Duke's David Cutcliffe Previews Wolfpack
NC State and Duke are located less than a half hour apart as the crow flies. But thanks to the ACC's divisional format, they visit one another on the football field only once every seven years.
Saturday, the Wolfpack and Blue Devils will meet for the first time since 2013.
But just because they haven't played in awhile, they're hardly unfamiliar foes as Duke coach David Cutcliffe said during his regular weekly meeting with the media on Monday.
Here is what the veteran coach had to say about the the Wolfpack, his team's preparations for the game now that it's finally in the win column and the "rivalry" between the Triangle schools (if it's possible to have a rivalry when you only rarely play one another):
"I'm proud that our team was able to go get a road win (at Syracuse) and a convincing win in a lot of ways. But obviously if you saw that game, there's a lot left to work on -- continuing to take care of the ball better. We've got to block and we really were closer to having an even bigger game in the run game. We've got to finish blocks, we've got to finish tackles and avoid giving up explosive plays.
"And the reason I'm saying all that leads to this week. We're playing a really, really good North Carolina State team. It's well-coached. All three phases, they know how to win football games. They play really well in the kicking game. They're very aggressive on defense.
"Since the Virginia Tech game, they've had a mentality. They're physical, they tackle well, they play well together. (They're a) very impressive defensive team and with (Devin) Leary settling in at quarterback and two really outstanding backs and a big physical offensive line and receivers that can play, this is a complete football team.
"With that said, we need to play a complete game. We know we're capable. In all five of our games we've had moments where we've played really good football. The thing we have to continue to do, and our team will do this -- we're working hard at practice and they're doing everything we ask them to do. But we need to put together a complete game and it couldn't be a better week to do that than this one."
What specifically is State doing so well offensively and how does Duke counter that?
"They're balanced on offense. They do a great job of mixing things up with the run and pass. Great balance. That one of the greatest elements you can have offensively. They can throw it, they've got receivers, they're protecting the quarterback well, he's playing really well and (Ricky) Person and (Zonovan) Knight are both outstanding backs. We watched them play when they were in high school.
"They run the football. they run the ball a variety of different ways. But they're well-coached. Their scheme is good. What we have to do defensively is we have to be complete. You have to try to stop the run. Everybody in football says it, (but) it's much easier to say it than it is to do it. We've got to do a tremendous job of being in gaps. We've got to do a tremendous job of trying to whip blocks.
"You've got to the run game before it really gets started and then outside of that, hopefully you have to be able to apply some pressure on the quarterback. So it's a combination of things defensively that you have to do to stop a very balanced offensive team."
How much does it help your team going forward now that you've finally gotten a win?
"I think when you have two teams coming off big conference wins, that always increases the intensity. It increases the value of the next game, in all honesty. Right now, where we are, is I think our will to prepare is outstanding. I want to see it even go up another notch.
"When you win, it should increase hunger rather than decrease hunger. So let's see where it heads this week."
Would you like to play State more often than you do?
"Yeah, I think that's a great thing. But at the same time it's not really something you can do from an ACC standpoint when you have 14 teams and divisions. We have Wake every year, we have North Carolina which is in our division. I don't think they're going to let us both have a travel opportunity (that) the rest of the league would probably throw their hands up on that one.
"But in the midst of what we're in, we have no idea what next year is going to look like. We may be playing nine or 10 conference games every year. That may be what TV wants to see. So in that environment, it would likely have a better chance of happening."
What are some of the pros and cons of not playing State every season?
"Obviously, the fans is probably where it falls. I think fans would love to see that old fashioned rivalry where we've been around in the ACC forever. But football has changed.
As I said, the cons would be the rest of the league would be pretty upset if we had the proximity games we have. We have Virginia and Virginia Tech in our division. And then if we were playing NC State, Carolina and Wake, they would just view that as a negative if you're a Louisville or you're Syracuse or any other number of teams in our league."
How familiar are you with the Wolfpack?
"I see them on tape all the time. I'm very familiar with their players. Dave Doeren is a good friend. I think he's a great football coach. So I try to watch all of the things they're doing.
"As I'm watching common opponents, you're always looking at them. I'm following players we may have recruited when they were in high school that you got close to and I pull for them when we're not playing each other. So you're going to keep up with what's happening with your neighbors and that's essentially what they are."
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