Notes from Cut's press conference, 10-6

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10-06-2009, 03:26 PM
jimsumner

Notes from Cut's press conference, 10-6

Co-captains for Saturday.

Lederman, King, Hatcher, and VO.

Complete injury report Thursday but Kromrah out. Duke not deep with experience LBs, so not good news.

Duke very focused on State's pass rush, especially stud DE Willie Young. Duke will "move the pocket, get help" on Young.

Duke must have the ability to run in order to keep the NCSU DL honest. Duke OL concentrating on improving the "little things," techniques, slight tweaks, still trying to get better.

State is making major changes at DB this week but Cut doesn't expect any scheme changes.

State burned Duke last year on kick returns. Duke has to do better in that area.

Duke not pleased with pass rush v. VT but Cut ackowledges that Duke's undersized DBs need "to compete for balls" better.

Hatcher and VO came in for praise. Cut says that Hatcher was one of the sickest players on the team this summer and missed a lot of conditioning. Described Hatcher as "workhorse," "warrior," and "tough guy."

Says VO is 100%.

Cut says Duke has had great effort for last six quarters but effort isn't enough. Duke needs to combine effort with better execution, better awareness of down and distance (3rd and 34, anyone). Duke needs to develop "mentality of winners."

Talked to Thad. He practically glowed talking about Desmond Scott and the depth of Duke's recruiting corps.

Duke hasn't talked about its 11-game losing streak to State. King says he didn't even know the game was on ESPNU until we told him. Focus.
10-06-2009, 03:57 PM
CameronBornAndBred

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimsumner

State burned Duke last year on kick returns. Duke has to do better in that area.

I hope he doesn't go with his game plan from last Saturday, which was to kick it out of bounds. Instead of trusting our special teams to do their job on the return defense, we kicked OB twice, resulting in having the ball placed on the 40, and we kicked a low grounder, resulting in even worse field position. Only once did we actually kick a returnable ball, and that was at the end of the game. The D stopped them about the 25, which was a much better result.
10-06-2009, 05:09 PM
Acymetric

Quote:

Originally Posted by CameronBornAndBred

I hope he doesn't go with his game plan from last Saturday, which was to kick it out of bounds. Instead of trusting our special teams to do their job on the return defense, we kicked OB twice, resulting in having the ball placed on the 40, and we kicked a low grounder, resulting in even worse field position. Only once did we actually kick a returnable ball, and that was at the end of the game. The D stopped them about the 25, which was a much better result.

I can't tell if you're joking around about the OB strategy or not, but I'm almost certain that the OB kicks were just bad kicks, not planned. I took the grounder to be a reaction to the OB kicks as well. Of course, I've been wrong before...
10-06-2009, 05:31 PM
OldPhiKap

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimsumner

Duke needs to develop "mentality of winners."

That sounds so easy yet is one of our biggest barriers. Probably with the fans more than those playing for Cut.

Thanks as always, Jim!
10-06-2009, 06:07 PM
CameronBornAndBred

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acymetric

I can't tell if you're joking around about the OB strategy or not, but I'm almost certain that the OB kicks were just bad kicks, not planned. I took the grounder to be a reaction to the OB kicks as well. Of course, I've been wrong before...

I thought they were mistakes until that 3rd kick. Then the first two made sense (they both were kicked to the exact same spot). Supposedly VT is a very good team on the returns, so it was a strategic decision.
10-06-2009, 06:14 PM
devildeac

Quote:

Originally Posted by CameronBornAndBred

I thought they were mistakes until that 3rd kick. Then the first two made sense. Supposedly VT is a very good team on the returns, so it was a strategic decision.

I saw in the n&o on Sunday or Monday that one of the return men for VT was among the NCAA leaders with about a 48 yard average. So it kinda makes sense but, if Cut has a special teams coach and has put so much emphasis on it last year and this year, I still can't see "awarding" them the ball on the 40 after two KO and then the bouncer up the middle to about the 20 which was also returned to near the 40. I thought we covered some of the others fairly well.
10-06-2009, 06:19 PM
Acymetric

Quote:

Originally Posted by CameronBornAndBred

I thought they were mistakes until that 3rd kick. Then the first two made sense (they both were kicked to the exact same spot). Supposedly VT is a very good team on the returns, so it was a strategic decision.

The thing is they weren't way out of bounds. In fact, in both cases had the bounce been slightly different they wouldn't have been out of bounds at all. Unless a coach has come out and stated that was the strategy I don't think it was intentional, if it was I would expect the ball would have been kicked more directly out of bouts instead of just to the side of the field with the hope of a sideline bounce.
10-06-2009, 06:43 PM
CameronBornAndBred

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acymetric

In fact, in both cases had the bounce been slightly different they wouldn't have been out of bounds at all.

I say that is good kicking. Consider the source of the kicks, Will Snyderwine. He was 4-4 on field goals, including 2 over 40 yards.
10-06-2009, 07:45 PM
chrishoke

We have been effectively kicking to the corners all year. I think those are our first 2 OB.
10-06-2009, 10:56 PM
Newton_14

FG Progress

Quote:

Originally Posted by CameronBornAndBred

I say that is good kicking. Consider the source of the kicks, Will Snyderwine. He was 4-4 on field goals, including 2 over 40 yards.

If it was on purpose I agree on it being a flawed strategy. 1st and 10 on the 40 is too much to give up.

But on a positive note, does anyone else realize that Mr. Snyderwine made more FG's in the one game on Saturday than Duke made the ENTIRE season the year before Cut took over? Despite the early troubles this year in the Richmond and Army games, the kicking game has made great strides under Cut!
10-06-2009, 11:19 PM
killerleft

I haven't heard any quotes directly related to the kicks out of bounds. In fact, I would be amazed to find out they were done on purpose. No doubt we were trying to kick away from the super return man, but NOT to kick the ball out of bounds.
10-06-2009, 11:26 PM
CameronBornAndBred

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boozer

If it was on purpose I agree on it being a flawed strategy. 1st and 10 on the 40 is too much to give up.

But on a positive note, does anyone else realize that Mr. Snyderwine made more FG's in the one game on Saturday than Duke made the ENTIRE season the year before Cut took over? Despite the early troubles this year in the Richmond and Army games, the kicking game has made great strides under Cut!

That is the silver lining. The dark lining is the points weren't TD's. That's not a facetious comment by the way.
10-07-2009, 06:59 AM
devilish

Per coach Cut, OB kicks were not intentional. VT just judged correctly and they rolled out. The grounder was also a mistake.
10-07-2009, 07:04 AM
CameronBornAndBred

Quote:

Originally Posted by devilish

Per coach Cut, OB kicks were not intentional. VT just judged correctly and they rolled out. The grounder was also a mistake.

I'm not sure which version is less depressing. Those are 3 huge mistakes.
10-07-2009, 04:07 PM
pbc2

In the post-game quotes, Cutcliffe was very upset with giving them the ball at the 40 twice, and then at the 38 on the grounder. It was in no way intentional.

The two that went out of bounds did so at about the 5 yard line. They were clearly just hooked (both went out of bounds on the left sideline, kicking out of the horseshoe).

Great to see Snyderwine connect on the 4 FGs. I expect the kickoffs to improve as well. In fact, Duke has covered kickoffs well for the most part this year. I believe I read in one of the pre-game notes that we ranked fairly high in the ACC and nationally on lowest yards per return.