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Quotes: Virginia Tech 17, Duke 16
11/15/2014 5:01:00 PM | Football
Duke Head Coach David Cutcliffe
On Duke not executing to get the win:
“I said the things we had to do to win were to play the way we play, play the maxims. You take care of the ball, you're the least penalized team, etcetera and we didn't do that. We were the most penalized team. We turned it over. We had moments of playing well on offense. I thought we managed ourselves defensively well. We did manage tempo. We pressured the quarterback.
“The things we pride ourselves in – taking care of the ball, no loss yardage plays, no sacks didn't happen. We left some points out on the field. We had some people who had some opportunities there and we just didn't execute as well in the passing game. That's kind of been our m.o. If we hadn't played well offensively it's not necessarily not being able to run the ball it's suddenly not being able to execute in the passing game. It was a challenge and we didn't manage it – a one-point loss.”
On Virginia Tech's various packages on offense:
“They had an open date and they had [Brenden Motley] essentially running a wildcat offense. [Michael] Brewer has now become a more experienced player. They've got some skill. We knew No. 7 [Bucky Hodges] would play a role in their offensive game plan, which he did.
“I have a lot of respect for J.C. Coleman. He's been a good player since he's been there. He's a senior and hadn't played a lot this year. He played like a senior today. They went and won the ball game.
“Unfortunately we had our chances and had our chances again and we just came up short.”
On the quick turnaround to Thursday against North Carolina:
“I think what we have to do is realize tomorrow is Tuesday. You can't carry a loss. Sundays are sometimes hard after a loss collegiately or otherwise the next day. Tomorrow is not the next day. Tomorrow is Tuesday. Tomorrow is a preparation day. Our total focus has to be on moving forward and we can't just give that lip service.
“We'll see how we respond to it. It's not just players, all of us as coaches will have the same challenge. We've got to pick ourselves up and respond. We have no choice. We're playing a North Carolina team that is a really good football team and we knew that before this game. Win or lose we knew that was the case. So we better just go get ourselves ready.”
Duke Linebacker David Helton
On playing through a game while facing adversity:
“It was tough for all of us, but I can say I'm very proud of our defensive effort and how we were able to bounce back because there are a lot of things that went against us. For the most part, we were able to do really well.
“It's a real tough day and something we have to fight through, not only during the game. We have to come back tomorrow with our minds set on Thursday, set on North Carolina.”
On Virginia Tech showcasing a number of different looks on offense:
“We knew they had a bye week, and we knew that they could probably change things up on us, and they did. They were really effective when they did do that. I think we adjusted well at times and for the most part, we did pretty well. There were definitely some plays that we left out there.”
On how you handle a loss as a senior leader:
“I think it's how we've treated our losses. You don't have much of a choice. You have to move on. Tomorrow, some of us might still be thinking about today, but at the end of the day, you have to get ready for North Carolina, especially on the short week. I think it might be a good thing that we have a game so soon, because it's going to force us to really get our minds on our next game.”
On the team's short week:
“I don't know if we'll watch any film of this game tomorrow. We're going to treat tomorrow like our Tuesdays. It's going to be like a week bumped up. I think we're not going to dwell on this very long. I think there are a lot of things that went against us and there were a lot of big plays. I think we can put this past us. I know it's a tough loss, but we can definitely put it past us.”
Duke Center Matt Skura
On the back-and-forth nature of the game:
“Virginia Tech is a really good team all around. Their defense is very stout. That's what they're known for. We knew it was going to be a fourth-quarter fight no matter what. It was going to be physical. You just have to play that way and have to have that mentality.”
On the difficulty of a close loss:
“I don't know if there were a lot, but there were a few plays that you wish the ball could have been caught a little better, or a run or block by the offense line could have been a little better. But we have to go back, look at the film, learn from it, and see what we can do better.”
On the short week preparing for a Thursday game:
“I think it starts tonight, just getting rest, not doing too much, replenishing the body and going forward for the rest of the week, getting mentally and physically prepared to play a Thursday night game. We have to put this game behind us. We can't let it drag on into the practice week. We need to come out ready to play.”
