Duke head coach David Cutcliffe and Kansas coach Charlie Weis share a kindred coaching connection.

"After being let go at Ole Miss, he was a guy that quickly believed in me enough to offer me a job, and I went to Notre Dame," said Cutcliffe.

Sadly, the duo never got to share a sideline together for the ol' gold and blue.

"One of the toughest things I've had to do, by far in the business, was after open heart surgery when I had complications during that time," said Cutcliffe. "There was no way I was going to be able to earn my money, so I called and told him I was very appreciative but there was just no way I was going to be capable of being what he deserved."

Life's little intervention set the two down different paths.

Weis back to the NFL from South Bend briefly, before stops at Florida and now Lawrence, Kansas.

While Cutcliffe would wind up in Durham, leading a resurgence of a program on the verge of starting a season 3-and-0 for the first time in 20 years.

"It would mean a lot obviously," said Blue Devils wide receiver Max McCaffrey. "I'm really fortunate to be able to be a part of it. It's an incredible feeling, the whole atmosphere you can feel changing, even from just my freshman year."

Securing that 3-0 start, may not be so easy. Weis has only won five games in his first three seasons at the helm of the Jay Hawks, but Cutcliffe says KU, is finally starting to resemble a Charlie Weis coached football team.