Upcoming Event: Football versus Blue & White Game on April 18, 2026 at 2 p.m.
Football
vs Blue & White Game
Quotes: N.C. State 27, Duke 17
11/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Duke Coach David Cutcliffe
“I believe with all my heart that this team expected to win. I know the staff did and we had a real good plan going in. I get tired talking about losses but I have to. It is obvious that we let some things slip through us. The kickoff return is like giving up a turnover for a touchdown. It shouldn't occur. I thought we got very cautious. Maybe we had coached the reverse too hard. They had shown it ? we had worked against it and worked against it.
“I told them we were not going to dig fox holes. We were going to play on going for some plays on fourth down. One we ran into a wall ? credit them. The other one we had a lineman go the wrong way, we get pressure ? about drop the snap. If it can go wrong it does. We have a guy wide open for a touchdown. That is the difference in the ballgame ? basically is their execution.”
On NCSU quarterback Russell Wilson:
“On the other side of the ball ? Russell Wilson ? he is not a very big fella, but he sure is active. I went up and shook his hand after the ballgame and he isn't as tall as I am. The guy is a ball player. He made every single play and his receivers made every single play.”
“I am anxious to watch it [the film]. I don't know if we were battling for the ball as well as we can. We were right on things all day defensively. Just right on things all day ? gave up a couple of big runs. For the most part, we stopped the run, which we had to do. And we pressured the quarterback, which we had to do. He [Wilson] just made all the plays.”
“I am really frustrated. As the season winds down, we have three [games] to go. We are running out of time. We are a good football team; we are not a really good football team. We are a good football team. We are capable. We just have to put a complete game together. We are going to have to do it three games in a row to win because we are getting ready to play a difficult football schedule ? two on the road and one at home. All three against really fine football teams.”
“I told them tonight. We talked about three games ? it is time to do that. Everyone understands what we have to do to try to play in the postseason, improve our plight in the ACC standings. We are not a 1-4 team in the ACC; we are better than that. Our seniors are responding exactly like I hoped they would. There is no quit, no head hanging and no I don't want to go to practice. Our program is energized; it's fresh, new and exciting. We will come right back and work with the same energy and the same enthusiasm. Are we all disappointed tonight ? you better believe it. Sick is may be a better word. We will bounce back out of this and build towards this coming Saturday at Clemson.”
Quarterback Thaddeus Lewis
“Unfortunately we couldn't convert on those two fourth downs, which I think would have been key. Especially down there on a goal line. The other one would have kept the drive going and we didn't come away with points. Hats off to them, they didn't make many mistakes as they made every play today. It is well-deserved by them and we have to go back to work.”
“It is good to get Eron [Riley] back on track. He has been hurt off and on this season, but that guy came out to play today. He made some great, key catches today. Hopefully he can continue that through the next three games to top off his college career.”
N.C. State Coach Tom O'Brien
On the overall performance:
“The team is excited about the win today. Duke has a great football team, and David [Cutcliffe] has done a great job this year. It's encouraging for us after three tough losses to come over here and get a victory today, and we'll try to do it again next week.”
On the play of the defense:
“Certainly the defense [was key]. Maybe we just have to get them into fourth down situations, because we can stop them there. It was big today, no question. The good thing about fourth down is it gets you backed up and changes the field position.”
On the play of quarterback Russell Wilson:
“He's gotten better each and every week. He doesn't turn the football over, which is huge in a game like this. The best thing he did in the first half was that on third and three, the pressure was on and he'd find a way to run for the first down, which we've encouraged him to do. We're getting better at the little things.”
On having Nate Irving back:
“He gives our defense a lot of confidence. He was our best player on defense and we've missed him. We haven't done as well without him. Everybody understands that when he's back there's a level of comfort and he makes plays.”
Players Mentioned
QB
/ FootballNFL Combine: Brian Parker II
Saturday, February 28
NFL Combine: Chandler Rivers
Thursday, February 26
NFL Combine: Vincent Anthony Jr.
Wednesday, February 25
NFL Combine: Wesley Williams
Wednesday, February 25
