David Cutcliffe on playing Alabama

Duke coach David Cutcliffe talked about his opening game—against Alabama in the Chick-fil-A kickoff in Atlanta—on his weekly television show.

“When the people in Atlanta approached me to consider this game, I didn’t have to consider it. I immediately said yes. The reason had nothing to do with it being Alabama. Our program had earned the opportunity for a showcase game. This isn’t something we were given. I wanted the players to understand that you earn these things. The way you earn playing well in these games is what you do starting in January. So the fact you’ve got big marquee games against certain marquee opponents should make your football team better. Period.”

Duke hosted Alabama in 2010, two years into Cutcliffe’s tenure, losing 62-13.

“Ten years ago, we played Alabama, and we were not really very well equipped,” he said. “I inherited that game. It didn’t go that well. Obviously, there were bright spots in it. (Now) We’re playing a game we believe we can compete and win. It is a step our program needs to take. We will find out. No reason to talk about what’s going to happen. We’re going to find out real quick if were up to the task. The way you become up to the task is how you prepare. We’ve prepared well. I’m certain Alabama is prepared, because that’s what they do. They’re extremely talented. So are we.”

Cutcliffe considers it a yardstick game

“A Knights Tale is one of my favorite movies,” Cutcliffe said. “There’s a line in there: ‘You’ve been weighed and measured.’ It’s up to us to see how we get weighed and measured. What’s our response gonna be. This is definitely a jousting event one that’s gonna be a huge challenge.”

Cutcliffe grew up in Alabama and learned from the legendary Bear Bryant.

“It’s definitely emotional,” he said. “I’m keeping that way way in the back part of my mind. I know I’m gonna have cousins there wearing crimson.”

“Nick Saban and I have coached against each other in year’s past,” Cutcliffe continued. “I have tremendous respect for his attention to detail—covering all the bases. It will be a great test to play a Nick Saban coached football team. Every part of it becomes personal and becomes emotional. You’ve got to put that on the back. We’ve got a game to play, and that game is about the players and having your team prepared to play 60 minutes. That’s where my focus will be, and at the end, I’m going to look around. We’re in the dome. We just played Alabama on national TV. That’s okay. That’s pretty cool.”