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  1. #1

    I am watching the press conference ...

    and I am very impressed with Coach C ... congratulations to President Brodhead and Joe Allleva for their efforts.

  2. #2

    It's worth going to goduke.com

    The front page was a surprise. Good job by the athletic department getting behind this 100%.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Watching carolina Go To HELL!

    Talking Welcome Coach Cut

    Gosh, I love everything this man said. I am so excited to have him as our football coach!
    Ozzie, your paradigm of optimism!

    Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
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  4. #4

    more...

    He just said: "...if you can run, we are going to find you and recruit you" (or something like that). He also talked about his meeting with Coach K and joked that he was ready to commit to a basketball scholarship after his talk! Way cool. i like this guy already. Let's get behind him and the team.

  5. #5
    He was really impressive... from the opening through the comments on recruiting. I haven't been this excited about duke football since, well, ever. Plus he's a Krzyzewski fan.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio

    Re:

    Quote Originally Posted by lgd View Post
    Plus he's a Krzyzewski fan.
    And Krzyzewski is a big fan of his. The two of them hit it off.

    Cutcliffe's handling this presser with aplomb.

    Very much looking forward to JimSumner's overview.

  7. #7

    Good grief

    I would vote for this man as president

    This a home run! No doubt, we have the perfect fit!!!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio

    Re:

    What they're sayin' about Coach Cutcliffe, courtesy GoDuke.com:

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "David Cutcliffe is a great hire for Duke University. He is an oustanding 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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

    "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

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Quote Originally Posted by thomas View Post
    He just said: "...if you can run, we are going to find you and recruit you" (or something like that). He also talked about his meeting with Coach K and joked that he was ready to commit to a basketball scholarship after his talk! Way cool. i like this guy already. Let's get behind him and the team.
    I was loving that comment. Speed is very important on the football field, and can really take you to the next level if you have a team that can run. I also like how he said that he was going to go after the same recruits that the "big boys" are going after. He says that he has a great advantage to walk in first and offer the Duke education and then mention "how much fun they will have playing football for us". I'm a fan of Coach C already!
    Check out the Duke Basketball Roundup!

    2003-2004 HLM
    Duke | Mirecourt | Detroit| The U | USA

  10. #10
    No guarantees in life, but excited about his statement about creating a legacy and wanting to put down roots here... given his age, if he's here for another 5 or 7 years, then he's likely here for the durations

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Coach Cut was 44-29 at Ole Miss and 4-1 in bowl games, including a 10-3 Cotton Bowl winning campaign 5 seasons into his stint there. Ed Orgeron replaced him and was 10-25 there.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Steamboat Springs, CO

    Thumbs up George Welsh Example

    Quote Originally Posted by lgd View Post
    No guarantees in life, but excited about his statement about creating a legacy and wanting to put down roots here... given his age, if he's here for another 5 or 7 years, then he's likely here for the durations
    This is a very good point. The best example, IMHO, is George Welsh who built the UVa football program (not rebuilt). He was 48 when he started and, after it was clear what he had accomplished, he was probably too old (mid-to-late 50s) for a major football power to come after him.

    sagegrouse

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by sagegrouse View Post
    This is a very good point. The best example, IMHO, is George Welsh who built the UVa football program (not rebuilt). He was 48 when he started and, after it was clear what he had accomplished, he was probably too old (mid-to-late 50s) for a major football power to come after him.

    sagegrouse
    2 questions, if you would: How old is this fellow? Why did he leave his job at Mississippi? Fired or a better opportunity?

    This sure sounds promising.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by 3rd Dukie View Post
    2 questions, if you would: How old is this fellow? Why did he leave his job at Mississippi? Fired or a better opportunity?

    This sure sounds promising.
    Others can likely speaking more fully to this than I but to quickly/briefly answer your questions:

    Coach Cut is 53 years old. He was fired by Mississippi but this seems to be pretty universally regarded as a major blunder on their part. From an AP report, "Cutcliffe was 44-29 in six seasons at Mississippi, but in less than a year went from Cotton Bowl champion to the unemployment line.