Virginia Tech Head Coach Frank Beamer
Opening Statement:
"I told our team in our meeting that I don't care what the record says, I'm really proud of this football team. And I really meant it because they work hard. We try to get better, we play tough and we don't give up. Today kind of exemplified all of those things and I'm proud of them. We're not a great football team, but we're working hard to become a great football team."
On the fake punt:
"The time before, [Duke] brought the guy off the headhunter and almost blocked the kick. So I was trying to get that squared away and I was talking to [Derek] Di Nardo. I was telling him to call it if he didn't feel comfortable with the way we called it [originally].
"Just call a timeout - because we had three at that time - and bring the headhunter in. Somehow, the code word for our fake got involved there. The team bailed us out on that one. I apologized for the team on that because you don't make mental mistakes like that in the fourth quarter."
On the importance of winning the turnover battle:
"There's no question. If you're on top of the turnovers, you're usually going to have a pretty good shot to win the game."
On getting a win over a ranked team:
"I appreciated the way the guys coached and appreciated the way the guys played. It's a program that I'm proud of. [Duke head coach] Dave [Cutcliffe] and I had a nice talk before the game. I really respect him a lot and he said some nice things about our program and how we've done it the right way. I appreciate that. It was good competition out there and a big, big win for our program."
On defensive adjustments after Duke's productive start:
"There at the end, [Virginia Tech defensive coordinator] Bud [Foster] is probably one of the best in the business. It's a gamble, but you're bringing two secondary guys off the edge and getting to the quarterback before he can get the ball down the field. It's a little bit of a gamble but it worked out, and that was kind of the difference late."
On Ross Martin's missed field goals:
"He's a good kicker. I told Dave afterward that sometimes it's just your day. I think it was kind of our day, and our kids played hard enough, well enough and relentless enough to make it our day, too."
On Duke not executing to get the win:
“I said the things we had to do to win were to play the way we play, play the maxims. You take care of the ball, you're the least penalized team, etcetera and we didn't do that. We were the most penalized team. We turned it over. We had moments of playing well on offense. I thought we managed ourselves defensively well. We did manage tempo. We pressured the quarterback.
“The things we pride ourselves in – taking care of the ball, no loss yardage plays, no sacks didn't happen. We left some points out on the field. We had some people who had some opportunities there and we just didn't execute as well in the passing game. That's kind of been our m.o. If we hadn't played well offensively it's not necessarily not being able to run the ball it's suddenly not being able to execute in the passing game. It was a challenge and we didn't manage it – a one-point loss.”
On Virginia Tech's various packages on offense:
“They had an open date and they had [Brenden Motley] essentially running a wildcat offense. [Michael] Brewer has now become a more experienced player. They've got some skill. We knew No. 7 [Bucky Hodges] would play a role in their offensive game plan, which he did.
“I have a lot of respect for J.C. Coleman. He's been a good player since he's been there. He's a senior and hadn't played a lot this year. He played like a senior today. They went and won the ball game.
“Unfortunately we had our chances and had our chances again and we just came up short.”
On the quick turnaround to Thursday against North Carolina:
“I think what we have to do is realize tomorrow is Tuesday. You can't carry a loss. Sundays are sometimes hard after a loss collegiately or otherwise the next day. Tomorrow is not the next day. Tomorrow is Tuesday. Tomorrow is a preparation day. Our total focus has to be on moving forward and we can't just give that lip service.
“We'll see how we respond to it. It's not just players, all of us as coaches will have the same challenge. We've got to pick ourselves up and respond. We have no choice. We're playing a North Carolina team that is a really good football team and we knew that before this game. Win or lose we knew that was the case. So we better just go get ourselves ready.”
Duke Linebacker David Helton
On playing through a game while facing adversity:
“It was tough for all of us, but I can say I'm very proud of our defensive effort and how we were able to bounce back because there are a lot of things that went against us. For the most part, we were able to do really well.
