University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Practice First Time Since Cutcliffe Announcement
December 15, 2007 | Football
Tennessee held its second practice in full pads in as many days, but this one was different.
Saturday???s workout took place amid the knowledge that offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe had accepted the head coaching position at Duke and soon will be leaving the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center.
???I???m excited for him,??? head coach Phillip Fulmer said. ???He wanted to be a head coach again and we certainly knew that was a possibility when we hired him back. He will do a great job at Duke and we wish him well.???
Cutcliffe, 53, returned for his second stint on the Vols coaching staff two years ago after having spent six seasons as head coach at Ole Miss, compiling a 44-29 record and four bowl victories.
The Blue Devils announced Cutcliffe as their head coach Saturday afternoon (see release below), although Cutcliffe retains his role on the UT staff through the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl game against Wisconsin.
???We???ll stay pretty much status quo,??? Fulmer said of the assignments for Tampa. ???We???ve got a good start on Wisconsin already and that gives us some time to thoroughly research exactly what we want to do.???
Fulmer, meanwhile, said he looks forward to the challenge of replacing the leader of his offensive staff.
???We???ve got an opportunity in front of us now to mix it up a little bit and it???s a pretty exciting time for me. I???ve made some calls but we???re going to go through the process and get somebody that I think everyone will be really excited about.
The Vols will hold a brief walk-through Sunday and then practice four consecutive days before the holiday break begins Thursday afternoon.
(Release from Duke University Sports Information)
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DAVID CUTCLIFFE NAMED HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT DUKE
DURHAM, N.C. ??? David Cutcliffe, who led Ole Miss to four bowl games in six seasons and mentored quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, has been named Duke University???s 21st head football coach, Duke Director of Athletics Joe Alleva announced on Saturday.
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Currently the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Tennessee, Cutcliffe succeeds Ted Roof and will continue to serve on the Tennessee staff through the Volunteers??? Outback Bowl appearance versus Wisconsin on January 1, 2008 (11 a.m.; ESPN) in Tampa, Fla.
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"When I announced my decision to move in a different direction with our football program," said Alleva, "I clearly stated our criteria. We were looking for a leader who has head coaching experience, preferably at the Bowl Championship Subdivision (BCS) level; has directed a winning football program; has an outstanding offensive mind; has proven himself on the recruiting trail; will represent the University in an exemplary fashion, both on campus and in the Durham community, and understands that at Duke academic excellence goes hand-in-hand with excellence on the playing fields.
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"We found that person in David Cutcliffe. Coach Cutcliffe is well-respected among his peers and his former players for his coaching knowledge and motivational skills. Coach Cutcliffe???s values are well-aligned with the institutional values of Duke University. We believe we have found the right man to lead our football program to the excellence that is synonymous with Duke."
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Cutcliffe, 53, comes to Duke after serving the past two seasons as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee. His head coaching experience includes a six-year stint at the University of Mississippi from 1999-04 where he compiled a 44-29 (.603) ledger with five winning seasons, five bowl game appearances and a share of the SEC Western Division championship in 2003. Cutcliffe was named the SEC Coach of the Year in 2003 after leading the Rebels to a 10-3 record including a 31-28 victory over Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl.
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"Duke is serious about restoring excitement and a winning tradition to Duke football," Duke President Richard H. Brodhead said. "David Cutcliffe???s selection as our head coach shows Duke is committed to helping our players achieve the excellence we seek, both on and off the field. Coach Cutcliffe is a proven motivator and experienced leader, and I am delighted to welcome him to Duke. I???m also grateful to a superb search committee that worked with Joe Alleva and me to achieve this great result."
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Cutcliffe has participated in 21 bowl games including the 1982 Peach, 1983 Florida Citrus, 1984 Sun, 1986 Sugar, 1986 Liberty, 1988 Peach, 1990 Cotton, 1991 Sugar, 1992 Fiesta, 1993 Hall of Fame, 1994 Florida Citrus, 1994 Gator, 1996 Florida Citrus, 1997 Florida Citrus, 1998 Orange, 1998 Independence, 1999 Independence, 2000 Music City, 2002 Independence, 2004 Cotton and 2007 Outback. He owns a 4-1 (.800) record as a head coach in bowl tilts with victories over Oklahoma, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.