    The only coach in Ole Miss history to win at least seven games in each of his first five seasons, Cutcliffe guided the Rebels to four bowl berths, and clearly, his Eli Manning-led 2003 team was his best."

    What followed was a single disappointing 4-7 season apparently involving both injuries to the squad, and some tough, close losses to top teams. After this one season, Mississippi's administration demanded he give them a long-term fix plan for the program and that he fire certain assistant coaches. He refused and was let go.

    From everything I've seen (granted, I'm not someone with inside access) he seems to be absolutely adored by the Tennessee program and Tennessee fans, and many Mississippi fans regret his being fired as the program has not had a season since to match any of the seasons Cutcliffe presided over.

    Please, if anyone hasn't, try to watch the video of his presser (available through here). To say the very least, he is an extremely promising hire and I am so excited to see what our program may be able to accomplish under his leadership!

    Thank you Coach Roof!!!! Welcome Coach Cut!!!!!!! Go Duke!!!!!!!!!! Go Devils!!!!!!!!!!!!! GTHCGTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Football is a zero-sum game. One team wins, another team loses.

    Press conferences are not zero sum games. Nobody has to lose a press conference.

    That said, I was impressed with Cutcliffe. He said all the right things but more importantly, he seemed to believe them. He seemed passionate, focused, and self-assured.

    Duke has had two kinds of coaches. The ones who use the academics as an excuse and the ones who use the academics as an asset. The second kind tend to last longer. Cutcliffe came across as the second kind.

    Someone, maybe on another board, said that DC couldn't recruit because he was a cold fish. I certainly didn't get that impression. He opened his portion of the press conference by introducing his wife as an indication that he could recruit. Yes, she's easy on the eyes. Got laughs. Good way to start.

    Some key points.

    There were lots and lots of people there. Maybe there is more interest in Duke football than we realize.

    DC spent a lot of time walking around campus before his formal interview, met with K for an hour, and seems to feel that he has an early handle on what makes Duke tick.

    Alleva declined to discuss contract details. But DC did say that "I came here to stay."

    DC said he had been contacted by 75-100 potential assistant coaches and that the ability to recruit would be the most important consideration. "If you can't recruit, you can't compete."

    He will coach Tennessee through their bowl game but reminded everyone that this was a dead period in recruiting and insists that Duke won't be short-changed in the interim. Will talk to recruits.

    He has met with the current team and said nice things about them. Said he saw energy and enthusiasm for getting better. Complimented Roof and his staff for their hard work and dedication. Didn't have to do that. Nice touch.

    Talked about balance between academics and athletics and said he would recruit on those lines. "The best and the brightest." Says that he has "more to sell than anyone else in the country."

    Emphasized the importance of speed. More than once. "If you can run, we're going to find you and recruit you to Duke University. If you don't have feet, you can't play this game."

    Current players will run. To the extent that there's a tradeoff between strength and speed, he left no doubt that he values speed more. Will run screens and other plays that will require mobility from linemen. "Everybody currently on this team will be able to run. We'll be strong enough but we're durn sure going to be able to run."

    "No magic dust but we'll be on the fast track to get it done." No predictions, however.

    Big on work ethic and reliability. Doesn't want people who want to move the piano stool, wants people who want to move the piano. Yes, he has a folksy side. Places a premium on "say what you mean, mean what you say, and back it up."

    "It's all going to start with the kicking game to me. . . manage the kicking game first and foremost. That will win close football games. . . will spend an inordinate amount of time working on the kicking game. We will win with the kicking game." Hmm.

    Offense? "We will be able to run the ball, maintain the ability to run the ball. But we're gonna throw the heck out of it. . . . We don't give yards back. We don't take sacks. Those are things that beat you and we don't do things that beat you. We're gonna get it out of our hands and throw it to the right people." Expect lots of no huddle. Not sure if he will call plays. Likes calling plays from press box.

