Head coach David Cutcliffe held his weekly press conference today. Here are some highlights from his 30-minute Q&A.
“Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” —Winston Churchill
Cutcliffe offered this quote as inspiration today, and it is easy to see how it applies to his team. Despite the inability to pick up a win in their last two contests, the Blue Devils continue to practice hard and nobody has given up. Cutcliffe said that Sunday night's practice was the team's best of the season and the players were noticeably angry with Saturday's result. The team has improved as the season has gone on, which is easily overlooked during a losing streak.
November to Remember
In the college football world, fates are determined in November. Although Duke is 3-5 after two narrow defeats, the players still have hopes of reaching a bowl game. With four upcoming contests against ACC Coastal Division opponents, Duke can still salvage a successful season if it can find a way to close out games.
Sean Renfree completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes against Virginia Tech, his first sub-.500 completion game of the year
Cutcliffe and Renfree met yesterday to review the tape and discuss where the quarterback can improve going forward. His low completion percentage was a result of taking more shots downfield. The offense had been criticized for being too conservative, but Cutcliffe has been working with Renfree on making his reads and taking shots down the field when the situation is right.
Tony Foster recorded his first collegiate start Saturday
After being recruited as a wide receiver, Foster redshirted as a freshman then switched over to the defensive side of the ball. He earned his stripes as a gunner on punt coverage and was rewarded with his first start at cornerback Saturday. After being beaten on one long pass in the first half, Foster got comfortable and had a strong second half.
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