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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 20, 2013Jim GrobeCOACH GROBE: You know, we had an open date this past weekend, and I think that was good for us. A lot of times, when you have an open date, you don't know how your kids are going to bounce back after having a weekend off from playing. But I think in our case, it was really good for us. We would have probably been down a handful of starters had we had to play last week. So I think the open date from a health standpoint came at a good time. We'll still be without a couple pretty good players this week. But you know, hopefully we can play better than we've played the past couple games. Q. There's obviously a lot at stake for both teams in this game. What do you sense is the mentality of your guys going into this one? COACH GROBE: Well, I think we are fine. We are disappointed that we haven't played very well the past couple times out. But I think our kids like to play football and we know we've got a great challenge. Duke is playing great football right now and we are going to have to play really, really good to win. I feel like our football team is in a state of mind where we want to play better. So hopefully we'll get a great effort Saturday. Q. Have you had a chance to talk to Coach Cutcliffe at all this season about what's going on over there? COACH GROBE: I have not. I have not. We generally visit when we get together for spring meetings, but he's just doing a great job, got good kids playing really, really well and they have got lots of confidence. They are just having one of those years, and can't say enough about the good stuff he's done. Q. Duke has an opportunity to do something that's never been done, much like you guys did in 2006 at your school. As that season went for your guys, how did you keep your players from getting too tight as the stakes went higher and higher? COACH GROBE: Well, I think we just tried to stay consistent. We tried not to change things from week to week. It's one of those old add ages, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I think what we tried to do, as much as anything as coaches, is just continue to do the things that had gotten us to a chance late in the season and try not to, you know, invent anything. We just wanted to keep things kind of on an even keel and try to remain the same emotionally as you had throughout the course of the season. When things are going well, you just want to try to keep it on an even keel. Q. I wanted to ask you, Duke has been using two quarterbacks and Coach Cutcliffe said he'll continue to do that. Does that present any special problems or do you have to be aware of which guy is on the field at all times? COACH GROBE: Well, I think that both of the kids are really good duel‑threat quarterbacks. One is a little bigger than the other one, but I think both kids throw the ball well, and they both run the ball well. So I think, you know, a lot of times, when you're playing two quarterback, you don't have the success that they are having, a lot of times it's because you don't feel like one kid is really good enough. But in this case, you've got two quarterbacks that are really, really good. I think that's the problem that they present defensively is no matter which kid is in, they both have the ability to throw the football effectively, and of course both of them do a nice job running the football. Q. In this series, you've had absolute mastery over them; there were a lot of close games which you guys always won until last year. Did that change the dynamic of the series at all, the fact that they finally got a breakthrough? Do you think it mentally changes anything? COACH GROBE: I don't think so. I think we both‑‑ you know, since I've been here, have been very competitive. I think both teams have gone after each other, and I really believe some of the years that we won, the games were so close, it was just a bounce here or a bounce there that determined the game. And so, you know, we have never felt like this was a series that we had the upper hand in. We always felt like playing Duke, that we had to play our best football to win, and you know, most of the games that we played were nail‑biters. Q. When we look at Duke on film, what's the reason they are doing so well this year? Do they look better to you than last year in any certain areas? COACH GROBE: I think as much as anything, they are just finding ways to win. That's what it's all about. It really doesn't matter, you know, how you get there. I think at the end of the game, if you've got more points than the other team, that's the key, and that's what they have been able to do. I think a big part of it is they have been able to finish games. They have been in a lot of close games and when they get to the fourth quarter, they find ways to win. That's what good teams do. Q. The biggest worry in your defense against this offense this week? COACH GROBE: I think they are balanced. I think they have four running backs that probably anybody in the league would like to have right now. I think all four running backs are averaging over five yards a carry, and both of their quarterbacks are very capable of throwing and running the football. And they have got a good group of receivers, a nice tight end to throw the football to, and Crowder is a special player but they have some other players that are good players. I think balance is probably the thing that bothers you the most. Most teams are either better running or better throwing the football and this is a Duke offensive football team that's got good balance; they are capable of beating you both ways. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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