“It's a real tough day and something we have to fight through, not only during the game. We have to come back tomorrow with our minds set on Thursday, set on North Carolina.”
On Virginia Tech showcasing a number of different looks on offense:
“We knew they had a bye week, and we knew that they could probably change things up on us, and they did. They were really effective when they did do that. I think we adjusted well at times and for the most part, we did pretty well. There were definitely some plays that we left out there.”
On how you handle a loss as a senior leader:
“I think it's how we've treated our losses. You don't have much of a choice. You have to move on. Tomorrow, some of us might still be thinking about today, but at the end of the day, you have to get ready for North Carolina, especially on the short week. I think it might be a good thing that we have a game so soon, because it's going to force us to really get our minds on our next game.”
On the team's short week:
“I don't know if we'll watch any film of this game tomorrow. We're going to treat tomorrow like our Tuesdays. It's going to be like a week bumped up. I think we're not going to dwell on this very long. I think there are a lot of things that went against us and there were a lot of big plays. I think we can put this past us. I know it's a tough loss, but we can definitely put it past us.”
Duke Center Matt Skura
On the back-and-forth nature of the game:
“Virginia Tech is a really good team all around. Their defense is very stout. That's what they're known for. We knew it was going to be a fourth-quarter fight no matter what. It was going to be physical. You just have to play that way and have to have that mentality.”
On the difficulty of a close loss:
“I don't know if there were a lot, but there were a few plays that you wish the ball could have been caught a little better, or a run or block by the offense line could have been a little better. But we have to go back, look at the film, learn from it, and see what we can do better.”
On the short week preparing for a Thursday game:
“I think it starts tonight, just getting rest, not doing too much, replenishing the body and going forward for the rest of the week, getting mentally and physically prepared to play a Thursday night game. We have to put this game behind us. We can't let it drag on into the practice week. We need to come out ready to play.”
Virginia Tech Head Coach Frank Beamer
Opening Statement:
"I told our team in our meeting that I don't care what the record says, I'm really proud of this football team. And I really meant it because they work hard. We try to get better, we play tough and we don't give up. Today kind of exemplified all of those things and I'm proud of them. We're not a great football team, but we're working hard to become a great football team."
On the fake punt:
"The time before, [Duke] brought the guy off the headhunter and almost blocked the kick. So I was trying to get that squared away and I was talking to [Derek] Di Nardo. I was telling him to call it if he didn't feel comfortable with the way we called it [originally].
"Just call a timeout - because we had three at that time - and bring the headhunter in. Somehow, the code word for our fake got involved there. The team bailed us out on that one. I apologized for the team on that because you don't make mental mistakes like that in the fourth quarter."
On the importance of winning the turnover battle:
"There's no question. If you're on top of the turnovers, you're usually going to have a pretty good shot to win the game."
On getting a win over a ranked team:
"I appreciated the way the guys coached and appreciated the way the guys played. It's a program that I'm proud of. [Duke head coach] Dave [Cutcliffe] and I had a nice talk before the game. I really respect him a lot and he said some nice things about our program and how we've done it the right way. I appreciate that. It was good competition out there and a big, big win for our program."
On defensive adjustments after Duke's productive start:
"There at the end, [Virginia Tech defensive coordinator] Bud [Foster] is probably one of the best in the business. It's a gamble, but you're bringing two secondary guys off the edge and getting to the quarterback before he can get the ball down the field. It's a little bit of a gamble but it worked out, and that was kind of the difference late."
On Ross Martin's missed field goals:
"He's a good kicker. I told Dave afterward that sometimes it's just your day. I think it was kind of our day, and our kids played hard enough, well enough and relentless enough to make it our day, too."
Players Mentioned
Coach Diaz Media Availability: Tulane
Wednesday, September 10
Darian Mensah Media Availability: Tulane
Tuesday, September 09
Josiah Green Media Availability: Tulane
Tuesday, September 09
Coach Patke Press Conference: Tulane
Monday, September 08
