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View Full Version : Duke football notes, 10-10-17



jimsumner
10-10-2017, 02:00 PM
Not a lot of substance today. Lots of talk about focus, intensity, execution and other virtues in life.

What does Duke need to do better? "Throw and catch, tackle and pursue," according to the head coach.

If Duke is planning wholesale changes this Saturday, then they are well hidden. David Cutcliffe says that Duke's habits have worked well in the past, so there's no need to make fundamental changes. "I'm not pressing the bell labeled 'alarm.' I'm about work, doing everything we can to solve the problem."

Cut says urgency is a "winning edge. We're expecting them to respond."

Practicing well remains the key. That means practicing hard but also practicing smart. Cut says there is no such thing as a "gamer." Good players show up in practice.

Daniel Jones said he's let some bad habits into his game, footwork, balance and so forth. Cut says this can happen to a 10-year NFL vet and has to be addressed in practice.

Cut got down and dirty with the wide-receiver group, working on basics such as stance and accelerating quickly. Says that any of eight or nine guys has a chance to play at WR and he's still looking for guys to step up and take advantage of the opportunity. Scott Bracey is one of this group but Cut declined an opportunity to elevate him above anyone else.

Ben Humphreys and Joe Giles-Harris both lamented Duke's poor tackling in the second half at Charlottesville. Cut agreed but added that Duke needed to do a better job of getting more people to the ball, noting that it's a lot easier to make one guy miss than to make three guys miss.

Duke lost the time-of-possession battle to Virginia, the first time that has happened this season. Tight end Daniel Helm said Duke has to do better on first downs. Falling behind the chains leads to third-and-long, which leads to punts, which puts a tired defense back on the field.

Humphreys and Giles-Harris both denied that Virginia's score late in the first half carried over to the beginning of the second half. Humphreys called Duke's late-half wobbles a "coincidence." No discernible pattern.

Christian Harris was a feel-good story from last week. The redshirt junior offensive tackle was thrown into the fire when Gabe Brandner went down with an injury Saturday. He acquitted himself well and was singled out in practice Sunday. Cut said Harris "answered the bell. Two weeks ago in practice I could see a difference in his approach."

Cutcliffe said other players were making an impression in practice but elected not to name them.

Cut said that the 2017 team has the ability to make a 2013-type run. "We've got to be capable. We're at that point."

If anyone thinks FSU is vulnerable, they kept that opinion to themselves. Their defensive speed is Cut's greatest concern. "They can consume the field."

chrishoke
10-10-2017, 03:35 PM
"They can consume the field."

They certainly have every time they have played Duke.

devildeac
10-10-2017, 03:48 PM
Many thanks again, Jim.

I strongly suspect we'll see Brandner on the "out for season" list on Thursday. He was limping noticeably in his street clothes on the sidelines in the second half. :(

Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
10-10-2017, 03:58 PM
"They can consume the field."

They certainly have every time they have played Duke.

Yeah... I was there for Duke's first ACC Championship game in Charlotte. The first quarter wasn't horrible. I got to take a lengthy tour of the stadium amenities in the second half.

chrishoke
10-10-2017, 04:02 PM
Yeah... I was there for Duke's first ACC Championship game in Charlotte. The first quarter wasn't horrible. I got to take a lengthy tour of the stadium amenities in the second half.

I was there as well. Our guys fought like Hell but were simply overmatched.

OldPhiKap
10-10-2017, 04:40 PM
Yeah... I was there for Duke's first ACC Championship game in Charlotte. The first quarter wasn't horrible. I got to take a lengthy tour of the stadium amenities in the second half.


I was there as well. Our guys fought like Hell but were simply overmatched.

Yup and yup. Although I still think if we had hit that wheel route pass in the first quarter down the left side line, we would have scored and maybe the game would have had a different energy from our side. But yeah, everyone gave us credit for playing well for a half.

This time, let's get 'er all done!

Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
10-10-2017, 04:42 PM
yeah, everyone gave us credit for playing well for a half.

