Cutcliffe Not Using Last Year's 59-7 Loss to Wake As Motivation

Says that type of inspiration is shallow and doesn't last

Two years ago, Duke entered the final two weeks of the season needing to win out to reach a bowl. The team is in the same situation this year, but coach David Cutcliffe isn’t harping on that past experience.

“That's what they remember, what they know,” he said. “Anything I remember or I know I don't ever share that, because the total focus from a coaching standpoint is on the current moment. You know they talk. You hope seniors are giving young people hope in conversation. Captains – that's a role that they should play. But what we all have to be focused on is who we are, not what we are. Being the right kind of people is the best way to handle adversity. Yes, you can turn things. I've been around a lot of programs that have had to do that. Have had great Novembers to finish to be where you wanted to be because that's when all the decisions are made. But we can't do anything now about Tuesday's practice. In front of us is Wednesday's practice, and that's really where we are.”

Cutcliffe also isn’t focusing on last year’s game with Wake Forest, when Duke lost at home, 59-7.

“I mean you're going to look at it,” he said. “As a coach we study every annual opponent and because the coaches are the same, the approach, what we did poorly, what were the circumstances. Obviously, the game to some level and degree was certainly an outlier. But you do learn from scheme for one thing. … I don't bring it up but that's a natural response from a player you know. I mean that's who they are. They're competitors. They remember those things and you hope you have competitors. But you know because you say something has nothing to do with the outcome. Outcome is all about your work and what your input is. I don’t ever ride that emotional wave as a tool of inspiration, because I think it’s pretty shallow, and it doesn’t last.”