jimsumner
11-11-2014, 02:00 PM
Duke had a lighter than normal practice this morning. After two physical games, Duke has a lot of guys with bumps and bruises. Duke practiced in shorts and pads, with the goal of “staying off the ground.”
Keep in mind that VT is coming off a bye week, so Duke wants to minimize any freshness disadvantage.
Cut said that this Duke team’s special teams provides “one of the greatest strengths of any team I’ve ever coached.”
Speaking of special teams, remember Syracuse’s failed fake punt? Cut said Duke had looked at every one of Syracuse’s punts going back to last season and noticed a particular package they only used for fake punts. They showed this to the Duke punt-return unit and told them to expect a fake if this particular group lined up in this particular formation.
So Duke was eady and snuffed it. Cut said Duke was so well-prepared for this that the guys on the sideline were yelling “fake.”
Speaking of yelling, Cut said that the announcement to the team that Kelby Brown and Braxton Deaver would return for next season was met with enthusiastic cheering. Cut said neither was running right now and would not participate in spring practice, but they he expected them to be running by then.
Cut said he was a sounding board only for Brown and Deaver. “I’m here to answer questions not influence decisions.”
Cut and left tackle Takoby Cofield agreed that the crowd noise of an indoor stadium did not contribute to Duke’s false starts Saturday. Cofield said Duke just wasn’t on the same page. Cut said that there was no false start on the punt and that Tomlinson’s false start was a reaction to a call by a Syracuse defender. Schneider? “No excuse.”
Cofield said the penalties had been addressed. “Coach Montgomery doesn’t let those things get swept under the rug. Those guys got something said to them and we got something said to us."
Cut says VT is “comfortable playing man coverage.” Crowder must be chomping at the bit.
Duke has only played one home game since September. Dez Johnson discusses what Duke learned on the road. “You find out how tough your team is. . . You find out how mentally tough your team is . . . when things are not going our way, when big plays happen against us, when you don’t have the crowd behind you to pick you up, to see how this team is able to get through that and come out with a win, that shows how tough we are.”
DeVon Edwards says he embrace his nickname “Mr. November.” He says it just shows his team expects its best players to make plays in the biggest part of the season.
Cofield says linemen do indeed love playing in the cold. It keeps fatigue at bay. But you have to make sure you concentrate on warming up properly and staying warmed up.
Keep in mind that VT is coming off a bye week, so Duke wants to minimize any freshness disadvantage.
Cut said that this Duke team’s special teams provides “one of the greatest strengths of any team I’ve ever coached.”
Speaking of special teams, remember Syracuse’s failed fake punt? Cut said Duke had looked at every one of Syracuse’s punts going back to last season and noticed a particular package they only used for fake punts. They showed this to the Duke punt-return unit and told them to expect a fake if this particular group lined up in this particular formation.
So Duke was eady and snuffed it. Cut said Duke was so well-prepared for this that the guys on the sideline were yelling “fake.”
Speaking of yelling, Cut said that the announcement to the team that Kelby Brown and Braxton Deaver would return for next season was met with enthusiastic cheering. Cut said neither was running right now and would not participate in spring practice, but they he expected them to be running by then.
Cut said he was a sounding board only for Brown and Deaver. “I’m here to answer questions not influence decisions.”
Cut and left tackle Takoby Cofield agreed that the crowd noise of an indoor stadium did not contribute to Duke’s false starts Saturday. Cofield said Duke just wasn’t on the same page. Cut said that there was no false start on the punt and that Tomlinson’s false start was a reaction to a call by a Syracuse defender. Schneider? “No excuse.”
Cofield said the penalties had been addressed. “Coach Montgomery doesn’t let those things get swept under the rug. Those guys got something said to them and we got something said to us."
Cut says VT is “comfortable playing man coverage.” Crowder must be chomping at the bit.
Duke has only played one home game since September. Dez Johnson discusses what Duke learned on the road. “You find out how tough your team is. . . You find out how mentally tough your team is . . . when things are not going our way, when big plays happen against us, when you don’t have the crowd behind you to pick you up, to see how this team is able to get through that and come out with a win, that shows how tough we are.”
DeVon Edwards says he embrace his nickname “Mr. November.” He says it just shows his team expects its best players to make plays in the biggest part of the season.
Cofield says linemen do indeed love playing in the cold. It keeps fatigue at bay. But you have to make sure you concentrate on warming up properly and staying warmed up.