Upcoming Event: Football versus NC State on September 20, 2025 at 4 p.m.
Football
vs NC State
Quotes: Wake Forest 41, Duke 36
10/6/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Duke Head Coach Ted Roof
On today's game:
“We didn't play very well in the first half and in the first quarter, especially. We couldn't get off the field on defense and we couldn't stay on the field on offense. We were in a big-time play deficit. Then we came out and turned it over the first few series of the second half. We had a chance to win at the end and I'm really proud of the effort and the fight-back, but every play is so critical. It's a long football game and taking care of the details is so critical when you have a small margin for error. Our bad plays can't be as bad as they were today.”
On turnovers and big plays:
“We just can't turn it over. We have those plays where we can break free and we have to capitalize on them. It's the same thing on defense; if we get a chance to get off the field on third down then we have to do it. We had a chance to win at the end and it's so disappointing to see us get right there on the cusp and then not be able to bring it home.”
On the off-sides kick at the end of the game:
“We had two kickers out there and we were going to decide where we were going to kick it after they lined up. They were probably waiting to see what formation we were in. They came out in exactly the same formation and we saw the softest area and kicked it there and couldn't come up with the football.”
On Eron Riley:
“Good players have to play good. Eron continues to make good plays for us and it's good to have a guy that can do that. He was very productive for us today. We keep losing one player a week ? I think we lost Pat Bailey today and he's the heart and soul of our defense. We're going to have to find a way to piece it all back together and everyone else is going to have to step up.”
On Chris Davis:
“He was flying around; good things happen when you fly around and we weren't doing that enough in the first half. In the second half, we did much better.”
Thaddeus Lewis
On the momentum swing in the second half:
“We had to come out and play with same intensity that they were playing with. Those guys were beating us up. In the first half we were kind-of flat so we had to go out there and match their intensity.”
On Eron Riley:
“We feel like if we can get him running in any situation we let him have the ball. He's a play-maker. You get the ball in his hands or even throw it in his area and he's going to make a play. We feel comfortable in that situation.”
On the positives to take into next week:
“There's no quitting on this football team. Hopefully next week we can play the whole game with the intensity that we had today in the second half. There is no quit. We could have easily given up and those guys didn't.”
Eron Riley
On the difference between the first and second halves:
“We have to play just as hard in the first half as we did the second half. It could have been a much different outcome. Coach has been preaching to us that it's a 60 minute game. Hopefully next week we can put it all together and come out better.”
On getting things set for next week:
“We have been close the last couple games, we just have to put it all together. One play here, one play there; that's going to be the difference in the game.”
On the defense:
“The defense played really well the second half. The interception was a big momentum shift for us. They gave us a chance to win the game.”
Chris Davis
On his interception:
“The defensive line put great pressure on the quarterback. This week in practice I had the same exact play. Two guys came across the middle, one went underneath and one stayed high, and I stayed on the backside and jumped in front.”
Wake Forest Head Coach Jim Grobe
On the troubles in the second half:
“A turnover was one problem. We made some mistakes. We actually didn't get lined up a couple of times and made a couple of mistakes on play calls. Things that typically happen over the course of the game snowballed at the wrong times. The long run got Duke fired up and we held them out and I thought that was a great stand by the defense.”
On Duke:
“It's a great rivalry and Duke is getting better. That's a good football team. I told Ted Roof and a bunch of the kids after the game, they've got a good football team. They're very talented and they play really hard and obviously they don't quit. I hope that they don't get their heads down because they have the potential to beat a lot of people down the stretch. I think the key for them is just confidence. Our players are impressed with their football team, especially with what they did down the stretch. It's a team that has talent, they're well-coached and they don't have any quit in them.”
On Wake Forest's defense being able to score:
“It's really helping us right now. Especially in the fourth quarter at times, I don't think we play our best defensively and I give a lot of credit to Thad Lewis and Duke's offense. They did a great job. I didn't feel like we were as strong as we needed to be but we made plays. We found a way to make plays. Your goal is to score on defense once in a while, but we seem to be finding ways to do that a lot and I hope that continues.”
Players Mentioned
Aaron Hall Media Availability: NC State
Tuesday, September 16
Justin Pickett Media Availability: NC State
Tuesday, September 16
Coach Patke Press Conference: NC State
Monday, September 15
Coach Brewer Press Conference: NC State
Monday, September 15
