BDN talks to Duke Assistant Coach Steve “Wojo” Wojciechowski

[private]The Blue Devil Nation talked basketball with Wojo this afternoon -

Steve Wojciechowski on his coaching role -

My role hasn't changed a great deal.  Coach allows his assistants to do a lot of things.  Whether game preparation or on court coaching.  That's one of the best things about working as an assistant on Duke.

On playing Purdue on the road -

It was a great opportunity and a great time for a test and our team to go play in an environment which was sold out and hostile  It's always good to see how your team will react in that kind of environment, because until you do it you don't know.  We are happy that our kids defended and rebounded the ball very well, which have been big keys to our success this year.

Has the atmosphere changed  since your playing days?

Not really.  We get every team's best shot - the arena and fans as well.  I can't remember a game where we've gone on the road and you felt like there was no atmosphere.

You seem to have more athleticism as a team and better front court play -

We're a different team than what you saw last year.  We are growing into men's bodies.  We have older kids and better depth.  And knock on wood we are healthy.  Our big guys have played very well defensively.  For one we are healthy.  Brian has played two years with a broken foot.  Our guys are a year wiser, bigger and stronger, and the front court kids are doing real well for our team.

Kyle Singler is having a really nice season.  Can you comment on him?

I think Kyle is one of the best players in the country.  He really sets a tone for our team with his competitiveness and his will to win.  I think those are his greatest attributes and he has a number of them.  He plays the game the way it should be played and there is nobody on our team that has more fun than Kyle.  You see that when he is out on the floor and the rest of our team should try to emulate that.

Duke must now play Michigan for a second time on their floor.  What are your thoughts on the Wolverines?

I think the atmosphere will be  much the same as Purdue.  We've already gotten the word that it's a sell out.  As a team they run a great system. Tremendous spacing offensively with really great shooters.  They are very dangerous from behind the three point line.  They play a very unique defense in the 1-3-1.  You don't see that often.  Having played them already we hope that works to our advantage.  We are really looking forward to going up there and competing against a really good team.

Have you seen UNC play yet?

We were out recruiting last night, but I watched them when I got home.  I had to make sure I (smiling) wasn't on the NBA channel after seeing them play.   They're outstanding.

How is Greg Paulus doing with concerns to his injuries?

We'll be glad to get him back to 100%.  I think it feels pretty good.  What some people is that he was out most of the summer.  As a player when you miss those large chunks of  time - it's not easy.  He continues to work himself back and for the most part I think he feels good.  He's anxious to do whatever it takes to help our team win.

Blue Devil Nation was on hand for today's practice.  Premium members have Q & A's with the likes of Coach K, Kyle Singler and Chris Collins.  As you can see, Reggie Love was in town and enjoying himself as well.  Blue Devil Nation Premium is a subscription service which focuses on Duke Athletics as well as recruiting information.[/private]

Duke Women set to host Iowa in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

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Good seats remain for a Duke-Iowa clash in Cameron Indoor Stadium -

Blue Devils Host Iowa In Big Ten/ACC Challenge On Thursday...

Coming off playing three straight contests away from Cameron Indoor Stadium, the 12th-ranked Duke women’s basketball team will return home on Thursday, Dec. 4 to host Iowa in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at 7:00 p.m.

Fans can hear the Blue Devils live on the radio on WDNC AM 620 with Steve Barnes (PXP) and Morgan Patrick (Color) calling the action.  The contest will feature live video on ACC Select.  For more information on ACC Select, head to www.accselect.com.

Prior to the contest, senior Chante Black will be honored for becoming the 24th player in Duke history to reach the 1,000-point mark, which occurred on Nov. 16 versus Maine.  In the rankings, Duke is listed No. 12 in the Associated Press and No. 14 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches Polls.

Media Info

What: Iowa at Duke ( ACC/Big Ten Challenge)

Date: December 4, 2008

Location: Durham, N.C.

Venue: Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)

Tipoff: 7:00 p.m.

Radio: WDNC AM 620

Radio Talent: Steve Barnes (PxP), Morgan Patrick (Color)

Online Audio/Video: ACC Select   www.accselect.com

Livestats: www.GoDuke.com

Noting Duke...

