Tag Archives: David Cutcliffe

Duke Football

Top TE Justin Meredith says Clemson, Duke, UNC have stood out among ACC schools

Top TE Justin Meredith said "Duke has probably done the best job recruiting me"

Tight end is a position that Coach Cutcliffe and Coach Middleton hope to develop into a consistent strength within the Duke offense. In the past few seasons, Duke has featured a dynamic group of tight ends, including Brett Huffman, Brandon King, and Cooper Helfet. The Blue Devils will add freshman David Reeves to the depth chart this fall, and are looking at several prospects in the class of 2012. Along with verbal commit Erich Schneider, Duke is evaluating a group of versatile tight end prospects such as Justin Meredith. Meredith is Kearns is a 6’5” 224 pound prospect from Anderson, South Carolina. The athletic junior has already received an offer from Duke, and holds offers from top programs including Auburn, LSU, and Notre Dame, though Clemson may be the school to beat. Highlights of Justin’s junior season can be viewed here.

 

BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

I think the biggest thing that separates me from other people is that I’m able to do several things pretty well, not just one thing.  I’m able to, in my high school, they split me out wide almost like a receiver.  I’m able to do those things.  They’re able to put me on the line and use my strength and my size and block the ends and the LBs and whatever it is.  And at the same time, they also motion me in the back field and use me as a lead blocker, almost like a fullback type of thing.  So there’s a lot of things I do pretty well, and it makes me diverse and useful in offenses.

BDN: What are some of the things you’ve been working on this offseason?

The main thing that I’m working on right now is my strength.  I’ve always been a pretty strong guy, especially in my upper body, but I’m starting to realize that really upper body’s just for looks, and the main thing I’ve been working on this year is putting some size and some thickness and some strength in my legs.  And I’ve been working out with our strength trainer four days a week before school about 6:00 and really just working on that.

BDN: What are some of your goals for your senior year?

For my team, well, to … we want to go undefeated in the regular season and then we want – I think we have the team to do that – and go win the State Championship and Region Championship.  Personal goals:  I really haven’t thought too much about it, but I’d like to be somewhere around 30 to 40 catches with … I’d like to try, my goal is to try to break 1,000 yards and have somewhere around 10 touchdowns.

BDN: What are the most important factors you’re looking for in a college?

The number 1 thing I’m looking for is a place where not only can I be a part of the football team but I can see myself being there for four to five and being a student and just a place that I can see myself living and being a part of the overall program, not just the football program.  And the second biggest thing would probably be is a player-to-coach relationship.  I’ve figured it out that once I go to college, I’m gonna be around my position coach and my offensive coordinator and my head coach, gonna be around them more than I’m around anybody else.  So I’d like to have a good relationship with them and all of them to like me, and I want to like them.

BDN: You mentioned your versatility as one of your strengths, and different programs use the tight end position differently. Is there a specific offensive system that you think you are looking for or where you might fit in best?

Yeah, that’s one thing that I’ve noticed.  There’s been a couple schools like LSU and some other ones that want me to kind of stay in that 220 to 230 range and be a big receiver pretty much.  And then there’s some schools that I’ve talked to – I can’t really think – I guess one or two that I’ve talked to – I can’t really think of who they are exactly.  But they want me to gain a bunch of weight and be in that 270 or 280 range and pretty much be a glorified tackle.  And there’s a couple schools like Clemson, Notre Dame, Tennessee, some other ones like that that want me to be in that 250 range, 250 to 260, and be a prototypical complete tight end.  And that’s really what I’m looking for because honestly that’s the players that – that’s the tight ends that get drafted, the tight ends that can be everything.

BDN: Who are the schools that you have heard the most from and which schools were the first to contact you?

Yeah, Clemson, I’ve been in contact with them a bunch so mainly because I live 15 minutes away from the campus.  And North Carolina and Duke, Duke has recruited me very heavily and also North Carolina.  And also Tennessee and LSU have and Auburn has started to here in about the last two weeks started recruiting, and I’ll actually be down there next weekend.

BDN: Which schools have you had a chance to visit so far?

Junior Days that I’ve been on this spring, I’ve been to Tennessee, Clemson and Florida, and I’m gonna go down to Auburn next weekend.  And during the actual season, I pretty much went everywhere within about a five-hour radius.  I went to Clemson, South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Duke, Tennessee, Alabama and those places.\

BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process?

