jimsumner
09-10-2013, 02:43 PM
As might be expected, lots of talk about the quarterback position.
Cut says no timetable on Boone's return. "Out indefinitely." Lots of individual variations in this type of injury. Boone is trying to sleep in a chair, to minimize stress on the collarbone. Don't want to roll over on it.
Parker Boehme working with second unit. Cut seems ambivalent about using him and burning redshirt. Cut normally likes to give back-ups a series or two early but hasn't made that decision relative to Boehme. I asked if either of the walk-on QBs [Robert Collins, Mackenzie Sovereign] could step in should Connette have the wind knocked out of him and his response was that neither had enough work to step in and that circumstance he would "probably pull the trigger on Parker."
Dave Harding said that Boehme's confidence has grown noticeably over the last few weeks. "He's really matured. If need be, he'd come in and we'd be functional and rely on different guys to make plays."
Cut said he would have to talk to Connette about being a bit more inclined to avoid hits. He talked a little bit about Tommy McDonald's ability to avoid hits. Al Featherston and I were the only people in the room who remembered the 1960s Eagles wide receiver. But Cut wants and needs Connette to understand when to avoid that big blow.
Speaking of QBs, Duke refuses to rule out Sirk for the season. He's throwing some and Duke expects a 100 percent recovery. Medical staff has final say. No timeline.
Speaking of QBs, redux, Cut says this year's GT team is more explosive than other GT teams he's seen, in large part because Vlad Lee is a better passer than his predecessors. Better arm, sees the field well but is still a dangerous runner.
Called the win against Memphis a "program win." Everybody contributed.
Duke wants to play more people against Tech than played against Memphis.
Cut did have some concerns about the Memphis game. Said that too many people were trying to make plays instead of executing their assignments, e.g. Crowder trying to return punts without catching the ball first. No "schematic concerns" over the sacks. Connette held on to the ball too early once and a tight end missed a block on another.
Crowder said he was hurting the team early and Coach Montgomery "came in and pretty much got in my face and pretty much laid it out and told me I was playing like crap. He didn't sugarcoat anything. I just took it and went back out and tried to redeem myself."
I asked Harding about Duke's ability to overcome some adversity at Memphis. "I attribute that to the leadership of the team, the seniority we have across the board on offense and defense, the guys who have been in that situation before and know how to keep fighting and things will go your way. We were seeing flashes of that throughout the game but knew we needed to put it together and play Duke football. The older guys really took control and didn't let the game get away from us. The accountability across all position groups was really good."
Justin Foxx says key to stopping Tech is to do well in early downs, force them into third and long and force mistakes. Crowder and Foxx agree that Duke offense needs to stay on field and give defense a chance to rest. Time of possession differential could be decisive.
Temperature in Durham Saturday expected to be mid-70s, much better than for NCCU game.
Cut says no timetable on Boone's return. "Out indefinitely." Lots of individual variations in this type of injury. Boone is trying to sleep in a chair, to minimize stress on the collarbone. Don't want to roll over on it.
Parker Boehme working with second unit. Cut seems ambivalent about using him and burning redshirt. Cut normally likes to give back-ups a series or two early but hasn't made that decision relative to Boehme. I asked if either of the walk-on QBs [Robert Collins, Mackenzie Sovereign] could step in should Connette have the wind knocked out of him and his response was that neither had enough work to step in and that circumstance he would "probably pull the trigger on Parker."
Dave Harding said that Boehme's confidence has grown noticeably over the last few weeks. "He's really matured. If need be, he'd come in and we'd be functional and rely on different guys to make plays."
Cut said he would have to talk to Connette about being a bit more inclined to avoid hits. He talked a little bit about Tommy McDonald's ability to avoid hits. Al Featherston and I were the only people in the room who remembered the 1960s Eagles wide receiver. But Cut wants and needs Connette to understand when to avoid that big blow.
Speaking of QBs, Duke refuses to rule out Sirk for the season. He's throwing some and Duke expects a 100 percent recovery. Medical staff has final say. No timeline.
Speaking of QBs, redux, Cut says this year's GT team is more explosive than other GT teams he's seen, in large part because Vlad Lee is a better passer than his predecessors. Better arm, sees the field well but is still a dangerous runner.
Called the win against Memphis a "program win." Everybody contributed.
Duke wants to play more people against Tech than played against Memphis.
Cut did have some concerns about the Memphis game. Said that too many people were trying to make plays instead of executing their assignments, e.g. Crowder trying to return punts without catching the ball first. No "schematic concerns" over the sacks. Connette held on to the ball too early once and a tight end missed a block on another.
Crowder said he was hurting the team early and Coach Montgomery "came in and pretty much got in my face and pretty much laid it out and told me I was playing like crap. He didn't sugarcoat anything. I just took it and went back out and tried to redeem myself."
I asked Harding about Duke's ability to overcome some adversity at Memphis. "I attribute that to the leadership of the team, the seniority we have across the board on offense and defense, the guys who have been in that situation before and know how to keep fighting and things will go your way. We were seeing flashes of that throughout the game but knew we needed to put it together and play Duke football. The older guys really took control and didn't let the game get away from us. The accountability across all position groups was really good."
Justin Foxx says key to stopping Tech is to do well in early downs, force them into third and long and force mistakes. Crowder and Foxx agree that Duke offense needs to stay on field and give defense a chance to rest. Time of possession differential could be decisive.
Temperature in Durham Saturday expected to be mid-70s, much better than for NCCU game.