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View Full Version : Duke football notes, 11-3-15



jimsumner
11-03-2015, 03:06 PM
As you may have heard, the officials rather made a hash of things in Duke's last game.

Cut didn't throw any zingers today. He noted that the rules haven't caught up with the technology and stated quite categorically that the ACC needed to take a long, hard look at every aspect of the review system. The word "accountability" was used. "Get it right. What went wrong with replay? It was too easy to see. It needs to be looked at."

He also mentioned that he had received lots of supportive communications from coaches, current and retired.

But, as Don Henley says, it will eat you up inside if you let it.

So, the focus was on Saturday's game against North Carolina.

Yes, it's a rival game and a chance to avenge a dismal Duke performance last season, one that Dwayne Norman today termed "embarrassing."

But it's more than that. If Duke wins out, Duke plays in Charlotte. Simple as that. Cut said he hasn't talked all that much about it, preferring to focus on the next game and not put too much on his players' plate.

But they know. They're bright guys and they can do the math.

Defensive tackle. A.J. Wolf-"What happened, happened. But at the end of the day, we're still in the driver's seat and that's all that matters."

Cut says this is the most talented Carolina team he's faced and this isn't coach-speak. Carolina hasn't lost since they gave away their opener against South Carolina. Cut says balance is the key to their team, an offense that can run and pass, a defense keyed by their defense and solid special teams.

Cut is a big believer in process and says that is the key to putting last Saturday behind Duke. "Great habits. It's what you do. Sometimes you have a harder time getting back to work after a win than after a loss. It's not as hard if you know what to do."

Part of the process is hitting the weight room on Sundays. Cut said he knew Duke was over the Miami game when the team came in to lift the next day. His office is close to the weight room and he can tell by volume if the team is going through the motions and he could tell they were not going through the motions.

He also credited co-captains Jeremy Cash and Matt Skura for their leadership, saying the right things and leading by example.

North Carolina has some very dangerous return specialists and Duke is coming off a pretty shaky special-team performance. Cut said there was no "handle" on what went wrong and compared it to his golf swing going sour.

And that word came up again. "Both guys (Monday and Martin) have good habits. No nonsense in practice. Trust the process, believe in yourself and keep pushing."

Carolina quarterback Marquies Williams is a unique force, a 245-pounder who can run and throw. He's bigger than most of Duke's defensive ends and just as fast, maybe faster.

Cut says you can't assign one man to him. They key is for all 11 players to understand and execute their assignments.

And even then it might not be enough. "He's going to make plays. You can't let him defeat you emotionally. You have to be sound and it starts with defending the run."

Linebacker Dwayne Norman adds some thoughts on Williams. "We need to try to keep him from extending plays. That's one of his great skills, when the play is over, he'll find an extra five or 10 seconds to find a receiver. We need to cage him into the pocket and end plays when they should be ended."

If the multiverse theory is correct, there are numerous worlds in which Duke's final TD drive is the stuff of legend. Both center Matt Skura and quarterback Thomas Sirk used the word "calm" to describe Duke's offense in those final minutes.

Skura-"No one was going too high, not too low and that's what you need in a potentially game-winning drive. Everyone needs to be locked in. . . Our mentality was that if we execute, everything will turn out right. . . . My job is . . knowing what the play is, making sure the ball is set, making sure we're all on the same page. My job is to keep everyone level-headed."

Sirk-"On the sidelines, we huddled as an offense. Eleven guys going on the field and we had made up our minds that we were going to score and get the ball back and score again. I had to remain calm because if I start panicking, then everyone starts panicking"

Cut said Sirk "made plays when he had to make plays. He's more aggressive. He's a work in progress. He's improving as a game manager but needs to know how to use his eyes."

Cut thought Sirk left a touchdown on the field at the end of the first half by passing short.

Remember the post-game trashing of the Brooks Building last year? I asked A.J. Wolf if it was a motivator and he didn't even remember what had happened until I reminded him. Skura was asked the same question and responded that it was part of Carolina embarrassing Duke last year. He remembers.

Norman on why Duke has seemed to play big games better on the road in recent years.

"I think that we're all just up for the challenge every week to go on the road. I personally like playing on the road to playing at home because it's always fun to be in a different atmosphere and ultimately clear the stands. . . . We definitely try to lean on each other and we're going into a hostile environment and all we have is each other."

I'll leave Cutcliffe with the final words. "Our goal is to play the best November of any month of the season. I embrace the challenge. That's what I feed on. That's what I want to see from our team."

Bob Green
11-03-2015, 04:02 PM
Thanks for notes, Jim. There is much information to digest this week.


Cut said Sirk "made plays when he had to make plays. He's more aggressive. He's a work in progress. He's improving as a game manager but needs to know how to use his eyes."

Coach Cutcliffe's comments on Sirk are a gold mine - more aggressive...work in progress...improving. I expect he will continue to be a little bit better each week throughout November. His next step, straight from the horses' mouth, is seeing the progressions.

It is an absolute joy observing his development.

Devil in the Blue Dress
11-03-2015, 05:22 PM
Thanks for notes, Jim. There is much information to digest this week.



Coach Cutcliffe's comments on Sirk are a gold mine - more aggressive...work in progress...improving. I expect he will continue to be a little bit better each week throughout November. His next step, straight from the horses' mouth, is seeing the progressions.

It is an absolute joy observing his development.

Amen! I feel as if I attended the best revival in history. Believe in the process and the process will take us there!

6th Man
11-03-2015, 08:53 PM
I was looking forward to Jim's notes today. No surprise that Coach Cut handled it well. I found it funny that much like Wolf, I forgot that UNC trashed the locker room last year.

As I have tried to put the Miami game behind me in my own thoughts, it just reminded me of how much sports can be a metaphor for life. Sometimes things don't seem fair and just. I saw a quote today that made me think of the team: Every test in our life makes us bitter or better, every problem comes to break us or make us. The choice is ours whether we become victim or victor.

I think with Coach Cut and the caliber of student athletes that make up the Duke football team, we become the victor. I hope that happens Saturday!

Ima Facultiwyfe
11-03-2015, 09:04 PM
Gosh! Are we lucky or what? So proud of all of them.
Love, Ima