Yeah and there’s a couple schools that stand out.  And it’s still early on in the process, so I might have some other schools that come through, but the ones that really stand out to me right now, they probably have to be, you know, Clemson’s done a very good job.  Duke has probably done the best job.  North Carolina, Tennessee has done a good job.  I mean, some other schools like Auburn and LSU and schools like that, I really haven’t had the opportunity yet because I haven’t been to their schools, so I’m hoping that there’s … it’s still early on.  And we have a little under a year until signing day, so I’m still hoping some of these relationships continue to build.

BDN: Do you have any plans for additional visits this spring or summer?

Yeah, this year I’m going down into the Carolinas for football camps this summer, I’m going to Eastern Carolina, NC State, North Carolina, Duke, and I think we’re going to Cincinnati too.

BDN: Is there anything else that you think is important for college football fans to know about you?

Just that football is one part of this process, and there’s other parts too also like academics and stuff, and I’m trying to be an overall good person, a good football player, a good person, a good kid in school and stuff like that.  So that’s helped me out so far with some of these colleges, and that’s just one thing that I’d like people to know is that I’m trying to be good in all aspects of my life.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Justin, and best of luck.

Thanks, you too.

 

Duke Football

Ohio TE Tanner Kearns impressed with Duke on Junior Day

Ohio TE Tanner Kearns is hearing from a lot of Big 10, SEC, and ACC schools

Tight end is a position that Coach Cutcliffe and Coach Middleton hope to develop into a consistent strength within the Duke offense. In the past few seasons, Duke has featured a dynamic group of tight ends, including Brett Huffman, Brandon King, and Cooper Helfet. The Blue Devils will add freshman David Reeves to the depth chart this fall, and are looking at several prospects in the class of 2012. Along with verbal commit Erich Schneider, Duke is looking at a group of versatile tight end prospects such as Tanner Kearns. Kearns is a 6’5” 220 pound prospect from Lexington, Ohio. The athletic junior visited Duke for Junior Day earlier this year and was impressed with the program.

 

BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

My strengths, probably – I run good routes, and really get open, catch the ball well.

BDN: What are some of the things you’ve been working on this offseason?

I’ve been lifting aside, we lift a little bit for basketball, but I lift on top of that, just to get bigger for next year.  And I’ve been working on speed training with my track coach to get faster.

BDN: What are some of your goals for your senior year?

To go undefeated, that’d be nice, and make a run in the state tournament.

BDN: What are the most important factors you’re looking for in a college?

Education and tradition.  That’s what Duke had, they’re known for their academics, and I like that.

BDN: Who are the schools that you have heard the most from and which schools were the first to contact you?

Basically Big 10 schools, and LSU, Oregon, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Kentucky, and the first school I think that contacted me was LSU and NC State.

BDN: Have you had a chance to visit any schools?

Well, this fall I went down to Cincinnati, went up to Michigan, to Ohio State, Indiana, and Notre Dame for some football games.

BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process?

I really liked Notre Dame, and I did like Duke a lot.  Their tight end coach was a nice guy, was funny, and I really liked him.

BDN: Do you have any plans for additional visits this spring or summer?

Yeah, this year I’m going down into the Carolinas for football camps this summer, I’m going to Eastern Carolina, NC State, North Carolina, Duke, and I think we’re going to Cincinnati too.

BDN: Do you have an idea for when you would like to make your college decision?

No, I’m just leaving my options open, and I’ll roll with the punches, I guess.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Tanner, and best of luck.

Alright, thanks.

 

Duke Football

Duke is among the first to offer California OL Max Tuerk

Max Tuerk made the switch from TE to OL last year

In their three-plus years in Durham, Head Coach David Cutcliffe and Offensive Line Coach Matt Luke have built the Duke offensive line into a position of strength. The past two recruiting classes have brought in a very good group of offensive linemen, and the Blue Devils hope to continue that trend with the class of 2012. Max Tuerk is a 6’6” 275 pound offensive lineman from Santa Margarita, California. Though he’s early in the recruiting process, the junior already holds offers from Duke, Washington, and SMU. Highlights from his junior year, which earned him 1st Team All State and Trinity Lineman of the Year honors, can be viewed here.

BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

My strengths as a player are I work really hard, I’m always trying to get better in the weight room and practice.  Right now, I’ve been gaining a lot of weight and that was probably my biggest problem last year, I weighed like 250 only, and now I’m up to 275, and I’m pretty fast for an offensive lineman, so that’s probably my biggest strength.

BDN: What are some of the things you have been working on this offseason?

Gaining weight, and gaining strength, definitely.

BDN: What are some of your goals for your senior year?

For the team I’ve love if we can win our division, we went to the playoffs last year and we lost in the second round.  And I’m hoping that this year we can win CIF, and that’d be awesome for me.

BDN: As you look at your college decision, what are the most important factors you are looking for in a school?

In a college, most important thing is probably just to get to know all the coaches, get to know some of the members that are gonna be in my team.  Know the school, if it’s a good school, good academics.  Good campus, just – kind of get to know everything about the school.

BDN: Have you had a chance to visit any schools so far?

Not yet.  I have visited Washington 2 years ago, for like a football tournament, for passing tournament, I went as a tight end, and it was a cool campus, so that’s the only school I’ve visited.

BDN: Do you have any other visits planned for this spring or summer?

Yeah, I’m hoping I can go to Duke.  I’m hoping to check out Washington and maybe SMU even, and I’m hoping to go to USC, check out USC, just the schools around my house kind of.

Max Tuerk hopes to visit Duke this spring or summer

 

 

BDN: Are there any schools that you feel like you’ve developed a good relationship with at this point in the process?

Yeah, definitely.  I’ve talked to Duke’s offensive line coach this week for a while, actually, and we’re steadily starting to get a relationship.  I emailed a lot of the coaches, the coaches at SMU, and I talk to a lot of the coaches on almost a daily basis, and we’re definitely developing relationships.

BDN: Is there anything else you think is important for college football fans to know about you?

I’m a good kid and I work really hard, and I’m hoping to – I love football, and I’m just hoping it’ll take me to college.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Max, and best of luck to you.

Alright, thank you.

 

Duke Football

California QB Brendan Keeney is on Coach Cutcliffe’s radar

California QB Brendan Keeney is on Duke's radar

Duke Head Coach David Cutcliffe is known for his ability to develop quarterbacks, thanks to his work with Thad Lewis and Sean Renfree at Duke, and Peyton and Eli Manning at Tennessee and Ole Miss. In the class of 2012, Duke has already been in contact with many of the top quarterbacks around the country, including Brendan Keeney, a 6’3” 215 pound prospect from Granite Bay, California. As a junior, Brendan led Granite Bay to a league title and a 9-4 overall record, finishing the year throwing for over 2,500 yards and 33 touchdowns. Highlights from his junior year can be viewed here.

BDN: Can you start off by describing your strengths as a quarterback for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

We run a “fly” offense at Granite Bay, where I am usually under center and play action on most of our pass plays. I roll out on most of our pass plays away from the run fake. So my strength is being able to throw on the run or I can also step up in the pocket. When we snap the ball, I usually have a good plan of what we’re gonna do and where I’m gonna go. So my mental game, I’m still working on of course, but that’s one of my strengths, as well as the physical tools that I was blessed with. My height and strength help a lot.

BDN: Is there a quarterback in college or the NFL that you have studied or modeled your game after?

Well, everyone wishes they had Tim Tebow’s work ethic, but from a technique standpoint, I worked with Tom Brady’s coach at a camp in the Bay Area, so he taught me a lot of what Tom Brady does to mentally prepare for the game. And of course Peyton Manning, what he does before the game. I just admire a lot of quarterbacks that put in hard work and don’t just take for granted what they’re given.

BDN: What are some of your goals for your senior year?

We’ve been to the playoffs twice, my sophomore year and junior year, but we have always come up a little short. So this year of course, I’m looking at the big picture, hopefully maybe win a section title, and just win more games.  I know everyone wants to win, but I just like competing at a high level, and I want to be known as a winner.

BDN: What are the most important factors you’re looking for in a college?

A strong, stable program. Good academics of course, great school environment, and how many quarterbacks are already ahead of me.

BDN: What are some of the goals you hope to accomplish in college?

First of all, I want to make it to the right school - the school that is the best fit - a win-win both academically and athletically.  Second, I want to play football, and when I get the chance to play, I want people to remember the team, not only as a good team, but a memorable team.

BDN: Who are the schools that you have heard the most from and which schools were the first to contact you?

