Tag Archives: Duke Football

Duke Football

Duke Redshirt QB Sean Renfree is learning the system

[private]I made it a point to ask about the progress of Sean Renfree during Tueday's press conference.  Cutcliffe had some good things to say about a future signal caller -

While Duke has two remaining contests left in the 2008 season, some fans like to look ahead a bit.  Not all of the Blue Devils progress can be measured on the field.  For instance, Coach Cutcliffe said that he would burn no more redshirts the remainder of this season.

While seven or so key freshman have been forced to play due to needs, the Devils will hold the rest out to give them an extra year to mature. Duke is quietly grooming what could be their quarterback of the future behind the scenes.

Sean Renfree chose Duke over Arizona State, Boise State, Georgia Tech and Oregon State last season.  He was one of the nation's elite quarterbacks and is the first one Cutcliffe and his staff targeted.

At 6-3, 200 pounds and gaining, Renfree has the kind of size Cutcliffe likes in a quarterback.  "I want them to be big, I want them to be able to see the field and they have to be able to command the ball and be accurate.  If they can run, it's a bonus," said Cutcliffe.

In fact, his mechanics somewhat resembles the Manning brothers, two highly successful, winning quarterbacks on each level.  The redshirt freshman is known for a quick release and more importantly accuracy and anticipating the wide outs routes.

"Sean had a good morning practice.  He's a very bright young man.  Redshirting can come very complacent to certain kids, but he's been 100% the other way - he's been very much into what he is doing," said Cutcliffe when I asked of Renfree's progress.

Renfree attended Notre Dame Prep in Arizona and the school prepared him for the academics at Duke.  He's adjusting on and off the field and may well earn playing time in 2009 which will be his first collegiate season.

Cutcliffe continued on Renfree's progress, "I've been real pleased with Sean.  He's throwing the ball well in practice.  We've increased his throwing.  He does all of our receiver drills.  He can really throw it and is working out a lot against the defense.  He's kind of a double dipper, people don't  know that this guy can really run."

Duke will no doubt concentrate on Virginia Tech and UNC to close the season, but it's comforting to know that recruiting continues to better team personnel and that Renfree is accepting of his current role to prepare for next season.

As Cutcliffe has often stated, "We're not just trying to build a good team.  We're trying to build a good program at Duke and we will."[/private]

Duke Football

Quick hitter – DL Cliff Respress talks Clemson

[private]So, after a tough loss are you guys ready to go?

Yeah!  We don't hang our heads on Sunday.   We looked at the film and saw plays we should have made.  On Tuesday, it was on to Clemson.  Sometimes we can't see it, but coach will point it out and we go back to work on it.

On Clemson -

I can't wait to get there ... I can't wait.  Those guys!  They're good athletes and being in that arena energizes me - the hostile crowd and people booing you.  We hope to make it a one dimensional game and shut them down.

I've watched them on film and they're big.  I don't look at it like they're too big to handle.  It's going to be a physical game and we can be successful at the line of scrimmage.  You hit some people and they start putting it on the ground.  It's going to be a fun game.

Will teams take Duke lightly now that they are under .500 for the first time this season -

That would be a huge mistake for any team to look at our 4-5 record and take us lightly.  For a team to even approach our game taking us lightly, it would be a huge mistake.  Coach always says, you're going to get their best shot.  They see Duke on film and see that we're playing good ball, so they're preparing.

What one thing stands out that you have learned as a player this season?

Being a more aggressive player.   You've got to get to the ball.  If there is a screen you've got to run.  So, getting to the ball.  Coach always says if you run to the ball and the ball pops out you have a chance at the recovery.  This is something I try to hold myself to, so that I can impact the game.

What are the seniors talking about?

All of our seniors know what the deal is.   We talk to each other in practice and say, hey this is it, just three more games.  I've been playing football for thirteen years and now I have three games left and that's not promised to me.  I have been playing this game for a long time, all the seniors have.  So we give it everything we've got in practice and leave it all on the field.  Come Saturday, it's time to show up.  The schemes are set and it's up to us and you have to be ready.

How important is student support to this team?

