College Football Preview: Navy at Duke

Thursday, March 12, 2009 3:06 AM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

Associated Press

DURHAM — Duke's new philosophy under first-year coach David Cutcliffe of focusing on the present gets its first true test today against Navy.

It was easy for the Blue Devils to maintain that mind-set after winning their season opener. Now Duke is coming off last weekend's close loss to Northwestern and have to play the Midshipmen — who have won the last four meetings in ways that have added to the perennial here-we-go-again feeling around Wallace Wade Stadium.

"We can't control what happened last year anymore," fullback Tielor Robinson said. "We can't even control what happened last week. But we can control what we do today and right now. That's something I took to heart from coach Cutcliffe. I hate losing and obviously I've seen my fair share of it, and it puts a whole different perspective on things."

Navy (1-1) has beaten the Blue Devils (1-1) in each of the past four seasons.

Duke was not happy with being .500 after the 24-20 loss to Northwestern.

"You can't depend on other people and other things to get you ready," Cutcliffe said. "That starts coming from within. I can see that on the practice field. I could see that around the (team) motel on Friday nights. We've been a pretty focused football team to this point, and I don't see any reason for that to change."