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As a member of the coaching staff at Tennessee from 1982-98, Cutcliffe helped the Volunteers to four Southeastern Conference championships, 16 bowl games in 17 seasons and the national title in 1998. His first tenure with the Vols featured the mentoring of quarterbacks Andy Kelly, Heath Shuler, Tee Martin and Peyton Manning.
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Kelly, who played at Tennessee from 1988-91 and graduated atop the school???s career passing chart, has gone on to become the Arena Football League???s career leader in pass completions, pass attempts, passing yards and touchdown passes. Shuler, a first team All-America choice in 1993 after throwing for 2,353 yards and a then school-record 25 touchdowns, was the third overall pick by the Washington Redskins in the 1994 NFL Draft. In November of 2006, Shuler was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina???s 11th congressional district.
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By throwing for 19 touchdowns against just six interceptions, Martin directed the Volunteer offense in 1998 as Tennessee went 13-0 and captured the SEC and national championships. Peyton Manning???s storied career concluded in 1997 when the signal-caller threw for 3,819 yards and 36 touchdowns while earning first team All-America honors as well as the Maxwell Award presented annually to the nation???s top player. Peyton Manning was the number one choice in the 1998 NFL Draft, earned league MVP honors in both 2003 and 2004 and was named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLI as his Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears, 25-17, on February 4, 2007.
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In 1997, the Tennessee offensive unit established school single-season standards for first downs (300), pass completions (296), pass attempts (492), passing yards (3,981), passing touchdowns (37) and total offense (5,794) as the Volunteers went 11-2 and defeated Auburn, 30-29, in the SEC championship game.
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In 1998, Cutcliffe was honored with the Frank Broyles Award, an honor given annually to the top assistant coach in the country. During Cutcliffe???s tenure as offensive coordinator from 1993-98, Tennessee enjoyed four 1,000-yard rushers in Charlie Garner (1,161 in 1993), James Stewart (1,028 in 1994), Jay Graham (1,438 in 1995) and Jamal Lewis (1,364 in 1997). Stewart (19th overall pick by Jacksonville in 1995) and Lewis (5th overall pick by Baltimore in 2000) went on to be first round selections in the NFL Draft.
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On December 2, 1998, Cutcliffe was named the head coach at Mississippi. Immediately taking the reigns, he coached Ole Miss in its 35-18 Independence Bowl win over Texas Tech to conclude the 1998 campaign.
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While at Mississippi, Cutcliffe tutored 2003 SEC Player of the Year Eli Manning. Manning was a first team All-America pick as a senior, closed his career with an SEC-record 10,119 passing yards and was the top overall choice in the 2004 NFL Draft. He also coached three-time All-SEC running back Deuce McAllister, who set Rebel career records for rushing yards (3,060) and rushing touchdowns (37) and was a first round selection of the New Orleans Saints in the 2001 NFL Draft.
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Cutcliffe???s recruiting efforts at Ole Miss produced three national award winners in Eli Manning (2003; Maxwell Award), Jon Nichols (2003; Lou Groza Award presented annually to the top kicker in the nation) and Patrick Willis (2006; Butkus Award presented annually to the top linebacker in the country). During his six seasons at the helm of the Rebel program, Mississippi set school single-season records for total offense, passing offense and scoring offense while winning twice at both Auburn and LSU, securing consecutive victories over Florida, and defeating both Arkansas and South Carolina on three occasions.
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In the spring of 2005, Cutcliffe joined the coaching staff at Notre Dame, but resigned from the post for health reasons. He then returned to Knoxville prior to the 2006 season. Over the past two years, Cutcliffe has helped the Volunteers to an 18-8 record with an appearance in the Outback Bowl following the 2006 campaign and an upcoming date in the same bowl on January 1, 2008. In 2007, Tennessee went 9-4 during the regular season with a 6-2 league mark en route to winning the SEC Eastern Division crown. In the SEC, Volunteer quarterback Erik Ainge ranks second in pass completion percentage (.630), passing yards (3,157) and passing touchdowns (29), and third in total offense (3,123) passing efficiency (134.64) and total points responsible (178). In addition, Tennessee wide receiver Lucas Taylor currently paces the conference in pass receiving yards (1,000) while guard Anthony Parker garnered first team All-SEC and second team All-America accolades in 2007.
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With Cutcliffe at offensive coordinator, Tennessee has scored 30 or more points in 62 of 100 games, posting a 59-3 (.952) ledger in those contests. The Volunteers have compiled an overall record of 172-54-7 (.753) during his 19 seasons on staff. Cutcliffe is the only coach in SEC history to have two quarterbacks throw for over 10,000 career yards while his offenses produced the all-time leading passers, rushers and receivers at both Mississippi and Tennessee.
