While it seems no one can predict how the football team will play on a given weekend, one thing is certain for the Duke-Georgia Tech matchup this Saturday: emotions will be running on overdrive. Saturday is both senior day and Ted Roof's first game as head coach against his alma mater and the team whose defense he coordinated just two years ago.
"This is going to be a special day," Roof said. "We have a lot of seniors on our football team. We want them to leave Wallace Wade with a great feeling...a sense of accomplishment. We're playing for quite a bit."
Roof also expressed his sentiments for Georgia Tech, calling the school "a special place." Roof recruited a number of players on the current Yellow Jacket squad, and is still close to many of the Georgia Tech parents.
"[Coaching college football] is a people business," Roof said.
"Sometimes as coaches you get lost in the mix because at the same time this is how we feed our families and make our mortgage payments. These are young people and we have a chance to touch their lives and be a positive influence on them and be a role model for them, and that's quite a responsibility. Sometimes that gets lost."
After expressing his respect and sentiment for the Georgia Tech football team, Roof iterated that he was undoubtedly on the Blue Devils' side this Saturday and is doing all that he can to give Duke a victory at the final game at Wallace Wade in 2003.
In discussing some of the changes he has made since being named interim head coach, Roof explained why he has given junior quarterback Chris Dapolito more snaps than any other quarterback in the last two games after Dapolito only received playing time in blow-out situations when Roof was just a defensive coordinator.
"He gives our offense another added dimension with his mobility," Roof said. "A lot of people may not notice, but our players believe in Dap. He's got a little swagger about him that I think is a good for a quarterback to have."
Roof also complimented running back Chris Douglas, as the senior has rushed for over 125 yards in each of Roof's first two games as head coach. Offensive lineman Luke Bayer agrees with his coach.
"Chris is an awesome running back," he said. "Whenever he's back there [in the back field] we're pretty confident. We love it when [Douglas gets the ball more than 25 times]. It's an offensive lineman's dream just to be able to run block and just have your running back have a great game."
The players also discussed how much they have enjoyed playing for Roof in the difficult circumstance of losing a coach in the middle of the season.
"I'd take a bullet for coach Roof," junior defensive back Kenneth Stanford said. "When something of that magnitude happens to a team, you can either fall apart or come together. We showed a lot of character. I lay it all on the line for [Roof]."
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