.

There are no such pages. Because there is no such history.

The last time Duke played in a postseason game was after the 1994 season, when the Blue Devils lost to Wisconsin in the Hall of Fame Bowl. The game changed its name to the Outback Bowl the next year.

The last time Duke won a postseason game was a 7-6 victory over Arkansas -- in the 1961 Cotton Bowl.

All these years later, along comes head coach David Cutcliffe, and he's saying the B-word out loud.

"I believe we'll be a bowl team," Cutcliffe said at the ACC Football Kickoff. "I believe we are a bowl team. I believe we are capable of that. My job is to coach them to that level. Is any of that easy? No. Every hurdle gets a little higher. But that's exciting."

Last year, in his first season as Duke's coach, Cutcliffe guided the Blue Devils to a 4-8 season. It doesn't sound like much, but the four wins matched Duke's total from the previous four seasons combined.

For what it's worth, Cutcliffe wasn't happy about it.

"Last year we were a good football team with a bad record," he said. "I'm certainly anxious to see how we respond this season.

"Every step that you go through, the challenges become bigger. Nobody gives you that. ... It's harder, but it's a whole lot more rewarding and interesting and fun."

Bowl team or not, if nothing else Duke should be more interesting and more fun to watch this year -- especially on offense.

Senior quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, a second-team All-ACC pick last year, returns for his fourth season as the Blue Devils' starter. He led the league with an average of 197.4 yards passing per game as a junior.

Working out of a three-receiver, single-running back set, Lewis should put up big numbers again this season -- if the wide receivers develop.

Duke's top receiver from last season -- Eron Riley (61 catches, eight TDs) -- graduated. The three starters this season -- Johnny Williams, Donovan Varner and Austin Kelly -- are underclassmen who combined for 64 catches and one touchdown last year.

"I think we're better as a group at wide receiver than a year ago," Cutcliffe said. "I don't think there's any question we're better. Overall, there's more speed. Eron is a great loss. He was a big-play guy. But we'll have a faster, more athletic unit at receiver."

How come? The returnees are being pushed -- and pushed hard -- by a group of true freshmen.

"Conner Vernon and Corey Gattis and Tyree Watkins are all right there," Cutcliffe said. "I'll look at every one of them and see what their capabilities are to help. Conner, in particular, has got a pretty good grasp of what we're doing."

It's a receiving corps that's gained the trust of the quarterback.

"I love the young guys at receiver," Lewis said. "Everybody brings something different to the table. One thing I love is those guys are fighting over the football. There's only one football to go around, but a lot of the guys are coming back to the huddle ... mad if they don't get the football. I love that. Everybody wants the football and everybody wants to make a play."

Duke also gets back a playmaker who sat out last season with an injury. Senior tailback Re'quan Boyette has won back his starting job from Jay Hollingsworth, who averaged nearly 4 yards per carry as a freshman last season.

Boyette adds power and speed to a finesse offense.

"Re'quan is such a threat every time he touches the ball," Cutcliffe said. "We really haven't had that. Re'quan is just really put together -- low to the ground, strong. We've got to get him on the edges rather than taking people on. If he learns to ... make people miss a little bit more, just get on the edge, two things are going to happen: You're going to see him finish more runs, and he'll get hurt less. His M.O. is not making it through a season, and I know it's real important to him his senior year that he puts together a 12-game regular season that's consistent and special."

And maybe, just maybe, Boyette and the rest of the offense will lead Duke to a 13th game -- and add a page to next year's media guide.

Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills@news-record.com