Over the last four games, Duke has averaged 16.8 steals a contest ... the Blue Devils have forced an average of 29.5 turnovers during the last four games ... so far on the season, senior Chante Black owns 14 blocked shots, which is more than Duke’s five opponents have accumulated against the Blue Devils ... Black was selected to the DePaul Invitational All-Tournament team, after averaging 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.0 steals in two games.

A Look At Iowa...

Iowa enters the contest with a 4-3 overall record and is coming off playing three games in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas.  The Hawkeyes defeated Texas Tech before falling to South Florida and California.  Megan Skouby (17.0 points, 4.6 rebounds), Wendy Ausdemore (11.3 points, 6.6 rebounds) and Kristi Smith (10.4 points, 2.0 rebounds) have led Iowa so far on the season.

Lisa Bluder is in her 25th year as a head coach and owns an overall record of 508-243.

The Series With Iowa...

Duke and Iowa will meet for the first time in school history.

Duke Versus The Big Ten...

The Blue Devils own an overall record of 14-8 against teams from the Big Ten Conference -- Illinois (0-3), Michigan (2-0), Michigan State (2-0), Minnesota (0-1), Penn State (5-1), Purdue (4-3) and Wisconsin (1-0).

Storylines...

•  In her 17-year coaching career, Joanne P. McCallie owns an 8-6 record against Iowa.  All 14 contests were while McCallie was the head coach at Michigan State.  Coach P has won four straight and seven out of the last eight against the Hawkeyes.

•  Duke will play its next two straight contests against Big Ten opponents -- Iowa and Michigan.

•  After outrebounding its opponents the first four games, Western Kentucky outrebounded Duke, 41-40.  The Blue Devils continue to hold a 14.2 rebounding advantage, which ranks seventh nationally.

•  In Duke’s first ACC/Big Ten Challenge last year, the Blue Devils fell in a heartbreaker, 86-84, at Penn State.  As a conference, the ACC won the challenge by an 8-3 ledger.  Coach P posted a 69-45 record against the Big Ten, while she was the head coach at Michigan State.

What Is Next?...

Duke will host Michigan on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2:00 p.m., as the Blue Devils are playing three straight home contests.  Following the contest with Wolverines, Duke will be off for exams until Dec. 16 versus Stanford.

ACC Select To Air Contests...

Duke’s next two home contests will be aired live on ACC Select, which provides audio and video online at www.accselect.com.  If you cannot make it to Cameron Indoor Stadium in person then head to the web site to watch the Blue Devils face Iowa (Dec. 4) and Michigan (Dec. 7).

Point Guard Shortage...

With injuries to Jasmine Thomas and Chelsea Hopkins, the Blue Devils have lost two of their top point guards to run the offense.  Thomas, who is a sophomore from Fairfax, Va., opened the season starting at the point guard slot the first four games and Hopkins, a freshman from Las Vegas, Nev., has been playing an extended amount of time at the point position off the bench.

Thomas suffered a sprained MCL of her left knee in practice on Nov. 26 and is expected to miss two weeks.  Hopkins was injured in the second half of the Western Kentucky game with a lateral meniscus injury.  She will have surgery on Thursday, Dec. 4 and a timetable on her return will be released following surgery.

With Thomas and Hopkins injured, junior Keturah Jackson started at point guard in the last game and is expected to do so again versus Iowa.

Jackson Comes Up Big...

Junior Keturah Jackson hit two of the most important free throws of her career at Western Kentucky in the last game as she nailed two with 10.1 seconds remaining.  The points gave the Blue Devils a 59-56 lead and Duke went on win by the same ledger.

So far on the season, Jackson is averaging 4.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.6 steals.  Jackson is averaging 5.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals in her two games started, while hitting 3-of-6 field goals.

Blue Devils Return Home...

In two games this season in Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Blue Devils have averaged 87.5 points, hit 42.4 percent of their field goals, pulled down 56.5 rebounds, averaged 13.5 steals, 17.5 assists and 8.0 blocked shots in victories against Oklahoma State and Maine.  Senior Chante Black has averaged 22.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 blocks, 1.5 assists and hit 70.4 percent of her field goals.

