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Football
vs Wake Forest
Quotes: Virginia Tech 14, Duke 10
10/29/2011 5:11:00 PM | Football
Duke Head Coach David Cutcliffe
On how the team played:
"I think we played well probably the whole game for the most part. Five plays on their part in the first half we were in the wrong place, just didn't get it done. Offensively, I mentioned the missed opportunities and unfortunately that just continued. A lot of good play, a few more conversions on third down and on fourth down that I felt like we should have had and we just didn't execute. It's a pretty simple story. It was a well-played game, hard-fought game totally dominated in the kicking game. Really proud of our units except for the missed field goals."
On Matt Daniel's interceptions:
"Some of those were timely interceptions that kept them out of the end zone which is part of the ball game. It may look to people when they look at this tomorrow who didn't know anything about this game that Virginia Tech outrushed them and out-passed them but that's not really indicative of the game. I go back to the five plays for 180-something yards in the first half and I know that's part of the game but they were preventable and we didn't get it done. Offensively, we left points and yards on the field. Good plan, real good plan. We didn't execute the plan."
On Duke's passing game and going deep often today
"It did and we have other ways to do that and I knew that going in and I told our coaches they are going to play a ton of man free. They are going to try to big boy us and we can match up and we've got to make them defend every part of the field and certainly vertically is the first place you've got to make them defend it. We didn't execute some of the other opportunities that we had on digs and crossing routes and that's where you've got to execute. They forced that. I credit Virginia Tech in that regard but I know we are better than what we showed there.
On the final drive: 3rd down and 2 and 4th and 2:
"Yeah, that surprised me I didn't expect him to go down the field right there. We had an option route underneath that. I thought he was going to throw the option route you know to try to get the first down then you get the clock stopped and you are back at the line of scrimmage. Two or three things we were talking about to try to get some shots, different types of shots. We obviously didn't get to it. We didn't get beyond that. We train two minute drill all the time and we just didn't manage that one very well, didn't get that done. I know he knows where, you know it was two yards. Gained eight yards at the first down and two yards is all you needed."
Duke Junior Wide Receiver Conner Vernon
On the 14-10 loss:
"We had a good game plan thought out and we were able to execute some of it. We just couldn't finish it at the end. We had a tough break in special teams, but for the most part we hung on until the end and we had multiple chances to finish it and we couldn't."
On Duke's deep throwing attack:
"It was definitely part of the plan. We saw on tape that it was the kind of coverage they like. We felt we could get behind them. We thought they were going to try to take away our digs, which they did, and we were just going to take shots. Coach Cutcliffe and Coach Roper came into this game saying we're going to take 12-15 shots. We definitely were airing it out out there and we were able to make plays."
On Virginia Tech's defensive strategies to prevent fourth-down conversions:
"Playing their basic stuff. They outplayed us. If we executed the way we know how to execute, we should have been able to make the play."
On hanging with Virginia Tech for most of the game:
"We know how good we are. Not many people may see it, but we know how good this team is and we know that we can hang with anybody in this league. We proved it out there today, we proved it last week. It's tough. Losses like this aren't easy to get over."
On a big hit he took during the game:
"It's just one of those things that they got me good but it wasn't serious enough to keep me out of the game. They put me back in there. I was bleeding a little bit but it's fine."
On what the Blue Devils can learn heading into a game at Miami:
"We're going to go over this tape tomorrow, forget about it and come Tuesday, it's strictly Miami. This game is in the past and hopefully we get a win down there in Miami."
Duke Senior Safety Matt Daniels
On his first interception:
"It was actually a two-man underlook and I saw the corner on the inside. I was just reading the eyes of the quarterback and I broke off and I was able to make the play."
On his second interception on the day:
"I actually noticed they had a personnel switch. I believe the guy they were throwing to was actually a quarterback and he was playing tight end, so that kind of alerted me immediately to watch for a trick play or some kind of throwback going on. I just recognized the personnel with him coming into the game, just being ready and being alert."
On almost picking up a third interception:
"They had a quarterback scrambling situation. The receiver turned up and I just made sure I kept to his hip. I didn't turn around to see where the ball was at - just tried to play through the receiver's hands. It was close to me having a third one. It was unfortunate but at the same time, it actually turned out good as they punted. They shanked the punt anyways for 10 yards and put us in better field position."
