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Duke Football Notebook: Welcome To ACC Play
9/25/2019 2:40:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Head coach David Cutcliffe's program is back in action this week as the Blue Devils travel to Virginia Tech for their Atlantic Coast Conference opener.
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Duke is seeking its third consecutive win after falling in the season lid-lifter to No. 2 Alabama.
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Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Lane Stadium/Worsham Field. ESPN will provide coverage of the contest with Dave Lamont, Gene Chizik and Jerry Punch on the call.
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Friday's meeting will be the 27th meeting between Duke and Virginia Tech with the Hokies holding a 17-9 edge. Duke's last victory came on the road on Oct. 25, 2015, when Thomas Sirk rushed in a two-point conversion in the fourth overtime to top the hosts, 45-43.
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Both teams are coming off open weeks. The Hokies bring a 2-1 record and an 0-1 mark in ACC play into Friday's game. After falling to ACC foe Boston College in its season opener, the Hokies have strung together back to back wins over Old Dominion and Furman.
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HELLO, OLD FRIENDS
Duke opens ACC play under the lights Friday in Blacksburg, Va. After Virginia Tech, Duke continues conference play with four consecutive games against Coastal Division opponents as it hosts Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech before travelling to Virginia and North Carolina.
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"Oh yeah, we're excited," redshirt sophomore defensive end Chris Rumph II said. "We're happy to be back in ACC play and start this little gauntlet we have to go through to get where we want to be at the end of the day – the ACC Championship. We have to beat these teams in front of us and take it one week at a time."
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In conference openers under Cutcliffe, Duke is 5-6 with its last win coming against North Carolina back in 2017. When facing Virginia Tech to begin conference play Duke has dropped both contests (2009 and 2018).
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"ACC football is upon us," Cutcliffe said. "As we all know, we've got five of these in a row. When you go on the road in a conference game, you've got to understand how mature you must be as a football team. Virginia Tech is always physical. Virginia Tech competes. And that's a tribute to Coach (Justin) Fuente and his staff. They play hard and they play well."
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"We're really excited," senior wide receiver Scott Bracey added. "We're really just kind of starting ACC play. The atmosphere is going to be great."
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BACK FROM BREAK
An early open week fell on the Duke schedule this year giving it the fourth weekend of college football off. During the break, the Blue Devils were able to regroup and refocus on this next period of the season.
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"We've practiced well," Cutcliffe said. We've worked hard. It has been an unusual week because of playing on Friday night. We practiced last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and last Friday morning before we left to go recruiting was a Sunday practice. We gave them Saturday off, which is their normal Monday off. Sunday was our Tuesday practice. But because of academic commitments we do not ever practice on Monday or even have meetings. So we've given them two days off in the last four. I think the team realizes the challenge. And now we just need to finish out well, get on the bus and go play complete. Because that's what it's going to take to be successful."
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While an open week heading into a Friday night game may throw some teams for a loop, the Duke student-athletes didn't mind an extra off day.
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"Any time we get a break to rest our bodies we are going to enjoy that," Rumph II said. "The coaches have done a great job managing us over the last week. Now, I feel like our whole team is fresh and ready to go."
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BRACEY BOUNCING BACK
After a trying first couple of years in the Duke program with injuries, Bracey has found his footing and health, which in turn has rejuvenated his love of the game.
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"It's definitely frustrating, but it's the nature of the game," Bracey said. "Everybody has to deal with injuries playing football. So, definitely just frustrating at times. I just have to continue to push through that. It definitely makes me stronger physically and mentally for sure. Just being able to control what you can control in the moment and keep going with that is definitely the best mindset to have."
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Bracey made headlines with his career long 37-yard catch in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Alabama. The catch, in a way, symbolized that the redshirt junior, out of Richmond, Va., was back and ready to make a difference.
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"Scott is really bright. He's in graduate school right now. And he gets it. He understands and I think you have to reinforce, reinforce, reinforce, with him. But Trooper's energy has tried to make it a little bit fun for him. And we can't forget as coaches that the game itself – football – you play it because it's fun. You shouldn't be playing it because you think you're going to get your school paid for. You shouldn't be playing in college thinking you're going to be a pro football player and get big money. You have to ultimately, deeply play the game because you love the game. And we have to help that. I think Scott's found that love again in the game."
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Being a Virginia native, Bracey is looking forward to being back in his home state and seeing family and friends before making a difference on the field.