Well, the first day that we could get email, Duke emailed me and let me know that they were interested, and I already talked to the coach recruiting me a little bit. I tried to get a hold of Coach Roper, but never did, since we had a pretty short period of time for juniors to talk to the coaches.  Duke started out early but some colleges are coming to the high school now, and have began checking in on me and a lineman on our team, but I would say Duke, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State, and Notre Dame, have shown me the most interest.

BDN: Have you had a chance to visit any schools?

I’ve been to Stanford unofficially, but I don’t know what’s going on anymore now that [Head Coach Jim] Harbaugh left. So I’ve only been to Stanford.

BDN: Do you have any plans for additional visits this spring or summer?

Yes, more unofficial visits to some Pac 10 school and some east coast schools. I’m invited to the Elite 11 at UC Berkeley and the Nike camp at Stanford. Most coaches want me to throw for them in person so I am planning some trips to those schools.

BDN: Have any schools stood out to you at this point in the process?

A Washington State area recruiter has come by three times, and he finally brought the head coach to our school, so I got to meet him too. They’ve tried to build a relationship, and we have, and I just talked to Oregon coaches, so hopefully that grows.  I’ve known the Oregon State coach since my sophomore year and he’s come by to see me.  So I’m still early in the process but those are the places I have built relationships with so far and stand out at this point, however there are many schools that impressive.

 

 

Duke Football

Top OL D.J. Humphries favors SEC schools

Top OL D.J. Humphries has Florida and LSU at the top of his list

In their three-plus years in Durham, Head Coach David Cutcliffe and Offensive Line Coach Matt Luke have built the Duke offensive line into a position of strength. The past two recruiting classes have brought in a very good group of offensive linemen, and the Blue Devils hope to continue that trend with the class of 2012. One of the top offensive lineman in the country is D.J. Humphries, a 6’6” 265 pound offensive lineman from Charlotte, North Carolina. As a junior at Mallard Creek, D.J. has attracted schools from all across the country, already receiving scholarship offers from over 20 schools, including Duke. Highlights from his junior year can be viewed here.

 

BDN: Can you start off by describing some of your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

I think one of my main strengths is me being athletic.  Most coaches love my feet, they love my feel, so no one’s really told me too much that they want me to work on as far as on the field, but I’ve put a lot of work into run blocking over the summer and that definitely paid off, I had over 100 pancakes for the season. I’m a natural pass blocker, so that really was never too hard to pick up.

BDN: What are some of your goals for your senior year?

As far as my team, state championship.  But other than that, for myself, I just want to continue doing what I do, playing well, try to be All-American again, first team All-American again.

BDN: Growing up in the Carolinas, is there a particular school you grew up following?

I’m from the east side of Carolina originally, so growing up I followed South Carolina and Clemson, but I started to like LSU and Florida, ‘cause I mean, I was raised around SEC football, but that’s pretty much – that’s the attitude I take to the field is SEC football, but I mean, I’m still interested in ACC as well, but I’ll watch Florida and LSU and everything else.

BDN: Who was the first school to offer you?

Clemson was the first school to offer me.

BDN: Have you been able to narrow things down at this point in the process?

I mean, Florida’s probably my number one right now, and then maybe LSU, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.

BDN: Do you have any plans for visits this spring or summer?

I’m probably gonna try to get down to – Florida probably my first visit, coming up in March, that’ll be my first stop and I begin making all my visits in March.

BDN: Do you have an idea for when you would like to make your college decision?

Probably the US Army [All-American] game.

BDN: Thanks a lot, D.J., and best of luck to you.

All right.  No problem, bye.

 

Duke Football

Dual-threat QB Matt Johnson is looking for a school close to home

Duke is evaluating dual-threat QB Matt Johnson

Head Coach David Cutcliffe is known for his ability to develop quarterbacks, thanks to his work with Thad Lewis and Sean Renfree at Duke, and Peyton and Eli Manning at Tennessee and Ole Miss. In the class of 2012, Duke has already been in contact with many of the top quarterback prospects around the country, including a sleeper in-state dual-threat prospect. Matt Johnson is a 6’3” 210 pound quarterback from Maiden, North Carolina. He’s been in contact with several in-state ACC schools and made a trip to Durham earlier this year for Duke’s Junior Day. Highlights of Matt's junior season can be viewed here.

 

BDN: Can you start off by describing some of your strengths for fans who haven’t had a chance to see you play?