In three games on the road, Duke has averaged only 67.7 points, hit 38.0 percent from the field, 26.5 percent from downtown, averaged 45.3 rebounds, 10.7 assists, 5.0 blocked shots and 15.0 steals, while posting a 2-1 record.

ESPNU Reporter...

Blue Devil senior Abby Waner was the sideline reporter for the recent North Carolina at Duke football game on ESPNU this past Saturday.  Waner has received excellent reviews for her work on the sideline so far this season as she was also the reporter for the Virginia at Duke game on Sept. 27 and the Miami and Duke contest on Nov. 18.

Waner also serves as a features host for David Cutcliffe’s Duke Football Show.

Tough Defense...

The Duke defense has been stellar to open the season as the Blue Devils are holding opponents to 30.4 percent shooting, which ranks second in the ACC and sixth nationally.

Since Coach P arrived at Duke, it’s defense has held 13 opponents to under 30.0 percent shooting and 30 opponents to under 40.0 percent shooting out of 40 games.

In The NCAA Stats...

The NCAA has released its first set of national statistics with the Blue Devils ranking in the top 20 of six categories -- sixth in field goal percentage defense (30.4), seventh in rebounding margin (14.2), sixth in steals per game (14.4), 14th in scoring margin (23.6), 18th in scoring defense (52.0) and 14th in blocked shots (6.2).

Senior Chante Black is 17th in blocks per game (2.8), Abby Waner is 52nd in steals per game (2.8), Chelsea Hopkins is 59th in steals (2.8) and Jasmine Thomas is 21st in assist/turnover ratio (2.83).

Both Iowa and Michigan are two of the top free throw shooting teams in the nation as they rank 17th (76.9) and 22nd (76.7), respectively.

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Duke defense too much for Purdue, Devils win 76-60

[private]Duke came into the game with Purdue undefeated in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge and Boilermaker fans were chomping at the bit to get them in Mackey Arena.  Tickets were going for as much as

Singler has 20 points and 12 rebounds/copyright BDNP
Singler has 20 points and 12 rebounds/copyright BDNP

500.00 each on a cold Indiana evening and most of the nation was expecting a very competitive game.

Duke came out of the gate running to a 7-0 lead and they never looked back in route to a 76-60 win which lifts them to 8-0 for the season.  To get to that undefeated record, the Blue Devils used three key areas of strength.

The first of course is stellar defense where they held Purdue to just 60 points on 37% shooting from the field.  Add to that, just two made three point attempts for a team known for their accuracy behind the stripe.

The two Purdue stars, Robbie Hummel and E'Twaun Moore were totally taken out of their game.  Moore scored 10 points with all of them coming 30 minutes into the game.  Hummel tallied 15 points to go with 10 boards, but Duke soph Kyle Singler frustrated the pre season Big Ten Player of the Year pick throughout the game.

Speaking of Singler, he continued his tenacious play with 20 points to go with a career tying effort 12 rebounds.  He was clearly the best player on the court this evening and showed why he is one of the elite players in the land.

Then there was another nice effort from the free throw stripe which has also been and early season strength.   They connected on 20 of 26 for the game while hitting many down the stretch not allowing a comeback attempt by the countries ninth ranked team.

The third area of mention which contributed to a convincing Blue Devil victory was their work on the boards where they out rebounded the home team by a whopping 49-29 margin.  Krzyzewski made board work an off season priority and the team has improved significantly and was the second best rebounding team in the conference going into the game.

Speaking of board work, Brian Zoubek scored just 4 points, but garnered 8 rebounds in just eleven minutes of play.  Not to be outdone, Henderson took his early season offensive struggles in stride by going to the glass for 8 defensive rebounds and led his team with five assists.

Jon Scheyer tied Singler for the scoring lead with twenty points, three being three point buckets.  Smith who was in foul trouble throughout the contest added 12 points. Paulus had 7 points, McClure 6 and Thomas 5 points and the aforementioned Henderson 2 points to round out the scoring for Duke.

In the end, Duke showed their experience in making Purdue play their style of game.  It was the Blue Devils most consistent effort from begging to end on the season as well.  It was also a game which showed that Duke was having fun playing and that made for an impressive team effort.