This time, let's get 'er all done!

Well, it was zeroes after one half, and 17-0 at halftime. People giving us credit for a good half are being generous.

CameronBornAndBred
10-10-2017, 04:52 PM
Not a lot of substance today. Lots of talk about focus, intensity, execution and other virtues in life.

Not lots of substance on Saturday, either. Not busting on you either, Jim...excellent report as always.

I don't know what I would have expected different from today's report, and that's likely a good thing. It's not like the coaches and players don't know that things need changed and improved upon, but still, maybe it would be nice to hear something about that there is a collective spark to make it happen. I hope that there is. This team as of right now IS a winning team, it just doesn't feel that way from a fan's perspective. Odd place to be.

Looking forward to not being the only ACC team to have not beaten FSU after the game. LGD!!!

Devil549
10-10-2017, 07:28 PM
In Coach Cut I trust!!!!!

Time to step up and win #5.....IMO this team can still win 8-9 games but you do that on the field.

LET'S GO DUKE!!!!!

duke09hms
10-10-2017, 10:59 PM
Maybe the coaching staff is surprised that the DBs and WRs are so bad because they only ever get to practice against each other.
The 4 teams we've beaten have 0 Power 5 wins amongst them.
Something needs to change with our OC ...

uh_no
10-10-2017, 11:04 PM
Maybe the coaching staff is surprised that the DBs and WRs are so bad because they only ever get to practice against each other.
The 4 teams we've beaten have 0 Power 5 wins amongst them.
Something needs to change with our OC ...

at least they didn't miss qualifying for the world cup.

yes i'm bitter.

Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
10-10-2017, 11:06 PM
at least they didn't miss qualifying for the world cup.

yes i'm bitter.

And rightly so.

uh_no
10-10-2017, 11:18 PM
And rightly so.

go duke.
go USA.

that's all I have to say.

wondering if it's too early to call in sick tomorrow....

Acymetric
10-10-2017, 11:38 PM
Maybe the coaching staff is surprised that the DBs and WRs are so bad because they only ever get to practice against each other.
The 4 teams we've beaten have 0 Power 5 wins amongst them.
Something needs to change with our OC ...

Which might bring into question how we use practice to evaluate our players (not saying that isn't where players earn time, just that what we're seeing guys do in practices against the scout team may not be something they can do against top flight talent).

ehdg
10-11-2017, 09:34 AM
I was there as well. Our guys fought like Hell but were simply overmatched.

Granted I wasn't at the game but from what I saw watching on TV, they were'n't over matched. I think the Defense got worn down from spending too much time on field. Too many 3 n outs by our offense contributed to the D spending way too much
much time on the field. Plus with the temperature in the 80's that helped contribute to the D getting worn down. If not for our Defense this game would have been a lot uglier with the way our Offense played/executed.

CameronBornAndBred
10-11-2017, 11:09 AM
I like this statement.


At any other school, Cutcliffe, offensive coordinator Zac Roper, and star quarterback Daniel Jones would all be on the hot seat. At Duke, however, that kind of pressure is unheard of thanks to the historic failures of those who came before.
Cutcliffe built a successful program by daring to ask “Why not Duke?” It’s time for fans to ask the same question now when pondering the comfort level of the coaches and players accountable for this two-game slide.

I like the whole article, full of valued constructive criticism.

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/choices-and-schedule-get-tougher-for-duke-football/17007576/

HereBeforeCoachK
02-14-2018, 05:55 PM
I like this statement.



I like the whole article, full of valued constructive criticism.

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/choices-and-schedule-get-tougher-for-duke-football/17007576/

I saw it when it came out, and I found nothing to disagree with. I do think, however, Knowles may be one of the best DC's in the nation. Most of the defensive problems this season was the result of the offense not staying on the field, and the D got run down.

But give em credit, they dug themselves out of the hole at the end. Another 4-8 and all the good Cut had done in 9 years would've been gone, as far as public perception goes. I'm so glad that didn't happen.