"We did elect captains for the game, Curtis Baham, Tye Hill, and Lionel Richardson."
"As for some concerns, obviously any time you play a wishbone team, you can anticipate about nine possessions a game. This isn't wishbone, but it's a similar philosophy, and they recruit towards that with 6-foot-8, 6-foot-9 offensive linemen. So those are some concerns."
"Again, I think the crowd could be a factor. We have the capability here of doubling the size of the crowd that they normally play in front of. I don't think their players are intimidated. I think their players will be excited in this environment. The problem is disruption in communication at the line. It's tough to talk and hear. Our crowd noise is not so much to intimidate them, but more to disrupt communication, so again, I want to make another appeal to the crowd this week because it is another quality opponent. I think Boston College and Florida State were picked to win the division in the preseason."
Talk about the advantages, maybe, of triple overtime:
"I think we broke a record for concession sales, three overtimes, buying more drinks, it's great for those people, it makes it appealing to prospects, fans. But for me, nah, winning in regulation by 20 is what I prefer."
Talk about how players recover mentally/physically after a game like this:
"At that age, they're probably out dancing at 2am after a triple over time game. It's amazing how they recover. The body, at that age, recovers pretty quickly. I think it's mostly mental."
Talk about the knee you were taking Saturday after the game. Were you okay? What was that in reference to?
"In the past I've made reference to Bob Huggins. I kind of followed them a little bit when he was at Cincinnati because I knew him and had gone to school with him. I got to watch basketball coaches on how they were active on the sidelines. They run the show. The rest of them have to sit down. Now I can see what they go through. Out of 32-33 games, a lot of those are one-point losses. That many games, three and a half hours, mentally, and physically, it's a tough little deal. Now the overtimes we go through, it's tough. Usually we don't have that many."
"We have a protocol here that we follow, the University has established, and it's about a five-hour game. We went to the middle of the field for the alma mater, and our band was playing something else. I just took a little knee and then all the fans come. I think the FCA groups had started a little prayer there. Once I saw them start cranking out the alma mater, I stood up. I was just taking a break."
Talk about recovery mentally last year after the Georgia Tech loss and what your team could to this time around to guard against a mental letdown:
"I think a big factor I hope that last year after Georgia Tech we went on the road. This year we're playing at home. There has been a lot said and written about our crowd. It's another quality opponent. They're in the conference, nationally ranked, and they've got a divisional loss, and we don't. It's going to be a physical game. But the thing is we have similarities because it's a close loss. I like the comments the players are making publicly. I'm anxious to see what we're saying is merited by play. But playing at home this year as opposed to going on the road like we did last year could help."
Talk about an inability to run against a team like this or in general right now:
"Hopefully Miami is off the schedule for a couple of years. That's going to be the best array of talent we'll see, just like Oklahoma and Southern Cal. Most teams won't run on Miami, so that will help our running game. Now, we put a wrinkle in our game plan every week. There will be some things added, but our ability to run the ball on Boston College is a concern. We'll continue to do what we do, we just need to get better results."
Talk about the perception with northern teams versus southern teams:
"The only thing has been there is a perception that's been there for 30 years that south has speed, quickness and finesse while the north has size and toughness. But that perception isn't there now. Boston College will put speed on the field. As I talk to my team about some of those aspects, I had considered moving Chris McDuffie back over to the defensive line because he's got some size and a push, but the unfamiliarity with their program is negated because of the fact that they are now a divisional opponent. We know a little bit more about them. But it will be a concern… matching up with them defensively."
Has your team responded to your challenge to become tougher?
"I think we've made progress in that area simply because of the style of play of our opponents. I thought we did a good job against Miami. They're as tough and as physical and as talented as you'll see in college football."
How do you evaluate Charlie Whitehurst right now?
"Charlie has had a very productive sophomore year and a very productive senior year. He has made good decisions, he has shown good leadership, and he's got more experience. Now he has experienced difficulties. If something bad happens in a game, I think he's more experienced with that and will react to it better."
"Last year I felt I did a poor job of giving him a chance to be successful. Protection is a little bit better this year. We're not as predictable this year in formation or technique, and those things relate to success a lot of times."
You have to be pleased with the progress of Curtis Baham:
"I see him as one of our playmakers, along with Chansi Stuckey, Aaron Kelly, Kelvin Grant, and Tyler Grisham, over time. I'm hoping we have more than one. We really don't have the guy right now like a Rod Gardner. Right now we're a little bit more diversified. He's a senior, and he's worked hard, and this last game he happened to make some really big catches. If you go out there and time him in the forty, we'll have guys who are faster. But he has shown the ability to make some pretty big catches in critical times. Every game it seems like there has been a different guy make big plays."
You're still concerned a little about your punting game:
"I think this last game was purposely planned to punt away from Devin Hester, and we did a good job. Cole Chason has not been up to par. He was similarly rated this time last year. Now we've had some problems with snapping, so it's tough getting a punt off with accuracy and with distance. I'm getting concerned, and the competition is not where I'd like to see it, but it's early in the year."
Talk about the field position you had against Miami and how difficult that was to call the game:
"We had bad field position. Very tough. We put our defense in a terrible bind the whole first half. It limits what you do. It restricts your play-calling. We couldn't get a first down, so we were giving Miami the ball on the forty and fifty-yard line. It's a tremendous disadvantage."
Have you talked with your dad about the Boston College game?
"I have. He was concerned that they were a little more physical at the point of attack. I talked to my brother (Jeff) a little bit more who's more involved with play-calling and strategy. He really thought that Boston College's offensive line controlled their defensive line more than he anticipated. But to be honest with you, the tape reveals what you want to see."
Talk about your first time coming here in the 1980's as an opposing coach:
"The first time I came here when I was at Duke, this was in 1983 or 1984, there was a lot of enthusiasm and electricity. And that's something you can feel when you walk into some arenas. The environment, tailgating, it was all here. The fear coming in, getting off my bus, knowing what was getting off my bus and knowing what was getting off their bus is something I remember. Back then in the ACC, Clemson was the only school that had an SEC type environment. So that made it unique back then, and it's still unique today."