On shutting out the Hokies in the second half:
"We just went up against a previous ACC champion and we went out great. From a coaching standpoint, we made halftime adjustments. We went out and really hit them hard. We knew it was going to be a physical game. We went out, hit them, made sure we stayed focused for four quarters. We were able to come out and dominate them defensively and give our team the opportunity to make plays and win the ball game. Mental preparation all week is what really helped us out. Coach Cutcliffe had a practice schedule that really allowed us to get our feet back underneath us and get fresh for the game."
On finishing out the season with confidence:
"There's a lot of confidence building up around here. The defense is finally starting to understand what we're capable of doing and we just have to really put four quarters together. We have four tough opponents all Coastal Division teams coming at us - two road games ahead of us and we come back home for a game against Georgia Tech and finish up with UNC. So we're definitely looking at a tough schedule, but we're looking forward to it. We're just going to go one game at a time and tomorrow we'll go back to work."
Virginia Tech Head Coach Frank Beamer
On the win:
"First thing I'd do is to give Duke a lot of credit. I thought they were a good football team coming into the game and I think they're a good football team as I leave. They've had some tough luck, but they're an improving program. I just don't believe there's that much difference between top and bottom in this league. I didn't think we executed our best. I think that goes back to Duke a little bit. I think we got to take ownership of that also, but it wasn't lack of effort from anybody. When you can come in here and win a game like this and turn the ball over and not hit a field goal and not punt very well except for one and lose field position like that, you know you got a lot of guys fighting; you know you got a lot of guys battling. I thought we did that as a football team. I'm proud of our effort. I'm not proud of some of our executing. We got out of here with a win and we got a chance to rest a little bit and we need to make good use of that and get ready to go down to Georgia Tech."
On Virginia Tech's offense:
"We had a couple plays, one they intercepted in the end zone where we thought we had a good play and I'm not sure we got the route run correctly, but their kid made a good play. We just didn't take advantage of some opportunities, and when you do, the game gets different. We didn't and it stayed tight and the tighter it gets, the more they get into it. They got good players. They got some really good players."
On the pass interference penalties:
"They got a couple good receivers as the records will show. The kid made a good throw a couple times, put the ball right there on the boundary. Jayron [Hosley] might have had his hand on him. The first time he probably did; the second time I'm not sure about. Sometimes they make a good throw and a good catch, too."
On how the team played:
"I think we played well probably the whole game for the most part. Five plays on their part in the first half we were in the wrong place, just didn't get it done. Offensively, I mentioned the missed opportunities and unfortunately that just continued. A lot of good play, a few more conversions on third down and on fourth down that I felt like we should have had and we just didn't execute. It's a pretty simple story. It was a well-played game, hard-fought game totally dominated in the kicking game. Really proud of our units except for the missed field goals."
On Matt Daniel's interceptions:
"Some of those were timely interceptions that kept them out of the end zone which is part of the ball game. It may look to people when they look at this tomorrow who didn't know anything about this game that Virginia Tech outrushed them and out-passed them but that's not really indicative of the game. I go back to the five plays for 180-something yards in the first half and I know that's part of the game but they were preventable and we didn't get it done. Offensively, we left points and yards on the field. Good plan, real good plan. We didn't execute the plan."
On Duke's passing game and going deep often today
"It did and we have other ways to do that and I knew that going in and I told our coaches they are going to play a ton of man free. They are going to try to big boy us and we can match up and we've got to make them defend every part of the field and certainly vertically is the first place you've got to make them defend it. We didn't execute some of the other opportunities that we had on digs and crossing routes and that's where you've got to execute. They forced that. I credit Virginia Tech in that regard but I know we are better than what we showed there.
On the final drive: 3rd down and 2 and 4th and 2:
"Yeah, that surprised me I didn't expect him to go down the field right there. We had an option route underneath that. I thought he was going to throw the option route you know to try to get the first down then you get the clock stopped and you are back at the line of scrimmage. Two or three things we were talking about to try to get some shots, different types of shots. We obviously didn't get to it. We didn't get beyond that. We train two minute drill all the time and we just didn't manage that one very well, didn't get that done. I know he knows where, you know it was two yards. Gained eight yards at the first down and two yards is all you needed."
Duke Junior Wide Receiver Conner Vernon
On the 14-10 loss:
"We had a good game plan thought out and we were able to execute some of it. We just couldn't finish it at the end. We had a tough break in special teams, but for the most part we hung on until the end and we had multiple chances to finish it and we couldn't."