Yeah, my coach coordinates offense, we run a shotgun offense, but I am – we run a 50% passage percent, but I have found strength in being a good runner, and I play behind my pads, I’ve been told, but I really try to just get every yard when I’m running, and I have focused on passing to strengthen myself in passing, but running’s definitely been my biggest strength, and slowing the game down a little bit and playing at my own pace has been my big thing that I’ve been pretty good at this year.  I don’t really kind of pride myself in anything, but just my reads and everything like that going in.  But I’m more of a dual threat quarterback.

BDN: What are some of your goals for your senior year?

This year, I want to help my team.  I want to pass for over 1500 yards.  I was just 1000 this year, with run a lot more than that, but I want to be considered as a college level passer, and not just a dual threat quarterback.  I also want to strive to win a state championship, that’s what I want for my team, but the passing and reading the coverages better, and making – slowing the game down even more, just to have control over the situation is really what I want, and complete passes, basically.

BDN: Is there a college or NFL quarterback you have studied closely or have tried to emulate?

I’ve always admired Peyton Manning, just for his – his poise in the pocket, and then the way he calls the game, and seems to have everything in his hands.  He’s working with everybody, and they’re reacting to it.  It’s what I love about it, and it’s kind of where I want to be.  But I want to play with the maturity level that is far passed my own, just to have control of the situation mainly.  But – I loved Brett Favre until just recently, but –

BDN: As you approach your college decision, what are the most important things you are looking for in a school?

A big thing about it, and I’ve put it on all my seats, is the location of where it is.  I kind of want to stay pretty close to home.  I don’t really want to leave my parents that much, and I think I probably have an opportunity to do that, but also I want to find a place that has a communications major.  I kind of want to be a broadcaster when I grow up, but a lot of it is academics for me.  I want to go somewhere where I can maybe be out in 4 years, but have a good degree, and I want to go somewhere where I can play and that I can grow as a football player, and as a leader.

Maiden QB Matt Johnson is hearing a lot from NC ACC programs

 

 

 

BDN: Who are the schools that you have been hearing from the most and which schools were the first to contact you?

It all kind of started with, I think it was Wake Forest, NC State, ECU, and Duke in there, and that was really cool, getting those letters from Coach Roper at Duke, and going to the game, I was very excited about getting that stuff and receiving letters of just, “Come to our game, come watch.”  It was all surreal to me, but I never really felt like I was lost in the crowd.  I felt like it was a privilege being in the place I was at; I count it as a blessing, being able to go.  But I went to NC State a couple times, ECU a couple of times, and I think it’s been ECU and Duke that has talked to me the most in just recruiting-wise, and keeping up contact with me.  But it’s been a great thing for me, I’m humbled by the entire thing, but I really want to just find a place I’m comfortable at, and I really felt comfortable at all 3 of those places.  But a lot of other colleges were talking to me just through letters, just sending me stuff.  But communication-wise, I talked to the other colleges.

BDN: Do you have plans for any additional visits this spring or summer?

I definitely want to – I went to Duke’s Junior Day the other day.  I had a great time there, I’m actually looking forward to another visit there.  Thinking about going to ECU’s Junior Day, and that’ll be a big thing, and any other Junior Day I’m invited to, I’ll be happy to accept that invitation no matter where it is, but I definitely liked NC State, ECU, and Duke as a place I’ve been to.  I wanted to visit Wake Forest, I don’t know all about that, I don’t know what my opportunities are gonna be, but I’m not sure if there’s anywhere else I want to go.  I want to go anywhere, really.

BDN: Is there anything else you think is important for college football fans to know about you?

I try to be the same person I am on the field as I am off the field.  I’ve never been the most skilled player, I wouldn’t say, but I’d say I’d be able to pull a team through anything, just with – it doesn’t matter if we’re down 40 or up 40, I’m gonna play my heart out.  I don’t know the whole give up or let off thing, I just know how to play football and how to score touchdowns, and how to go 100% every play.  I’m not – I just want to keep everybody’s spirits up on the field; I’m a good motivator, and I’m not gonna pride myself in being a leader, but I think somebody has to do it, and it’s gotta be somebody willing to step up, and I try to do that most of the time, and I think I do a pretty good job of it.

BDN: Thanks a lot, Matt, and best of luck to you.

All right man, thank you. God bless you.  Bye.