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A native of Birmingham, Ala., Cutcliffe graduated from the University of Alabama in 1976. He got his start in the coaching profession at Banks High School ??? his alma mater ??? and spent four years as an assistant coach before becoming the head coach in 1980.
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Cutcliffe is married to the former Karen Oran of Harriman, Tenn., and they are the parents of four children ??? Chris, Katie, Emily and Marcus Hilliard, an adopted family member.
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What They Are Saying About David Cutcliffe
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"Duke is serious about restoring excitement and a winning tradition to Duke football. David Cutcliffe???s selection as our head coach shows Duke is committed to helping our players achieve the excellence we seek, both on and off the field. Coach Cutcliffe is a proven motivator and experienced leader, and I am delighted to welcome him to Duke. I???m also grateful to a superb search committee that worked with Joe Alleva and me to achieve this great result."
-- Dr. Richard H. Brodhead, President, Duke University
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"When I announced my decision to move in a different direction with our football program I clearly stated our criteria. We were looking for a leader who has head coaching experience, preferably at the Bowl Championship Subdivision (BCS) level; has directed a winning football program; has an outstanding offensive mind; has proven himself on the recruiting trail; will represent the University in an exemplary fashion, both on campus and in the Durham community, and understands that at Duke academic excellence goes hand-in-hand with excellence on the playing fields. We found that person in David Cutcliffe. Coach Cutcliffe is well-respected among his peers and his former players for his coaching knowledge and motivational skills. Coach Cutcliffe???s values are well-aligned with the institutional values of Duke University. We believe we have found the right man to lead our football program to the excellence that is synonymous with Duke."
-- Joe Alleva, Director of Athletics, Duke University
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"David Cutcliffe???s hiring is a clear sign that Duke is serious and committed to its football program. He is an established coach at the highest level of collegiate competition and his track record speaks for itself. Coach Cutcliffe has traveled roads our program has not enjoyed in recent years, and that can only benefit the young men he will lead here at Duke. I am excited about this hire for our University, our Department of Athletics, and most importantly, for the current and future Blue Devil football players."
-- Mike Krzyzewski, Head Basketball Coach, Duke University
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"David Cutcliffe is a great hire for Duke University. He is an outstanding football coach that understands all aspects of the game. He is an accomplished recruiter and great communicator. He???s also a tremendous worker and he and his family will always represent Duke University in a first class manner."
Phillip Fulmer, Head Football Coach, University of Tennessee
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"I???m excited for Coach Cutcliffe. I think he deserves to be a head coach again. His influence on me has been well documented; he was a huge reason why I chose to attend the University of Tennessee. Speaking for Eli, Coach Cutcliffe being named the head coach at Ole Miss was a swaying factor in Eli???s decision to go to school there. He???s done such a great job at Tennessee and is a great match and a great fit for Duke."
Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts
University of Tennessee, SEC Player of the Year & First Team All-America, 1997
No. 1 Overall Selection, 1998 NFL Draft
NFL MVP, 2003 & 2004; MVP, Super Bowl XLI
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"The greatest thing about Coach Cutcliffe is his ability to teach the game of football. He works so well with quarterbacks in particular, and teaches you how to lead your team from that position. He works hard, is dedicated and has a passion for winning. I know his teams will be well prepared for anything that happens in a game."
Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants
University of Mississippi, SEC Player of the Year & First Team All-America, 2003
No. 1 Overall Selection, 2004 NFL Draft
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"I???m very excited for Coach Cutcliffe and I think that all the people associated with Duke should be excited. He???s an outstanding human being and a really good football coach."
Archie Manning
University of Mississippi; First Team All-America, 1969 & 1970
College Football Hall of Fame, Inducted in 1989
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"Just knowing Coach Cutcliffe and his dedication to not only football but development for young men, it???s a great hire for Duke. I think it???s going to be a great marriage for him as well with the University."