On Duke's deep throwing attack:
"It was definitely part of the plan. We saw on tape that it was the kind of coverage they like. We felt we could get behind them. We thought they were going to try to take away our digs, which they did, and we were just going to take shots. Coach Cutcliffe and Coach Roper came into this game saying we're going to take 12-15 shots. We definitely were airing it out out there and we were able to make plays."
On Virginia Tech's defensive strategies to prevent fourth-down conversions:
"Playing their basic stuff. They outplayed us. If we executed the way we know how to execute, we should have been able to make the play."
On hanging with Virginia Tech for most of the game:
"We know how good we are. Not many people may see it, but we know how good this team is and we know that we can hang with anybody in this league. We proved it out there today, we proved it last week. It's tough. Losses like this aren't easy to get over."
On a big hit he took during the game:
"It's just one of those things that they got me good but it wasn't serious enough to keep me out of the game. They put me back in there. I was bleeding a little bit but it's fine."
On what the Blue Devils can learn heading into a game at Miami:
"We're going to go over this tape tomorrow, forget about it and come Tuesday, it's strictly Miami. This game is in the past and hopefully we get a win down there in Miami."
Duke Senior Safety Matt Daniels
On his first interception:
"It was actually a two-man underlook and I saw the corner on the inside. I was just reading the eyes of the quarterback and I broke off and I was able to make the play."
On his second interception on the day:
"I actually noticed they had a personnel switch. I believe the guy they were throwing to was actually a quarterback and he was playing tight end, so that kind of alerted me immediately to watch for a trick play or some kind of throwback going on. I just recognized the personnel with him coming into the game, just being ready and being alert."
On almost picking up a third interception:
"They had a quarterback scrambling situation. The receiver turned up and I just made sure I kept to his hip. I didn't turn around to see where the ball was at - just tried to play through the receiver's hands. It was close to me having a third one. It was unfortunate but at the same time, it actually turned out good as they punted. They shanked the punt anyways for 10 yards and put us in better field position."
On shutting out the Hokies in the second half:
"We just went up against a previous ACC champion and we went out great. From a coaching standpoint, we made halftime adjustments. We went out and really hit them hard. We knew it was going to be a physical game. We went out, hit them, made sure we stayed focused for four quarters. We were able to come out and dominate them defensively and give our team the opportunity to make plays and win the ball game. Mental preparation all week is what really helped us out. Coach Cutcliffe had a practice schedule that really allowed us to get our feet back underneath us and get fresh for the game."
On finishing out the season with confidence:
"There's a lot of confidence building up around here. The defense is finally starting to understand what we're capable of doing and we just have to really put four quarters together. We have four tough opponents all Coastal Division teams coming at us - two road games ahead of us and we come back home for a game against Georgia Tech and finish up with UNC. So we're definitely looking at a tough schedule, but we're looking forward to it. We're just going to go one game at a time and tomorrow we'll go back to work."
Virginia Tech Head Coach Frank Beamer
On the win:
"First thing I'd do is to give Duke a lot of credit. I thought they were a good football team coming into the game and I think they're a good football team as I leave. They've had some tough luck, but they're an improving program. I just don't believe there's that much difference between top and bottom in this league. I didn't think we executed our best. I think that goes back to Duke a little bit. I think we got to take ownership of that also, but it wasn't lack of effort from anybody. When you can come in here and win a game like this and turn the ball over and not hit a field goal and not punt very well except for one and lose field position like that, you know you got a lot of guys fighting; you know you got a lot of guys battling. I thought we did that as a football team. I'm proud of our effort. I'm not proud of some of our executing. We got out of here with a win and we got a chance to rest a little bit and we need to make good use of that and get ready to go down to Georgia Tech."
On Virginia Tech's offense:
"We had a couple plays, one they intercepted in the end zone where we thought we had a good play and I'm not sure we got the route run correctly, but their kid made a good play. We just didn't take advantage of some opportunities, and when you do, the game gets different. We didn't and it stayed tight and the tighter it gets, the more they get into it. They got good players. They got some really good players."
On the pass interference penalties:
"They got a couple good receivers as the records will show. The kid made a good throw a couple times, put the ball right there on the boundary. Jayron [Hosley] might have had his hand on him. The first time he probably did; the second time I'm not sure about. Sometimes they make a good throw and a good catch, too."
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B
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