It's important.  We love the students and their support.  It helps a lot to know they are up there.  I know the Carolina game is over Thanksgiving, but I hope they turn out.  We need them to turn out.  I'm pretty sure the people of Durham will be there.  I've had people I haven't talked to since I was twelve years old, so my last game?  It's going to be fun.  But, Clemson is next and first things first.[/private]

Duke Football

Quick hitter – Raphael Chestnut

[private]Raphael Chestnut -

On the tough and or close losses -

We all knew it was going to be hard for us.  This is what it is, the Atlantic Coast Conference - Division I football.  Of course we are upset that we've lost a couple of close games, but we are real upbeat.  We have to go out and execute and we have a chance to win some of the next few games.

Do you feel as if the team came slow out of the gate against NCSU?

I believe they they did come in with a lot of intensity.  They were coming off a bye week and we were coming in off a tough loss.  As a team we should have matched that intensity because we still have to prove we can contend in the ACC.  I feel like we did match their intensity, but that we just didn't execute as well.

This is your second trip to Clemson.  Do you like playing in hostile environments?

It's wonderful.  It gets you excited and ready to play.  You're either ready to play or you're scared to play - no in betweens.  I expect our team to go down there and play our best.

Were you able to see the errors on film?

Yes.  We saw it all clearly.[/private]

Duke Football

Anything less than standing room only for the Duke-NCSU game in Wade is unacceptable

[private]The Duke Blue Devils will entertain the North Carolina State Wolfpack in football for the first time since 2003 this weekend in Wallace Wade Stadium.  It's a shame it took this long for these two rivals to hook up again, but that's the way it is since the new ACC alignment.

There is no reason for this game to be anything other than a sell out.  N.C. State is sure to bring many a red clad fan in for the 3:30 kickoff and Duke fans need to realize just how long it's been since their team was 4-4 this time of the season.

Coach Cutcliffe worked hard all summer long to get fans excited and involved and it seems to be working.  I listened to a heart breaking defeat to Wake Forest at a local Durham establishment, Devines, located on Main Street last Saturday.

In the past, it was not unusual for Duke fans to turn out, but they were for the most part old school.  On this day, a large group of students joined the old guard in the courtyard and we all sat around together in unison rooting for Cut's kids.

The great thing is that generation gaps were bridged and conversations were those you might expect from friends or fans you've known for a long time.  In short, there was a new level of interest compared to the years of Franks and Roof. 

The crowd prompted long time Herald Sun sportswriter and my pal Frank Dascenzo to say, "Can you believe this?"  When asked what, he continued, "Look at all the people in here, they are into Duke Football."  He went on to say he'd never seen it like that before and coming from someone who cut his teeth on ACC football that's saying a lot.

All season long, Duke fans have come together and that's a testament to Cut's dedication to turn this long dormant program around.  Shortly after the opening victory over James Madison, I ventured to Cookout for a quick bite after the game,  The simple fact that I was wearing Duke colors prompted two band members (pictured with thumbs up) to strike up a conversation in the line about Duke Football.

People who know that I run a Duke related web site come up and say things like, "Wow, Duke is for real" or "Cutcliffe really knows what he is doing,"   The best might have been, "Man, I can't believe it!  Duke really has a football team." The thing is that most of these comments came from fans of another school, the same ones who were making fun of the program at the start of the season thinking it was the same old Duke.

No matter where I go or what I do, it seems the repercussions of a few wins are prevalent in the community.  The mere fact that I could give ten to fifteen more examples as those above says a lot, but the ultimate statement would be to show our support to Cut's kids by making the fire marshall come to Wade for tomorrows game.

This team has put in a lot of hard work as has the staff.  There is no reason why any fan within four hours wouldn't want to venture to Wally World to immerse themselves in a great college football atmosphere.

There is nothing like the contrasting colors or red and royal blue when Duke and N.C. State get together.  Add to that Autumn backdrop on a slightly crisp November afternoon and well, it doesn't get much better than this.

We have two more chances to see the 2008-09 Duke Blue Devils football team and super senior leaders like Michael Tauliliili.  That said, join me this weekend, cheer hard and wear your Duke Blue proudly for it is the "Dawn of a New Day."[/private]

Duke Football

Coach Cutcliffe Weekly Teleconference

[private]Opening statement -

We had four quarters of unbelievably good effort and play.  For the second week in a row, they've maintained that kind of intensity.  That's growth in eight quarters since the Miami game.  Unfortunately when  you have four turnovers and they have one and you set them up for touchdown drives of 22, 33 and 46 yards after turnovers and that's 22 points.  We gave up basically 5 points on a blocked punt for a safety and the ensuing kickoff was fumbled.  Then there was the onside kick that set them up on our own 26 with the penalty and they got points out of that.  We gave them a short field to play with.  Wake Forest is a very opportunistic team.  We played good enough in all areas to have won and will have to get back to practice in an effort to eliminate the errors.

