David Cutcliffe Press Conference Quotes: North Carolina

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke football head coach David Cutcliffe met with members of the media virtually on Tuesday afternoon for his weekly press conference.

The Blue Devils host North Carolina on Saturday for their second of three straight home games. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 with Roy Philpott, Kelly Stouffer, and Alex Chappell on the call. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. The game can also be heard on the Blue Devil Sports Network from Learfield IMG College through the TuneIn app or goduke.com

David Cutcliffe Duke Football Head Coach
(Ref.: Opening Statement)
"It's a little strange to be here on a Tuesday. That for us is somewhat of a Monday. No practice. I'm really proud of our guys as all of them had gotten registered and every one of them voted which I'm glad they're doing what they should do in that regard. But what it did was we had to squeeze in a practice yesterday morning. We academically are not set up very well for a Monday morning practice. That's why it's our off day. We missed a few guys, but I was really proud. Our team understands the challenge that's in front of them. I thought our work was really good. We did work Sunday afternoon on some North Carolina stuff post the Charlotte game. I feel good about where we are and after the day off today we should come back with a lot of energy and Wednesday's practice is going to be critically important as is Thursday's because this is a huge challenge.

"North Carolina is an outstanding football team and a balanced football team. Everybody talks about their offense rightfully so, but their defense has got a bunch of great athletes. They play fast. They're very physical. They've been tremendous. Then their kicking game, they've got an outstanding and frightening return game. They know what they're doing in all phases and in all aspects. So, a huge challenge. We've got to continue the preparation. Our guys are in good spirits and I think really ready to work."

(Ref.: On the importance of special teams in conference games)
"Well I think Kirk Benedict, first of all, has done a tremendous job. He continues to grow in that role. We've got a lot of good athletes that he utilizes very well. We're going to go into every game and look at our options in all of the big four, we call them – punt return or punt block, punting, kickoff return and then kickoff coverage. And so you're trying to find an edge and in conference games yes, definitely rivalry games you try to find some form of an advantage in the kicking game. But as I mentioned earlier, this is a tough match up. They're an outstanding kicking team, well coached and do a tremendous job. But it'll play a role in this game without a doubt."

(Ref.: On Isaiah Fisher-Smith's role in punt coverage)
"He's got a lot of football savvy. He's got it on defense. He's growing really fast. He's a great athlete. What I really think he does well is he can move so quickly and is low to the ground. He can slice in what you kind of have to do is slice on a punt block, but he's got a great, great vision. And that was about as classic as you can get it taking a ball off a foot. There's a knack there and he's a fierce competitor. So hopefully as his career goes, unless he wants to get back there and return them too. He tells me he can do both. I said, 'not at the same time Isaiah'. But he's just an outstanding athlete and a fierce competitor."

(Ref.: On the challenge North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell brings)
"Well, I think it probably all evolves certainly around him and his ability to do a lot of things. He runs a game well. He manages a game well. But they run the football really, really well. And to great backs and he manages that part of the game. Operates it well. They have a great offensive front. So those match up are going to be critical, whether it's run game or pass game. We've got to do as good a job as you can do of trying to get them off schedule when you do get pressure on a quarterback or if you're fortunate enough to get a sack, you throw the down and distance off schedule. You've got a chance to hopefully get them off the field some because they're very difficult when they get rolling. No one's kept him out of the end zone when they get their rhythm and get rolling. So really critically there. And in the other side of it is that we've got to have some success on offense. They're very difficult to convert first downs against. They've got a lot of balance there. Their scheme is outstanding defensively. So, it's going to take a team victory and Steve (Wiseman) just asked about the kicking game. When the kicking game comes into play you got to have that blend ability to blend some good defense, kicking game and offense and that gives you a chance in any game to be successful."

(Ref.: On coming off the bye week and using that as a chance to regroup)
"Yeah, I think we've had that to this point this week. This team is maturing. There is a lot of youth. There's a large number of this team, scholarship players, that have never had a spring practice. So I do believe that we're learning what you're saying. We're learning how to practice better. We're learning that it does pay off. You're reaping the benefits of this. And you know it's November. It is time. I mean, they do remember in college football what you do in November and this is where you should be playing your best football. But it is without question about the preparation. Not going go out there and play great if you don't prepare well."

(Ref.: On the importance of election day and the impact it has)
"Well I think it's obviously a significant election. I don't get to watch the news, but I hear people talking about the significance in whatever way they want to view it. And it certainly is one of, if not the most talked about election ever. My perspective on it is that we have a lot of young people that have voted for the first time. That are paying attention to all of the issues that are associated with 2020. I think it's a good thing we're not practicing today, even though they've all voted, they're all emotional. They're all you know on edge. I heard it called election day stress. And so we've tried to help them manage and handle that. And they're maturing with that as well, not just football. But I'm glad they care. And that's a big part of anything in any society is that people have to care enough to get involved. I'm just trying to help. We've got 18, 19-year-olds, 20-year-olds, trying to help them manage the day-to-day right now is a big part of our job."

(Ref.: On his previous remarks about Tuesday's Election Day of a mandatory off day being showy)
"That's a great question. And let me give you why I talked about showy. It's an interesting thing. So if we had indeed taken our team to volunteer somewhere to help in some way in any organized manner of doing that. This would not have been able to be our day off. We wouldn't have been able to practice either Sunday or Monday. So, I think the intention was first of all, to get them to vote. And then when I called up there and asked about it, they said, 'well this allows them to be involved'. And then they said, 'well if you take them or it's organized then that won't be your day off'. 'OK, thank you'. So I didn't push the issue. I know that our players are keeping up. They talk about it. They're involved in it as I mentioned. So you know we're not going to – we wouldn't organize anything for that reason. But I'm sure there are a lot of them. This campus is involved. There players that are involved with their friends or different people doing different things today with this election day."