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QUICK AND NIMBLE
Rump II leads the Blue Devil defense in tackles for loss with 4.5 so far this season. His 4.0 TFL stat line against Middle Tennessee State tied him for seventh in Duke history for a single game. Although the 225 pound, 6-3, Gainesville, Fla., native may be undersized, he doesn't let that stop him.
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"I'll tell you what, I kid with Chris all the time," Cutcliffe said. "And I'm not exactly sure but he may be about 230, 233. But I told him you do a better job of turning 230 pounds into 180. He can get through a crack that big. He's got a knack and he is also very competitive. He's very smart. He's got a lot of football savvy. He grew up in a football family. And Chris is unique in that regard. We use him in a lot of different ways. And we'll continue to do that."
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Quickness is the key to Rumph's success, and he knows that. He works on finding holes and exposing cracks within the opposing offensive line.
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"I just play to my speed," Rumph commented. "I don't let them control the tempo of the game. I try to know what my abilities are to maximize them. Of course, I need to be bigger. I'm a 225 defensive end in the ACC. So yeah, I gotta put on a couple of pounds. But right now, I'm just going to play to my speed."
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The defensive end sits ninth in the ACC in tackles for loss and that mark has him 31st in the country. In addition, Rumph is tied with teammate Tre Hornbuckle to lead the team with two sacks on the year.
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HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT
Playing at Virginia Tech presents multiple challenges, but the one that sticks out is Lane Stadium. The home of the Hokies is known for being a loud, hostile environment for any away team to come into, but the Blue Devils are keeping their heads up and ready for the fight.
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"I think as an athlete, every player likes those environments," Cutcliffe said. "Yeah, it's going to be problematic to hear when momentum goes in their direction. It can become harder to regain it or you find out there's something in you that you hope lives there – stays there. So, I think you embrace those times. Hats off to them. Frank Beamer, all of the history there, the Virginia Tech fan base, the university. They have built something up there really special from a football perspective. But you know I think you have to embrace it."
Â
With having played in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in front of 71,916 people at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Cutcliffe's men feel prepared for the big challenge up ahead.
Â
"It's going to be Friday night football, but it's not going to be too big for us" Bracey commented. "You know just starting the season off, we had Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. So, really no stage is too big for us right now."
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Duke is seeking its third consecutive win after falling in the season lid-lifter to No. 2 Alabama.
Â
Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Lane Stadium/Worsham Field. ESPN will provide coverage of the contest with Dave Lamont, Gene Chizik and Jerry Punch on the call.
Â
Friday's meeting will be the 27th meeting between Duke and Virginia Tech with the Hokies holding a 17-9 edge. Duke's last victory came on the road on Oct. 25, 2015, when Thomas Sirk rushed in a two-point conversion in the fourth overtime to top the hosts, 45-43.
Â
Both teams are coming off open weeks. The Hokies bring a 2-1 record and an 0-1 mark in ACC play into Friday's game. After falling to ACC foe Boston College in its season opener, the Hokies have strung together back to back wins over Old Dominion and Furman.
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HELLO, OLD FRIENDS
Duke opens ACC play under the lights Friday in Blacksburg, Va. After Virginia Tech, Duke continues conference play with four consecutive games against Coastal Division opponents as it hosts Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech before travelling to Virginia and North Carolina.
Â
"Oh yeah, we're excited," redshirt sophomore defensive end Chris Rumph II said. "We're happy to be back in ACC play and start this little gauntlet we have to go through to get where we want to be at the end of the day – the ACC Championship. We have to beat these teams in front of us and take it one week at a time."
Â
In conference openers under Cutcliffe, Duke is 5-6 with its last win coming against North Carolina back in 2017. When facing Virginia Tech to begin conference play Duke has dropped both contests (2009 and 2018).
Â
"ACC football is upon us," Cutcliffe said. "As we all know, we've got five of these in a row. When you go on the road in a conference game, you've got to understand how mature you must be as a football team. Virginia Tech is always physical. Virginia Tech competes. And that's a tribute to Coach (Justin) Fuente and his staff. They play hard and they play well."
Â
"We're really excited," senior wide receiver Scott Bracey added. "We're really just kind of starting ACC play. The atmosphere is going to be great."
Â
Â
BACK FROM BREAK
An early open week fell on the Duke schedule this year giving it the fourth weekend of college football off. During the break, the Blue Devils were able to regroup and refocus on this next period of the season.