    Defense? "I like really good, calculated risk. When I err, I'm going to err on the side of being aggressive." Big fan of zone blitz.

    "My job is to have a plan." Wanted to make sure Duke had a plan and was convinced that was the case. "Nobody compares to Duke. We're the best. I believe we have 100 percent the committment we need."

    Three things assistant coaches can't miss when recruiting. Character, academics, and "I don't want a coach to bring a guy to me who can't run." Yes, he really likes guys who run.

    Talked at some length about filling Wade, improving the atmosphere, getting more involvement from students. Will he be able to transmit an SEC atmosphere to Duke? Stay tuned.

    "No teacher like experience." Says he's 100 times more prepared than he was when he started at Mississippi.

    "I cannot wait to get started. My energy level probably is as high as it's ever been and it's going to go higher when I get over." Need to change everything, entire culture, weight room, equipment room, "surround yourself with great people and expect more from them than maybe what they expect from themselves."

    It wasn't exactly a love-in. One jaded media type told me that Cutcliffe wasn't the statement hire that Duke needed to make. But he was in a distinct minority. I talked with two former Bill Murray players who said that DC reminded them of Murray and they meant it as a compliment. I talked with two committee members who said that DC just blew away the group with his interview. I talked with Duke's most visible fan and he was seriously upbeat.

    I went into this disposed to like the guy and neither saw nor heard anything to change my mind. Color me optimistic.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Southern Pines, NC
    Short answers:
    1. 53, born 9/16/54

    2. Loyalty to his staff, fired when he refused to fire his staff when the AD ordered a reorganization after his only poor season.

  17. #17

    Amazing Hire

    I was excited before the press conference, but the press conference got me REALLY excited. Cutcliffe seems like a great guy and the ideal coach for Duke right now. I think that I would take him over most coaches out there including those currently employed and, frankly, it's amazing that we were actually able to get him. He seems to buy into the uncompromising ideal that Duke can and should represent. Everyone should take the time to watch the press conference. The best part is I think Coach Roof actually did a solid job recruiting so Coach Cutcliffe may be able to step in and look like a genius. Even getting Duke to play on the blue turf in Boise would make him look like a miracle worker. The best part is that he appears to be a man of integrity who values the best parts about Duke.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Meeting with Marie Laveau

    Are things changing?

    Duke football tickets for the 2008 season are now on sale.... renewals and new orders. Those who purchase by February 28 receive a commemorative gift. Offering football tickets for sale in December is quite a change from the old Duke SOP!

    Up until now, I've been the only one on my section in Wallace Wade who sings the words to the alma mater and the two fight songs. If you don't know the words, you can prepare for next season by going to goduke.com. The words to the fight songs and "Dear Ole Duke" can be found under Tradition in the menu across the top of the page.

    Who knows? Maybe we'll actually have some football cheers, too!

    One more thing.... the Carolina game will be a home game for Duke in 2008.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Colorado Springs, Colorado

    Coach C

    As a former UT grad student, I got to see him up close and personal... He's a tough guy, an offensive guru and the glue to the UT football program. Look what happened to their offensive stats when he left.

    A great, great hire. He is a solid guy and will be an excellent head coach. I love the story of his first meeting with UT's Eric Ainge. One of the great player/coach interplays I've heard in years...

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Quote Originally Posted by RockyMtDevil View Post

    A great, great hire. He is a solid guy and will be an excellent head coach. I love the story of his first meeting with UT's Eric Ainge. One of the great player/coach interplays I've heard in years...
    Did you mean this one?

    "The first thing Coach Cut told me when I met him is he wanted to teach me to be a football player first, then teach me the game," Ainge said. "He demanded I do well on and off the field. He's the total coach. He takes everything into perspective."

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