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Duke used four interceptions and two fumble recoveries to derail the Virginia offense in route to a 31-3 win. The Blue Devils outscored the Cavaliers 28-0 in the second half. Duke goes to 3-1 on the season and will face a well rested Georgia Tech team next Saturday.
BDN Player of the Game - Michael Tauiliili 9 solo tackles, 7 assisted tackles, 1 forced fumble and an interception in the Virginia red zone.
More to come![/private]
[private]Zack Asack -
On the turnaround on offense this season -
Our offensive line has been doing a great job selling both the pass and the run. 
Being able to run the ball has definitely opened up the passing game. Overall, the whole offense is getting better - everybody knowing their assignments and who to block. When the holes are real big, it's easy to run.
On his role on the team -
I'm the back up. I'm always ready to play and I'm always working as hard as I can every day in practice. I'm always ready to go, but Thad is doing real well right now. I have got some snaps in the second half which causes the opponent to switch up some on defense, so I try to make the most of it when I go in there.
On the lack of ACC wins and the Wahoo's -
We're 0-0 in the conference and we want to start 1-0. Virginia is going to be a great contest for us. It's one game at a time and we are totally focused on Virginia at this time.
Thaddeus Lewis -
You are coming off a performance that earned you offensive player of the 
week. How can you put the personal accolades behind you and focus on Virginia?
Personal accolades are a compliment but winning is the team goal. I don't really look a it or read the paper. I didn't even know it until my coach text it to me. I just try to stay away from TV other than the games. I just focus on us as a team.
Do you feel like you can carry over the momentum despite a bye week?
I'm pretty sure we will be ready. The bye week is actually beneficial because some guys are banged up. Some kids probably wouldn't have been able to play had we not had the extra week.
Has Coach Cutcliffe alluded to the fact that Duke hasn't won an ACC game in a while?
It's ACC week. That's all he is saying that it is ACC week. We are going to continue to do the things we do well. It means a lot, it means a whole lot going into the ACC.
Is there more intensity?
He came out and let us know what time it was and what he expected out of us. He's a straight forward guy and he tells us what we need to do better to prepare for the ACC. If you do things right in practice it will just come to you naturally in the game. He's done a great job of making me do that this week.
What's made you a better quarterback this season?
Just making smarter decisions. Listening to what Coach has been saying. So, doing the little things right and going out there and doing the things I can to help this team win.
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[private]I sat down with Duke Senior leader Michael Tauiliili this afternoon. Here are his 
thoughts -
Do you guys talk about as a team that you haven't won an ACC game in your career?
Definitely. Not because we haven't won one in awhile, but because it's an ACC game. When you get into the conference everybody has aspirations. We are all aware that we haven't won an ACC game since we've been here. Looking back on it, I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and we are all working to win our first ACC game.
Is it a mental barrier?
Not at all. The past is the past and we are all focused mainly on the present and the future. We have to go one game at a time. Coach always says we have to prepare for Saturday and this is only Tuesday. That's what we are worried about, having a great day on Tuesday and then Wednesday and then Thursday.
Has coach said to treat this week like another game?
We are all aware that we haven't won one but he doesn't harp on it, but he has mentioned it. What he has harped on is that we are in the conference now.
Do you think as a team you can carry over the momentum of starting 2-1 past the bye week?
Definitely. We've had the taste of success and coach makes sure we know how to deal with that. We stay hungry and prepare at full speed in practice and not take any plays off. We are definitely taking that momentum into the ACC. I think people know that they can't come in here and chalk it up as a "W" anymore and we are going to prepare as hard as any other game. I just can't wait to go out there at 12:00 on Saturday. Now, it's full fledged into the game week.
If I might go back to the Navy game ... you guys came out in the second half and dominated. What was said in the locker room or what do you attribute that to?
It was definitely the coaches. It's amazing to see how quickly they can make the adjustments on the chalk board. Basically what was said is this is what they are doing to us and this is what we're going to change.
Last year's team didn't really make good adjustments, but so far this season Duke has outscored each opponent in the second half -
This coaching staff - we've got great guys on the sidelines and up in the booth. The linebackers are always on the headphones with Coach Collins and we tell each other what we are seeing. After the game against Navy, Coach Matt pointed out what coaches could see to change and adjust and that we are all in this together. We are playing and they're making adjustments and making it fit together.[/private]
[private]The Duke Blue Devils have the opportunity to build on their early season success when they host the Virginia Cavaliers on September 27th, at 12 noon, in Wallace Wade stadium. Specifically, the 
following opportunities exist:
- Duke has dropped eight straight games to Virginia with the last Duke victory being a 24-17 overtime decision on October 9, 1999, in Charlottesville. So the Blue Devils have the opportunity to stop an eight game losing streak to the Cavaliers.
- Duke has not won an ACC game since defeating Clemson, 16 – 13, on November 13, 2004. Since that victory, the Blue Devils have dropped 25 straight conference games. So the Blue Devils have the opportunity to stop a 25 game conference losing streak.
- Finally, Duke has the opportunity to improve their overall record to 3 – 1, which would be the best start to a season since Duke opened the 1994 season 7 – 0.