Deuce McAllister, RB, New Orleans Saints
University of Mississippi; First Team All-SEC, 1999 & 2000
No. 23 Overall Selection, 2001 NFL Draft
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"Coach Cutcliffe was great. He was pretty much the reason I went to the University of Tennessee because of his quarterback history with Andy Kelly, Heath Shuler, Peyton Manning, coaching myself and helping us to a national championship then going on with Eli Manning and Erik Ainge this year. He is an offensive genius and at quarterback and he knows what he???s talking about. He was a big reason for our success at Tennessee and when he went on to Ole Miss, he was very successful there in turning that program around. I think it???s great for Duke to have Coach Cutcliffe there."
Tee Martin
University of Tennessee; First Team All-SEC, 1999
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"I think [Coach Cutcliffe] is the right person for the job. He???s a real first-class guy and he???ll do everything by the book. He???s going to get the most out of those guys because he is a motivator."
Derrick Burgess, DE, Oakland Raiders
University of Mississippi; First Team All-SEC, 2000
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"I have a tremendous amount of respect for David Cutcliffe. He is truly one of the great offensive coaches in college football. He is outstanding in the development of quarterbacks and with the passing game in particular. I thought he did a really good job at Mississippi and knew it would only be a matter of time before he was his own boss again."
Todd Blackledge, College Football Analyst, ESPN
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"David Cutcliffe is an offensive mastermind. He does an exceptional job with quarterbacks. Peyton Manning pays him the highest compliment when he tells all Tennessee quarterbacks, ???Just do what he says. Period.??? This is a tremendous hire for Duke."
Mike Patrick, College Football Commentator, ESPN
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"David Cutcliffe is a sensational choice to be the football coach at Duke. His first head coaching job at Ole Miss was filled with high points, and included the first championship for Ole Miss in a long, long time, an SEC West division co-championship with LSU, and a Cotton Bowl win over Oklahoma State. His ability to mold quarterbacks and offenses is well documented, but it???s his people and organizational skills that make him the tremendous man, and coach that he is today. If you spend any time at all in his presence it???s easy to see why he???s been so successful in his career and his personal life. His family is a full participant in his career, and he has been as successful as a father as he has as a coach. He captivates you with his demeanor and his integrity is not for sale. He will make Duke football matter again, and he will do it the right way; with honor, honesty, hard work, and the players will have fun making history. Duke football will not be a punch line much longer under the direction of David Cutcliffe. From this point forward it will be with much pride that players will be able to say, "I play football at DUKE for David Cutcliffe!"
Charles Davis, College Football Analyst, FOX Sports/NFL Network
Tennessee Football Letterman, 1983-86
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"Anyone who is credited with mentoring both of the Mannings currently playing in the NFL has pretty solid credentials as a football coach. Archie, Peyton and Eli all speak of David Cutcliffe with a great degree of admiration ... I think David is a great choice for Duke."
Verne Lundquist, College Football Commentator, CBS
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"Cutcliffe is one of the top offensive minds in football. This is the guy who molded the greatest quarterback on the planet: Peyton Manning. And he is a proven head coach, having developed Ole Miss into a strong program. No doubt: Duke met its objectives in tabbing Cutcliffe as head coach."
Tom Dienhart, The Sporting News
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"When it comes to David Cutcliffe, the record speaks for itself: Five winning seasons in six years at Ole Miss; two No. 1 overall picks in the NFL Draft; a national reputation that is second to none when it comes to developing quarterbacks and great offenses. After a year out of coaching followed by two years at Tennessee, David Cutcliffe is smarter, hungrier, and more than ready to be a head coach again. Duke is getting David at the best possible time in his life and in his career. He will bring an excitement to Duke football that it has not seen since the days of Steve Spurrier."
Tony Barnhart, Atlanta Journal-Constitution/CBS
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"If there could be a perfect fit at Duke, it???s David Cutcliffe. A meticulous, hard-working, no-frills, no-excuses coach. And one of the best Xs and Os tacticians in the game. He was a quarterback guru before it became fashionable to call a coach a quarterback guru."
Matt Hayes, The Sporting News
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"Coach Cutcliffe proved himself as a head coach at Ole Miss. Based on the results since his departure from that school, one would have to say his dismissal was a mistake. He is coming into a challenging situation at Duke, but he???s got the ability to make that program competitive. My guess is that Duke will be much better in football under David Cutcliffe. Bottom line, this is a very good hire for Duke."
Wendell Barnhouse, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
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"David Cutcliffe is a great teacher, a developer of quarterbacks, an offensive innovator, a hardworking recruiter and a great person whose presence gives Duke a chance to compete in the ACC."
Joe Schad, National College Football Reporter, ESPN
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