After a tough loss where your team was resilient yet came up short, what do you tell your team as a coach to keep them up? (Mark Watson, BDN)

Well, I just talk to them straight forward about what happened and how it occurred.   We are in between meetings and getting ready to go out on the field and we don't have time to feel sorry for ourselves.  It's as simple as this, football games aren't won in the video room in Sunday.  We're going to correct these mistake and move forward.  When you play as hard as we played you just have to move on.  We have a difficult opponent, a rival opponent in North Carolina State coming off and open week.  They're well coached and have a good football team and we better not be spending any time not getting back up, so we're going to challenge them pretty good.

On the onside kick - (Lucie Chavez, News and Observer)

It's a judgment call.  I felt like the guy was laid out and he would have never  have gotten the ball.  He hit Johnny Williams after he had gotten the ball, but the official has to go out and use his judgement and it's a tough call.  Again, my philosophy on all those things is it could have gone another way.  We could have done ten or fifteen things another way and we would have won the game.  We evaluate it and move on.  I will probably be getting an explanation, but you have to move on. 

Was the reaction similar to that of the Northwestern game?

Yes, it was very similar.  We thought we could win and we competed hard.  We did everything we had to do to win against Northwestern - a return for a touchdown but it was called back.  It was that kind of experience and we are just hoping all of those things help us grow.  We're not just trying to have a good team, that's what everybody needs to understand.  We're going to build a football program here.  We're serious about that.  Thes guys this year?  They are laying the groundwork.  People are missing out if they don't come see htis team play, they're competing.  I certainly hope with a big rival game like N.C. State coming in that we feel this stadium up good.

Duke hasn't played N.C. State since 2003.  Do you feel like you should be able to play a rival every year and what do you think of the divisions the way they are set up now.  Would you rather see them more regional?

I'd love to see N.C. State in there but I'm brand new.  I'm sure if you looked at the economics of the conference, if you let us all be in the same division right here, we'd be playing each other every year and that would be some pretty good road trips for everybody and probably wouldn't be fair to the rest of the conference from Miami to D.C.  There was a lot of thought that went into it and I wasn't privy during those thoughts or meetings but you would love to play that game, not that I want to play N.C. State in particular.  You just love those rival games.  It is what it is and the league is getting better and it is working well as it is, I guess.[/private]

Duke Football

Duke drops an overtime decision to Wake Forest

[private]The tone for the game was set when Jabari Marshall fumbled returning the opening kick-off and Wake Forest recovered at the Duke 22 yard line. The fumble was the first of four turnovers to go along with a blocked punt for a Safety and a missed 42 yard Field Goal that would have won the game as regulation expired. Duke simply had too many miscues to overcome as they dropped a frustrating 33-30 decision to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

Wake Forest took advantage of Duke's generosity and converted the turnovers into points. Quarterback Riley Skinner scored on a 1 yard run, after Marshall's fumble, to give Wake a 7-0 lead. The Demon Deacons went up 9-7 as a result of blocking a Kevin Jones punt out of the end zone for a Safety. In the 3rd Quarter, Thaddeus Lewis threw an interception that Wake Forest converted into a TD run and a 19-7 lead. Duke's defense forced Wake Forest to punt early in the 4th Quarter, but Donovan Varner could not handle the punt and Wake recovered at the 33 yard line. A 20 yard Riley Skinner to D.J. Boldin touchdown pass and successful 2-point conversion pass resulted in a 30-23 Wake Forest lead. Duke turned the ball over three times in regulation and Wake Forest converted those turnovers into three touchdowns. Thaddeus Lewis threw a second interception during overtime resulting in a Demon Deacons victory.

The Blue Devils outgained the Demon Deacons 376 to 344 yards, and made 21 1st downs to Wake Forest's 16. Jay Hollingsworth rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown, while Tony Jackson contributed 63 yards on the ground. Eron Riley and Brett Huffman both gathered in six receptions for 71 yards each. Clifford Harris had two receptions for 53 yards and two touchdowns.

With the loss, Duke falls to 4-4 and 1-3 in the ACC. Next up for Duke is North Carolina State next Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium.

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