It is not an exaggeration to state a win over Virginia is critical for Duke’s season. This is an important game for Coach David Cutcliffe in his expedition to change the culture of Duke football in that a win over an ACC opponent will validate the legitimacy of wins over a FCS team and a service academy.
The 1 – 2 Virginia Cavaliers have struggled to put points on the board so far this season. They are averaging 11 points per game, while giving up 32 points per contest. Duke’s defense has held opponents to less than 21 points per game, while the Blue Devil offense has averaged just over 30 points per contest. It is important to note that one of Virginia’s losses came against USC the number one team in the country. A game against USC has the potential to ruin a team’s statistics, just ask Ohio State.
Statistics can be misleading this early in the season with the two teams not having played any common opponents but, a quick look at the teams in the ACC shows Duke ranked second in total offense and passing offense, while Virginia is last in total defense, last in rushing defense, and seventh in passing defense. The Blue Devils are ranked sixth in total defense, while the Cavaliers are last in total offense.
In the area of individual performances, Thaddeus Lewis is leading the ACC in total offense at 273.7 yards per game; Eron Riley is tied for second in receptions per game (6.3) and fourth in receiving yards per game (77.3), and Clifford Harris is tied for fifth in rushing with 67.7 yards per game. On the defensive side of the ball, Michael Tauiliili is tied for second in tackles with 10 per game, while Vincent Rey’s nine per game has him tied for ninth place. Kevin Jones’ 45.7 yards per punt has him in second place in the ACC.
Internet fan sites and message boards are buzzing with discussion of a resurgent Duke football program, and even though Duke has a ton of work and multiple steps ahead of them, a win over Virginia will be a big step toward achieving success. Success breeds success so winning games in 2008 will assist Coach Cutcliffe in recruiting top notch talent to Durham, which will result in more victorious Saturdays in the years ahead.
The next step in the resurgence of Duke football is to snap the 25 game ACC and eight game Virginia losing streaks with a victory over the Cavaliers on September 27th. The game will be telecast on ESPNU.[/private]
[private](From Official Duke University Press Release) DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke's Thaddeus Lewis and Vincent Rey have received ACC Player of the Week honors after leading the 
Blue Devils to a 41-31 win over Navy this past Saturday, the league office announced on Monday afternoon.
Lewis, a junior quarterback from Opa-Locka, Fla., was named the conference's Offensive Back of the Week after completing 25-of-35 pass attempts for 317 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for a career-high and team-best 41 yards on 12 attempts. In addition to extending his school record streak of consecutive pass attempts without an interception to a nation's active best 206 tosses, Lewis and teammate Eron Riley became Duke's top touchdown-producing quarterback-wide receiver tandem with three scores on the day and 17 in their careers together. Against the Midshipmen, Lewis and Riley hooked up for touchdown passes covering 27, five and 49 yards.
Rey, a junior outside linebacker from Far Rockaway, N.Y., was tabbed the league's Defensive Back of the Week following a 12-tackle performance that included four tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble return of 37 yards for a touchdown. Rey helped the Blue Devil defense hold Navy to just 207 rushing yards -- 245 below their NCAA-leading average of 452 entering the contest.
Other weekly award winners included Clemson's Thomas Austin (Offensive Lineman), Virginia Tech's Brett Warren (Defensive Lineman) and Darren Evans (Rookie) and North Carolina's Jay Wooten (Specialist).[/private]
[private]There is one thing for certain three games into the 2008 Duke Football season, that being Cutcliffe and his staff make masterful adjustments at the half. The Blue Devils have outscored each 
opponent after the break, Today they throttled the Navy offense in the second half by adjusting the Midshipman's crafty running attack.
Take away one big pass play for Navy and Duke would have shut them out. Still, they outscored them behind the arm of Lewis and the hands of Riley 21-7 to take a 41-31 win. Lewis had a great game going 25 of 35 for 317 yards, three TD's and added another 49 yards on the ground.
Thad was only as good as Eron Riley. Navy had no answers for the star senior receiver who made 8 catches, all three of the passing TD's, for 137 yards. When Duke needed a big play, the combination of Lewis to Riley was dependable. Lewis also found 9 different receivers in the game.
Duke opened the game on a 12 play 78 yard drive ending with, of course, a Lewis to Riley hook up. Navy came back with a huge 73 yard scamper by White. From that point on the game was nip and tuck with Navy taking a 24-20 lead at the half.
But Duke got some huge momentum from Joe Surgan who nailed a 52 yard field goal which cut into the half time lead. Unlike the SI cover jinx, Surgan made one of the biggest kicks of his career on a day he graced the cover of the Duke Football Game Day program.
As mentioned earlier, Duke came out ready in the second half, especially the defense. Linebackers Vinnie Rey and Michael Tauliili combined for 23 tackles, making the occasional vicious hit. Rey made the biggest defensive play of the game when he scooped up a Navy fumble scampering into the end zone.
All in all, it was a huge day for Duke Football and they now have two weeks to prepare for Virginia. On a hot and humid day, the resilient Devils gave the Wallace Wade crowd a good show making their fans proud.
Whether you talk chants like "We are Duke!," or you look to the slogan "Dawn of a new day," it's clear that Duke Football is turning the corner.
Be sure to check back to the Blue Devil Nation for more coverage of this big win, including some photos from the event!
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