Duke went to 10-0 in the Challenge and will now face Michigan for the second time this season in Ann Arbor on Saturday.

Official Box Score Link

Updated Facts and Figures-

• The 2008-09 season marks the 10th year of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The ACC has won each of the first nine ACC/Big Ten Challenges. ACC teams have won 56 of the 87 games played over the 10 years. The ACC and Big Ten are currently tied 3-3 in the challenge with five games remaining to be played on Wednesday.
• Duke is 10-0 all-time in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, including a 3-0 record in true road games. Boston College (3-0) is the only other undefeated team in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The previous two road games for the Blue Devils came against Michigan State in 2003 (W, 72-50) and Indiana in 2005 (W, 75-67).


• Duke improved to 8-0 with a victory on Tuesday, marking the fourth time in the past five seasons they have won their first eight games. The Blue Devils have now started the season 8-0 a total of 20 times.
• Under Mike Krzyzewski Duke has started 8-0 a total of 15 times in his 29 years. Since the 2000-01 season, the Blue Devils have gotten off to an 8-0 start in seven of the nine seasons.
• The school record for most wins to start a season is 17 set by the 1991-92 national championship team and the 2005-06 squad.

• The Blue Devils played their first true road game of the 2008-09 season on Tuesday at Purdue. Duke has now won 12 of its last 13 road openers with the only loss coming at Georgia Tech on Jan. 10, 2007. Under Coach K, Duke now has a 22-7 record in road openers.

• In overall road games, Duke has now posted a 185-95 record under Coach K. The Blue Devils have posted a winning record on the road in five straight seasons and 11 of the past 12 years. Since 1996-97, Duke has recorded an 90-30 (.750) record on the road.

• Duke began December with a 16-point victory at Purdue on Tuesday. Under Coach K, the Blue Devils now have a 153-24 all-time record in the month of December.
• The Blue Devils are now 45-2 in December since 1999-2000 with the only losses coming to No. 3 Stanford (84-83) on Dec. 21, 2000 and No. 11 Pittsburgh in overtime (65-64) on Dec. 20, 2007.
• When playing on Dec. 2, Duke is now 15-5 all-time, including a 9-2 record under Coach K.

• Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski earned his 811th victory as a head coach on Tuesday. He ranks fifth all-time in NCAA Division I history for career victories and is first among active coaches.

• Krzyzewski is now 19 victories shy of Jim Phelan for fourth all-time.

• Coach K now has 738 wins as the head coach at Duke, ranking him sixth in NCAA Division I history for victories at one school and second among active coaches (Jim Boeheim, Syracuse – 771). Krzyzewski is 21 wins shy of Western Kentucky’s Ed Diddle for fifth all-time.

• Krzyzewski’s 811 victories are the second most by a head coach through 34 years of coaching. Only Dean Smith of North Carolina won more games with 830 victories.

• Duke scored 76 points against Purdue and has scored at least 70 points in all eight games of 2008-09. The Blue Devils are 652-129 under Coach K when scoring 70 or more points.

• The Blue Devils made 8-of-22 (.364) from behind the three-point line. In the last two games, Duke has 18 made treys after only making 19 in its previous four outings.

• Duke made 20-of-26 (.769) from the free throw line. It was the fourth time this season the Blue Devils made at least 20 free throws. Purdue only attempted 20 free throws, making it six of the eight games this year that Duke has made as much or more free throws than its opponent has attempted.
• The Blue Devils outrebounded the Boilermakers 49-29. Duke has outrebounded its opponents 339-248 on the season, a margin of +11.4 per game. The Blue Devils have now grabbed at least 20 more rebounds than its opponent twice this season.
• Duke had 16 offensive rebounds, the third time on the season they have had at least 15 offensive boards. The offensive rebounds led to an 18-9 advantage in second chance points.


• Duke held Purdue to 60 points and has now held its opponent to 60 or fewer points in six of the eight games this season.

• Purdue shot just .373 (22-of-59) from the field on Tuesday. The Blue Devils have held six opponents to under 40 percent from the floor this year. Duke is 285-9 under Coach K when holding an opponent under 40 percent shooting.

