Week 8: Quick Hits from Lunch With Cut

Duke head coach David Cutcliffe held his weekly press conference today. Cutcliffe talked about his team’s 35-7 victory against Navy and also the upcoming matchup against Virginia. Here are some highlights from his 30-minute question and answer session. The Blue Devils play the Cavaliers Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Va.

"Virginia is a very talented team, a big team. This has always been a physical game between the two of us. This is a huge challenge for us. Now we're in ACC play, and we're obviously very hungry looking for the opportunity to get that first [ACC] win. So it's a big game and a big challenge. We're going to have to play extremely well to bring that one home."—Cutcliffe

Duke will travel to Virginia after finishing off its non-conference slate with a win against the Midshipmen Saturday. The Blue Devil defense put up its best performance since week one against N.C. Central, holding Navy to just seven points and forcing three turnovers.

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On the offensive side of the ball, Duke enjoyed the return of starting quarterback Anthony Boone after a collarbone injury sidelined the redshirt junior for three weeks. Boone led the Blue Devils on five consecutive touchdown drives against Navy, putting the game out of reach before the start of the fourth quarter.

Brandon Connette sustained an ankle injury prior to Saturday's game, giving Boone the nod as the starter. Both quarterbacks should be 100 percent by the weekend, allowing Cutcliffe to utilize Connette in the "phantom" package that proved very successful prior to Boone's injury and Connette's temporary shift into the starting role.

"Anthony will start, barring any freak, unforeseen incident," Cutcliffe said. "Brandon operated with the twos. He wasn't full speed today, but he was good. He could have played."

After dropping its first two ACC contests of the year, against Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh, Duke begins a stretch of six consecutive conference matchups starting this weekend against the Cavaliers.

"Everything should change when you're in conference play. We have an outstanding league, and you better be bringing your A game. I've never been around football, whether its region play in high school, or conference play, or conference play in college, or you watch the NFL, when they're in divisional play, everything has to change. The stakes are higher."—Cutcliffe.

After jumping out to a 3-1 start, including a 14-3 win over Pittsburgh, Virginia has lost its last two games. Ball State put up a whopping 48 points to top the Cavaliers in Charlottesville two weeks ago, and then Maryland beat Virginia 27-26 last weekend. The Cavaliers' offense, led by quarterback David Watford and his favorite target, tight end Jake McGee, has struggled to score this season. Virginia averages just 22.3 points per game, the second lowest average in the ACC.

This weekend also features a matchup of undefeated ACC foes Florida State and Clemson. Cutcliffe talked about the impact the game would have on the conference.

"When the frying pan is hot, that's when you fry them up. I think [the ACC is] hot right now. ACC fans, ACC schools, coaches, players, buy in. Let's go. That's fun."—Cutcliffe