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View Full Version : Duke football notes, 10-28-14



jimsumner
10-28-2014, 02:26 PM
Anthony Boone called a players-only meeting this morning.

Topics of discussion? Boone. “Staying focused and not letting the rankings play for us. Let our execution and who we are take of it and the rankings can come later.”

Fellow senior Takoby Cofield. “It’s time. It’s November. Younger guys that remember last year but who maybe didn’t have a big role and guys who were on the team last year but who maybe didn’t play a lot, are going to have to step into a bigger role. It’s the time of year when you get bumps and bruises and we’re going to need that second and third guy to be ready, to be locked in and know the game plan. Everybody matters and now’s the time to buckle down and be ready.”

Several players told me that the meeting was not the result of any perceived slippage in practice but was more proactive.

Pitt? Every player I talked to referenced Pitt’s physicality and toughness.

Cutcliffe agreed, noting that Duke could not match Pitt’s size but would have to compensate with superior technique and execution. “You’re not going to tackle a 250-pound running back without good technique.”

The 250-pound running back referred to by Cutcliffe is James Conner, who does indeed weigh 250. Conner is having a great season.

Duke linebacker C.J. France weighs 230. He describes the challenges of James Conner. “It’s always a challenge going against a big, physical back. He runs the ball hard. He drives his feet well.”

Who played Conner in practice? None of Duke’s four scholarship backs. Instead Duke used walk-ons Eric Adams (5-8 175) and Eamon Vain-Callahan (5-9, 195) to replicate Conner. Duke had a very run-centric practice today, 60 or so running plays against the Duke D.

Cutcliffe says Duke’s biggest challenge down the stretch is “finding consistency.” Execution more than effort. “Be clean.”

Center Matt Skura is from Ohio and practically salivated at the weather forecast for Pitt, cold and breezy, maybe even some snow flurries. “Being a Midwest guy, I kind of like the cold. It’s going to be fun. Some guys might not like the cold as much but offensive linemen, we love that stuff.”

Cutcliffe said he has been too busy to read any of the Wainstein report and doesn’t know many specifics. He says he’s “not concerned a bit” about any such thing happening at Duke. “Our people are great at catching things.” Small campus, no place to hide phony classes, good checks and balances in place.

Devil in the Blue Dress
10-28-2014, 02:41 PM
Thank you, Jim! This report made my day!

uh_no
10-28-2014, 02:52 PM
Cutcliffe said he has been too busy to read any of the Wainstein report and doesn’t know many specifics. He says he’s “not concerned a bit” about any such thing happening at Duke. “Our people are great at catching things.” Small campus, no place to hide phony classes, good checks and balances in place.

He's right...it would be impossible to hide....there're only 6500 some undergrads....everybody knows to take rocks for jocks.

Further, everybody knows someone...a player, a manager, a tutor...i lived next to a couple football players multiple years, I was in classes with basketball players and friends with managers....even if they're not the top students, they're there, and they're doing the work. K talks in one of his books about academic acocuntability....start of the semester they get list of assignment and exam dates for each player's classes, and then ensure they are on track to hit those deadlines.

Heck, while TH was faking classes, Miles was in the intro to engineering class. He ended up not going that route, but at he gave it a shot....and i'd bet the response from the staff was to go for it, and they probably came up with a plan to help him complete the curriculum if he wanted, as opposed to saying "just take fake classes instead"

Bob Green
10-28-2014, 05:51 PM
Anthony Boone called a players-only meeting this morning.

Fantastic! Boone being a strong leader is a good thing to hear about as the team starts a five game stretch to finish the regular season.

OldPhiKap
10-28-2014, 09:36 PM
Cut's press conference is up at goduke.com. At the risk of being a broken record, Cut's press conferences are always worth the time to watch.

Dev11
10-28-2014, 10:12 PM
Who played Conner in practice? None of Duke’s four scholarship backs. Instead Duke used walk-ons Eric Adams (5-8 175) and Eamon Vain-Callahan (5-9, 195) to replicate Conner. Duke had a very run-centric practice today, 60 or so running plays against the Duke D.

Wait, did those two guys get taped together to replicate Conner?

Thanks as always for these notes. The thing about Boone was great to hear, too. He knows that this month is a huge opportunity for him, both in terms of his Duke legacy and his NFL prospects, which I would think have slipped this season. If we play well, he will get more opportunities to perform on a national stage.

devildeac
10-28-2014, 10:16 PM
Wait, did those two guys get taped together to replicate Conner?

Thanks as always for these notes. The thing about Boone was great to hear, too. He knows that this month is a huge opportunity for him, both in terms of his Duke legacy and his NFL prospects, which I would think have slipped this season. If we play well, he will get more opportunities to perform on a national stage.

Maybe K could use that taping together idea to simulate Okafor practicing against Kennedy Meeks:rolleyes:...

Dev11
10-28-2014, 10:26 PM
Maybe K could use that taping together idea to simulate Okafor practicing against Kennedy Meeks:rolleyes:...

You'd need more than two 100-something walk-ons for that task.