• The Blue Devils also held Purdue to just 2-of-13 (.154) from behind the three-point line. It marked the second straight game and third time this season the Blue Devils held an opponent under 20 percent from long range. It was the 121st time in school history the Blue Devils have held its opponent under 20 percent from deep. Duke has a 109-12 record in those contests.

• The two made treys by Purdue were a season low by a Duke opponent. The Boilermakers were averaging 7.7 made three-point field goals per game coming into Tuesday’s contest.[/private]

General Basketball Recruiting Update is up

John Wall played in Cameron during the Gibbons TOC
John Wall played in Cameron during the Gibbons TOC

The undercurrent of information has been a little quiet of late, mainly due to the flurry of November and early December games.  But some tidbits are starting to trickle back in and December will allow us to cover the likes of John Wall and current commitments in person as their seasons are now in full swing.  Here is an update on Duke targets -

 

 

[private] Harrison Barnes is set to begin his high school basketball season.  You can follow his team by going to this LINK.  Duke is in weekly touch with Barnes and they feel as if there is a solid relationship foundation which they will build upon.

There are a lot of questions concerning John Wall, but one must first understand that his camp is in no hurry to amp up his recruitment.  Much like Boynton's recruitment, this one will go on for awhile, so you may as well relax until Spring.  Duke is in constant touch with his camp and the two have been trying to work out an on campus visit.  With the Blue Devils playing in season, they must keep their concentration on the business at hand while continuing their get to know Wall efforts.  Coach K is the lead in this one, but he will be assisted by his entire staff.  Most recently, Coach K and Nate James visited a Church of God game to check out Wall.  They will cover his games when they can throughout his entire season.  Wall has a handler named Brian Clifton.  Handlers are always under scrutiny in recruiting circles for many of them have been known to sink their claws in for eventual favors.  There is no reason to believe that this is the case with concerns to John in that they stepped in when he needed some guidance.  In short, one never knows for sure.  Wall is likely a one and done player and he could go many ways with his eventual choice.  He would be in a really high profile situation at Duke, which works to both parties advantage.  He could go to other schools and coast through while being the man.  The Blue Devil Nation will keep close tabs on this situation which is in it's infancy at this time.

Our most recent interview was with Josh Smith who has the Devils on his list.  Duke will not back out, but they are looking for and or paying attention to how his family handles the recruitment.   The Smith's have not ruled out an early commitment and if that happens you can bet it's going to be on the West Coast.  This one will not get real serious until March or April.  It remains to be seen if Smith pays his own way for a Triangle visit.  If this happens, he will likely visit Duke and UNC.  

Duke talks to Brandon Knight in one way or another weekly.  A lot of rumors have said he is Florida bound, but he hasn't told the Devils this.  As you can see rumors are a dime a dozen in that he got out of a recent UF visit while not committing.  While Boynton is at UF, this duo has to breakup at some point and time and college may be that time.  Knight was a confessed UConn fan growing up and certainly has ties in his home state.  UF has been managing to keep their own in state of late and common sense tells you that it can sometimes be a better "family" choice than an individual one.  Knight knows Duke wants him, but Wall is at the forefront until he makes his selection.

Duke will not settle on other 2010 prospects until the picture clears with current prospects.  You can bet that they will be out and about as soon as the AAU season opens looking for kids that fit.

While it has been a slow period for recruiting news, it's on the verge of picking up.  We'll be covering John Wall and others at the upcoming Glaxo Invitational just after Christmas.  We are also preparing for the use of video come AAU season and some almost real time ways of reporting.

As many long time members know, there are slow periods and then it opens up like a severe storm without warning.  We are carrying most of our in season current player interviews to premium starting at the end of this week.  This is coverage that cannot be found at Scout or some other sites.