(Ref.: On using Saturday's win to push some consistency among his team)
"Well I mean, I think it's our test. It's November. A team has matured now some. It's back into conference play where you're real measure is taken. I think that's the biggest part of it. And it's been a unique start to the preparation. My message to them in the morning will be exactly what you just said. Let's see consistently what we do from period to period at practice. And we're going to blend some good versus good work. We'll work against some show teams where we're getting the North Carolina looks. But I don't want to see a dip in our practice. I want to see from wire to wire what we're able to do because tomorrow being the fact that we didn't practice today is a huge day to test where we are. And that maturity level is what it takes to be a consistently good football team."

(Ref.: On Lummie Young IV's play this weekend after sitting out the first half)
"The first thing I would tell you about Lummie, you could expect him to be really irritated about sitting out and he was so positive. I think I was more irritated than he was. So positive, so we energized all week long. And he's missed some other time with injury. I think Lummie is just one of those examples of what we're talking about. He's coming into his own. It's his time, on a developmental program like we are, it's his time to take that next step. It's his season to take that next step. And what I love about it. He's physically worked really hard. He had an off-season surgery that has been successful. He's worked really hard to get back where he is. And I think it goes back to what we're talking about. You start reaping the benefits of good preparation and even knowing he was going to miss the first half last week his practice was outstanding. He was ready. Our coaches had to use him properly because we had to have other people ready. But I thought his practices displayed what you saw in the second half of that game."

(Ref.: On North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell's ability to extend plays)
"Well when any quarterback goes to scramble you've got to stay in coverage. You hear defensive coaches say that all the time. He's got a lot of savvy and poise. He's had that when he was in high school. His whole career. So he's a very accurate, dangerous passer. So when a quarterback like that – and he's a good athlete, he can run and he's strong. When a quarterback like that gets in space you have to stay in coverage and what you're telling your team is you've got to rally. You've got to rally. You've got to have every D-lineman. Anybody that's not in coverage trying to close the gap as quickly as they can. One of the other big parts of it is you always try to contain a guy within a pocket because it's much easier to defend them, generally in that regard. But he's a great player that makes a lot of great plays. And so in everything he does is a challenge to try to minimize the damage."

(Ref.: On the confidence the win over Charlotte gives the offense)
"I think that our offensive line is maturing even though we're on our third center. They're becoming a group. I think they're doing that at practice and that helps. The running backs are talented and good football players. And Chase Brice and the receivers – we hadn't had that many practices together in reality, because you really miss a camp like, you normally get. But Chase is coming into his own. He's more comfortable in what we're doing. Our practices have been more cohesive and energized because of it. And I think the confidence level of this offense is rising and hopefully we can continue that. We're getting ready to jump into to the pit, the real pit, with the hot fire in this last run of conference games. But I believe our guys will respond."

(Ref.: On the balance between time of possession and hurry up offense)
"You can't manage a short field. In that game we just had you want a score and we scored quickly is part of it. You know that you hope you're not out there 42 minutes against one of the best offenses in the country. It's very difficult to get them off the field. But offensively when we are backed up or when we are out there with a long field, we've got to convert better than what we did. We've got to stay on the field. To not only help our defense but to balance the game. And if you've got the ball, you've got an opportunity to find a way to score. So, I think it's critical that our offense performs and converts first downs against a very good defensive team. They do a really good job with their third down package in any distance. And so a real challenge for us."

(Ref.: On taking advantage of North Carolina's run defense)
"Well I think their opponents have done a really good job but also their opponents that have run the ball on have played really well up front. Veteran offensive lines that you see run the ball on almost everybody. And so it's not something necessarily that you see that North Carolina is not doing well. They got really good football players. I think the best combination of linebackers in the league. They support the run well from the secondary. So the thing you have to do is execute. You got to focus on Duke. Not something that North Carolina's not doing well. We have to take the challenge that other teams have taken that you put your hat in the right place, you keep your feet, you bring your feet. You do the things that it takes to be successful as a running football team."

(Ref.: On Chase Brice's offensive growth)
"Well I think the biggest thing where Chase is right now is he's so much better at managing our offense and making decisions at the line of scrimmage and decisions in the passing game. If you can be more high percentages as each week goes then that means you're completing passes, you're moving to chains, you're moving the ball. But I think the biggest thing is his now getting a real comfortable understanding of what we're trying to do as an offensive system, and he had his best game in that regard last week and the way he's working at practice you just see his confidence level going up and I'm happy for him. He's worked really hard, and hopefully there's going to be some more benefits for him."

(Ref.: On the Duke-North Carolina rivalry)
"Well it is a unique rivalry. I like to refer to it as the grocery store rivalry. It doesn't matter where you go people are going to talk to you about that game. And I think a lot of these players know each other. They see each other, even if they're not all from North Carolina. They see each other time to time. You know we're not very far apart. And it's got to be one of the more unique football rivalries in the country. And I'm proud that we've tried to help make it one. They do a great job and they have a great program and hopefully it brings out the best in us. But you got to play four quarters. But you're right, it's been a unique game from year after year after year. And you know to me special players step up on both sides and have made plays to win the game. And that's what it takes. It's what you expect. It's not necessarily what's called – the big players step up at big times and hopefully you see that again this coming Saturday."

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David Cutcliffe Press Conference Quotes: North Carolina

Players Mentioned

Chase Brice

Isaiah Fisher-Smith

Lummie Young IV

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David Cutcliffe Press Conference Quotes: North Carolina

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Players Mentioned

Chase Brice

Isaiah Fisher-Smith

Lummie Young IV

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