David Cutcliffe on Rescheduling UVA game: "I Wasn't Particularly Pleased It Was Public"

The ACC announced on Saturday morning, a few hours before kickoff, that it was changing the schedule. Duke’s Nov. 14 game against Virginia would now be on Sept. 26, shifting one of the Blue Devils’ off weeks nearly two months later.

David Cutcliffe wasn’t concerned about the change, just the timing of when it was announced.

“I wasn’t particularly pleased it was public, because I walked into our pregame meal, and they all have their phones, and that’s what they’re taking about,” he said. “Because that’s their world—social med and announcements. Distractions have been more than a handful. So it’s okay. It happens. We’ve got to put it behind us. We’ve got to be able to handle anything that’s put out there.”

Cutcliffe had deliberately not told the team, so the Blue Devils could focus on Notre Dame.

“I found out about it last night,” he said. “I chose not to tell the staff or the team this morning, because I did not want them distracted, but sometimes, it’s just out of your hands.”

Despite the distractions, Duke was able to hang close to Notre Dame, putting up a better showing against a top 10 team than in last season’s opener—a 42-3 loss to Alabama—or November’s 38-7 loss to the Irish.

“Notre Dame’s probably got five future NFL players on the offensive line,” he said. “On defense, four or five of them that rotate into play will do the same. They picked up help in the secondary with (transfer Nick) McCloud. I think they’re better there. I don’t think it’s the fact that Notre Dame’s not strong. I think we’re a better team than last year.”