We've been stretched a little thin of late, but I expect to finally make some long awaited additions in the coming days.  We will hopefully have photo galleries back soon.  As usual, thanks for being a part of the Blue Devil Nation. [/private]

Tauiliili, Lewis, Riley garner All ACC honors

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DURHAM, N.C. -- Headlined by first team selection Michael Tauiliili, four Duke players received All-ACC honors as the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association announced the 2008 Associated Press football all-conference teams.
Joining Tauiliili from Duke were second team choices Thaddeus Lewis and Eron Riley and honorable mention pick Vince Oghobaase.
A senior linebacker from Houston, Texas, Tauiliili finished the regular season with a conference-best 140 tackles and added 13.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions, five pass breakups, five quarterback pressures, three caused fumbles

Tauiliili on Senior Day
Tauiliili on Senior Day

and one fumble recovery.  A two-time ACC Player of the Week pick and the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week choice after Duke's 31-3 win over Virginia, Tauiliili is the only linebacker in the conference to rank among the top 10 in four different statistical categories.  Tauiliili is the first Duke linebacker to earn first team all-conference honors since John Zuanich did so in 1994.

Oghobaase, a junior defensive tackle from Houston, Texas, posted 51 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and a team-high 6.0 quarterback sacks in 2008.  All six of his sacks came in league play as he helped the Blue Devils hold three opponents to fewer than 10 points for the first time since 1976.
Oghobaase and Tauiliili were primary reasons that Duke made significant improvement in scoring defense (-9.8 points), total defense (-67.4 yards), rushing defense (-28.7 yards) and passing defense (-38.7 yards) while facing the 2nd most difficult schedule in the nation -- a ledger that included 10 bowl eligible teams and the top-ranked FCS squad in James Madison.
Lewis and Riley, who teamed up over the past three seasons to form the most prolific quarterback-wide receiver tandem in Duke football history, both received second team honors.  The duo hooked up for 19 touchdowns through the air to surpass the previous record of 16 held by the pairs of Ben Bennett-to-Chris Castor and Steve Slayden-to-Doug Green.
A junior quarterback from Opa-Locka, Fla., Lewis completed 224-of-361 (.620) passes for 2,171 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions this year.  He ranks second in the ACC in total offense (206.1), passing yards per game (197.4) and touchdown passes while standing third in passing efficiency (122.95).  Lewis set school records for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception (206) and most pass attempts in a single-game without an interception (52 vs. N.C. State) and was named ACC Player of the Week after 317-yard, three-touchdown day against Navy.  On Duke's single-season records lists, Lewis' 2008 totals stand seventh for pass completions, ninth for pass attempts and tied for eighth in touchdown passes.  Lewis becomes the first Blue Devil signal caller to garner all-conference accolades since 1988 when Anthony Dilweg was a first team pick.
Riley, a senior wide receiver from Savannah, Ga., received his second straight second team all-conference citation.  In 2008, he hauled in 61 passes for 693 yards and eight touchdowns to rank second in the league in receptions per game (5.08) and touchdown grabs and fourth in receiving yards per outing (57.8).  On Duke's all-time charts, Riley finished his career ranking seventh in receptions (144), second in receiving yards (2,413) and third in touchdown catches (22).
The 2008 Associated Press All-ACC football teams are voted on by 67 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.

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Tauiliili named ACC Player of the Week

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DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke senior linebacker Michael Tauiliili garnered ACC Player of the Week honors after registering a career-high 20 tackles and his team-leading fourth interception in the Blue Devils' 28-20 loss to North Carolina this past Saturday.
The league accolade is the second this season for Tauiliili, who also was honored following his 16-tackle, one-interception outing versus Virginia.
A native of Houston, Texas, Tauiliili posted the most tackles in a game since Terrell Smith had 22 hits versus Rice in 2003 and his 20 tackles are the most by an ACC player this year.  Also against the Tar Heels, Tauiliili added 2.5 tackles for loss to push his season total to 13.0.
Tauiliili closed the regular season as the ACC's leading tackler with 140 stops, a total that matches the eighth-highest single-season total in Duke history.
The conference's complete list of weekly honorees includes Tauiliili (Defensive Lineman), N.C. State's Russell Wilson (Rookie), Georgia Tech's Roddy Jones (Offensive Back), Virginia Tech's Ryan Shuman (Offensive Lineman), Boston College's Robert Francois (Defensive Back) and Boston College's Billy Flutie (Specialist).

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