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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 19, 2011

David Cutcliffe

COACH CUTCLIFFE: A big game for us coming off of a loss where we didn't play as well as we'd like. I think we're playing a Wake Forest team that's the best of the four that we have faced since I've been at Duke. I think they're playing extremely well.
They have weapons on both sides of the ball and experience on both sides of the ball, and, as always, a well-coached football team. So a big challenge for us this week.

Q. How would you characterize a Duke-Wake football rivalry?
COACH CUTCLIFFE: I think it's two teams that obviously come from similar universities that makes it a rivalry, geographic location make it's a rivalry. Circumstances, like I said, that most universities are faced with. I think the thing is right now our programs are very similar.
You have two teams that are going to play extremely hard, two teams that are going to be disciplined. They're going to compete like crazy.
Since I've been at Duke, and really quite often in recent times even before we came, a very hotly contested game, and it's going to always be an exciting, good football game for the fans.

Q. Do you anticipate that they will try to expose you long after the long balls that Florida State completed?
COACH CUTCLIFFE: Yeah, absolutely. They've done that all along all year anyway. They're going to take their shots. Tanner Price is very accurate down field, and Givens is exceptional at making tough catches. He's got speed. So yeah, there's no question. It hurt us last year doing the same thing.

Q. Has that gotten more attention this week?
COACH CUTCLIFFE: Absolutely. It gets a lot of attention here every week, but obviously not enough. We certainly are trying our best to prepare our guys to be where they need to be and play the proper technique which gives you an opportunity. Doesn't guarantee, but it gives you an opportunity to defend.

Q. I have a random question for you, but I hope you'll humor me. Georgia Tech, since Paul Johnson's gotten there in 2008, their opponents have been the least penalized in the ACC each year, and they are again this year. I'm curious if you have any theories of why you think that might be?
COACH CUTCLIFFE: That would be a tough question to answer just on a blank reaction. I don't really have one other than maybe the officials are so busy watching them that they don't see us. That would be my only circumstance.
They're difficult to call. That offense particularly, let's say, is difficult to call for an official. It's fast, and a lot is going on. The short motions, et cetera, et cetera. So maybe it takes a bunch of focus. That would be my best guess.

Q. Coming into the season I was always asking you about your defensive line. I wanted to check in now and see if they've made the kind of improvement that you were hoping for this year?
COACH CUTCLIFFE: We've played better there. Unfortunately, the loss of Kenny Anunike came at a bad time for us. He was really playing well. One of our upperclassmen, and we didn't have many. I'm real pleased with Charlie Hatcher and Justin Foxx. But our young guys are coming around.
I think I told you we were going to play a lot of people, by playing a lot of people we've continued to grow. We're not just beating Hatcher and Sarmiento up as much, so that's helped us a great deal.

Q. Talk about the role that special teams will play in the upcoming game? Last year's game against Wake was very high scoring. How do you approach that from a special team's standpoint? Anything you do differently?
COACH CUTCLIFFE: Yeah, it's been big all three years we've been here. We missed a field goal in regulation in '08 to win the game. There's been returns. There's been just bizarre things. We fumbled a punt in '08. So we've had some miscues at times. Then we've played great in the special teams area against them.
So they always seem to play into it. Both staffs put a great deal of emphasis in that area. So going to be pretty interesting. We both have good return games, and there are a lot of challenges in this week's ballgame from the standpoint of the special teams area.

Q. Coach, your offensive line this year usually gets a lot more blame than it gets credit. How is it playing for you and who has been a standout for you there?
COACH CUTCLIFFE: We have a freshman Laken Tomlinson that is playing incredibly well. He is a youngster we red shirted a year ago. We thought about playing him, but he has been a very dominant football player.
We're better there. We also have a sophomore tackle. Our right tackle, Perry Simmons who can play some guard has had an incredible year to this point.
Looking forward to hopefully getting Brian Moore back soon who has been a starter for us the last two years. So got a few guys playing well there. And my hat's off to Dave harding, our starting left guard. And in the absence of Brian Moore, has had to play center, and all six of our opening games and has done that with good efficiency.

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