David Cutcliffe on Duke's Interceptions: I Thought Chase Played Terrific

Brice threw three picks in loss at NC State

Chase Brice threw three interceptions in Duke’s loss at NC State. Coach David Cutcliffe broke them down after the game.

“Well, as I mentioned about Chase, I thought he played terrific,” Cutcliffe said. “Those interceptions really weren’t forces. Part of it was good coverage. I took a risk on a call on the last one that I talked to him about, and he tried to hammer it in. It was a little bit desperate. I told him their guy made a great play. He gets hit, and one goes up in the air. I probably went to the well too much with our max protection. We could’ve picked it up, but he’s just trying to compete. He can’t do anything about that one. The first one, he probably held onto it too long and over-competed a little bit. I’d rather have one over-compete than under-compete. I thought he made strides tonight to make himself a better quarterback, without a doubt.”

Duke also struggled in the red zone, coming up empty on two trips.

“It’s always a challenge of momentum,” Cutcliffe said. “When you score touchdowns inside the red zone, that builds momentum. Obviously, it is a challenge.It’s one you have to address. But again, that’s part of your job as a coach. When the game or breaks go against you, you don’t let up. You’ve got to put on more steam. I didn’t think the effort or energy was in any way a problem with our offensive football team or our defensive team. We’ve got to continue to look at what our guys do best.”