Â
"We've practiced well," Cutcliffe said. We've worked hard. It has been an unusual week because of playing on Friday night. We practiced last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and last Friday morning before we left to go recruiting was a Sunday practice. We gave them Saturday off, which is their normal Monday off. Sunday was our Tuesday practice. But because of academic commitments we do not ever practice on Monday or even have meetings. So we've given them two days off in the last four. I think the team realizes the challenge. And now we just need to finish out well, get on the bus and go play complete. Because that's what it's going to take to be successful."
Â
While an open week heading into a Friday night game may throw some teams for a loop, the Duke student-athletes didn't mind an extra off day.
Â
"Any time we get a break to rest our bodies we are going to enjoy that," Rumph II said. "The coaches have done a great job managing us over the last week. Now, I feel like our whole team is fresh and ready to go."
Â
Â
BRACEY BOUNCING BACK
After a trying first couple of years in the Duke program with injuries, Bracey has found his footing and health, which in turn has rejuvenated his love of the game.
Â
"It's definitely frustrating, but it's the nature of the game," Bracey said. "Everybody has to deal with injuries playing football. So, definitely just frustrating at times. I just have to continue to push through that. It definitely makes me stronger physically and mentally for sure. Just being able to control what you can control in the moment and keep going with that is definitely the best mindset to have."
Â
Bracey made headlines with his career long 37-yard catch in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game against Alabama. The catch, in a way, symbolized that the redshirt junior, out of Richmond, Va., was back and ready to make a difference.
Â
"Scott is really bright. He's in graduate school right now. And he gets it. He understands and I think you have to reinforce, reinforce, reinforce, with him. But Trooper's energy has tried to make it a little bit fun for him. And we can't forget as coaches that the game itself – football – you play it because it's fun. You shouldn't be playing it because you think you're going to get your school paid for. You shouldn't be playing in college thinking you're going to be a pro football player and get big money. You have to ultimately, deeply play the game because you love the game. And we have to help that. I think Scott's found that love again in the game."
Â
Being a Virginia native, Bracey is looking forward to being back in his home state and seeing family and friends before making a difference on the field.
Â
Â
QUICK AND NIMBLE
Rump II leads the Blue Devil defense in tackles for loss with 4.5 so far this season. His 4.0 TFL stat line against Middle Tennessee State tied him for seventh in Duke history for a single game. Although the 225 pound, 6-3, Gainesville, Fla., native may be undersized, he doesn't let that stop him.
Â
"I'll tell you what, I kid with Chris all the time," Cutcliffe said. "And I'm not exactly sure but he may be about 230, 233. But I told him you do a better job of turning 230 pounds into 180. He can get through a crack that big. He's got a knack and he is also very competitive. He's very smart. He's got a lot of football savvy. He grew up in a football family. And Chris is unique in that regard. We use him in a lot of different ways. And we'll continue to do that."
Â
Quickness is the key to Rumph's success, and he knows that. He works on finding holes and exposing cracks within the opposing offensive line.
Â
"I just play to my speed," Rumph commented. "I don't let them control the tempo of the game. I try to know what my abilities are to maximize them. Of course, I need to be bigger. I'm a 225 defensive end in the ACC. So yeah, I gotta put on a couple of pounds. But right now, I'm just going to play to my speed."
Â
The defensive end sits ninth in the ACC in tackles for loss and that mark has him 31st in the country. In addition, Rumph is tied with teammate Tre Hornbuckle to lead the team with two sacks on the year.
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HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT
Playing at Virginia Tech presents multiple challenges, but the one that sticks out is Lane Stadium. The home of the Hokies is known for being a loud, hostile environment for any away team to come into, but the Blue Devils are keeping their heads up and ready for the fight.
Â
"I think as an athlete, every player likes those environments," Cutcliffe said. "Yeah, it's going to be problematic to hear when momentum goes in their direction. It can become harder to regain it or you find out there's something in you that you hope lives there – stays there. So, I think you embrace those times. Hats off to them. Frank Beamer, all of the history there, the Virginia Tech fan base, the university. They have built something up there really special from a football perspective. But you know I think you have to embrace it."
Â
With having played in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in front of 71,916 people at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Cutcliffe's men feel prepared for the big challenge up ahead.
Â
"It's going to be Friday night football, but it's not going to be too big for us" Bracey commented. "You know just starting the season off, we had Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. So, really no stage is too big for us right now."
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Players Mentioned
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Bruno Fina Media Availability: Cal
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