DURHAM - North Carolina coach Butch Davis earlier this week compared Duke's passing offense to the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.

That drew laughter from Duke head coach David Cutcliffe, who coached the Colt's quarterback Peyton Manning at Tennessee: "Well, let's see," he said. "I don't see [wideout] Reggie Wayne out there nor Peyton."

DURHAM -- Everywhere he looks in the Bull City, Duke football coach David Cutcliffe said North Carolina light blue outnumbers Duke blue.

The Blue Devils' second-year coach, who lives in Durham, has found himself surrounded by North Carolina fans and Tar Heel blue. When he arrived he was amazed at the proximity of the two schools.

DURHAM - Duke coach David Cutcliffe said North Carolina's defense is "by far the best defense in our league."

He said playmakers will make the biggest difference on Saturday when the rival Blue Devils (5-3, 3-1) and Tar Heels (5-3, 1-3) kickoff in Chapel Hill at 3:30 p.m.

"You've got to like a challenge," Cutcliffe said. "It's fun. This is what you do it for to play against those type of teams."

The most unexpected college football news conference quotes Monday probably came from the Murphy Center conference room when N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien was asked about Duke’s success under David Cutcliffe.

After praising Cutcliffe, O’Brien had kind words for Ted Roof, who was 6-45 as Duke’s head coach. This wasn’t intended as a slight of Cutcliffe.

DURHAM — Duke coach David Cutcliffe said on Tuesday that there was no reason for his players to grow a big head after a convincing 49-28 victory over N.C. State on Oct. 10.

"I certainly wouldn't think we should get big-headed about anything around here," he said. "The only thing I want them to be is confident."

Confidence is a word Duke coaches and players were using freely to describe how they feel after an off week headed into Saturday's contest against Maryland (2-5, 1-2 ACC) at Wallace Wade Stadium.

DURHAM - Duke coach David Cutcliffe said earlier this week that his team's performance in the kicking game may factor significantly in Saturday's game against N.C. State.

"That may be the key element," he said. "North Carolina State is such as great return team - both kickoff and punt return - we're going to have to be at our very best in the kicking game."

DURHAM — The Duke football team hosts No. 6 Virginia Tech in its first ACC contest of the season at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday.
The Blue Devils (2-2) expect a tough afternoon game against the Hokies, a team picked by the media to capture the ACC championship and one that looked very capable of doing so in their lopsided victory over Miami.
Injuries have plagued the Devils early this season and coach David Cutcliffe announced on Tuesday that freshman running back Desmond Scott "tweaked" a hamstring in practice.

DURHAM — The Duke football program has to go back 38 years to recall a road victory over a ranked team.
That victory came on Oct. 2, 1971 when the Blue Devils defeated No. 19 Stanford 9-3 before 61,000 Cardinal fans.

The Devils try to end that drought on Saturday when they face No. 22-ranked Kansas at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe wants to be clear: There is no quarterback controversy stemming from his decision to pull starting quarterback Thaddeus Lewis and replace him with backup Sean Renfree on Saturday in the Blue Devils’ 35-19 victory over Army.

"This is not that kind of team [to have a quarterback controversy]," Cutcliffe said. "We just have so much improving to do."

DURHAM — Duke coach David Cutcliffe said he would not back off earlier statements that his team should be a bowl team this season.

He said the Blue Devils (0-1) have the talent to win enough games to become eligible, but they must give a better effort than they did on Saturday in losing to Richmond.