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Former UT/OM coach David Cutcliffe to retire as SEC Special Assistant to the Commissioner
Posted on 3/18/26 at 11:25 am
Posted on 3/18/26 at 11:25 am
quote:
David Cutcliffe, a former National Coach of the Year and three-time Conference Coach of the Year, who earned a reputation as a meticulous offensive strategist, a patient program builder, and a respected leader of young men, has announced he will retire effective March 31, ending a remarkable 40-year career in college football.
Cutcliffe has served as the SEC’s Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Football Relations since 2022.
Born and raised in Birmingham, Cutcliffe enrolled at the University of Alabama. He then began his coaching career in 1976 at his high school alma mater, later moving to the University of Tennessee in 1982. Rising through the ranks from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator, Cutcliffe helped guide Tennessee to two SEC titles and the 1998 national championship, a year in which he won the Broyles Assistant Coach of the Year Award. As quarterbacks coach, he mentored future NFL standouts including Peyton Manning, Heath Shuler, and Tee Martin.
Cutcliffe served as head coach at the University of Mississippi from 1999 through 2004. There he recruited and developed Eli Manning, leading Ole Miss to the SEC Western Division title in 2003 and a victory in the Cotton Bowl. That season marked Ole Miss’ first 10-win campaign in 32 years. He was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2003.
Cutcliffe became head coach at Duke in 2008 and ended an 18-year school bowl drought by leading the Blue Devils to six post-season bowl appearances.
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There aren't many of these true southern gentlemen left to represent us in the sport, folks.
He was a good one.
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Posted on 3/18/26 at 11:31 am to paperwasp
Definitely one of the last true southerners to do it all in the SEC. Its a dying breed
Posted on 3/18/26 at 11:35 am to paperwasp
Coach Cutcliffe is a class guy in all aspects. I used to see him doing cardio at my gym in Knoxville back in the day.
When he was at Ole Miss, adopted a kid after his mother died of cancer. That adopted son is now the Executive Associate Athletics Director/Chief of Staff at The University of Tennessee.
100% respect Coach Cut...
When he was at Ole Miss, adopted a kid after his mother died of cancer. That adopted son is now the Executive Associate Athletics Director/Chief of Staff at The University of Tennessee.
100% respect Coach Cut...
Posted on 3/18/26 at 11:42 am to paperwasp
DC doesn't get nearly the credit he deserves. From a UGA perspective it's all right there in black and white. He was the OC/QB coach at UT in the 90s during one of their best runs ever. He leaves and UGA starts beating the shite out of UT. He comes back for 2 seasons, 06/07, and UT beats the crap out of us those 2 years. He leaves in 08 and it's back to UGA dominating again. He perhaps singlehandedly flummoxed UGA more than almost any other assistant coach in recent memory.
Then he goes to a perennial loser program in Ole Miss and does decnent. Leads them to one of the best years in school history and a cotton bowl win. Then has a down year the next year and he's fired (and fittingly, OM would massively downgrade after him and get even worse).
Goes to an even bigger loser program in Duke and brings them some success with a handful of 8/9/10 win seasons.
Great coach.
Then he goes to a perennial loser program in Ole Miss and does decnent. Leads them to one of the best years in school history and a cotton bowl win. Then has a down year the next year and he's fired (and fittingly, OM would massively downgrade after him and get even worse).
Goes to an even bigger loser program in Duke and brings them some success with a handful of 8/9/10 win seasons.
Great coach.
Posted on 3/18/26 at 11:44 am to madmaxvol
quote:
When he was at Ole Miss, adopted a kid after his mother died of cancer. That adopted son is now the Executive Associate Athletics Director/Chief of Staff at The University of Tennessee.
Yep.
quote:
Hilliard joined the Cutcliffe family after his biological mom, Genevieve, died in September 2001 from lung cancer. At the time, Hilliard was a freshman at Oxford High School in Mississippi, and David Cutcliffe’s son, Chris, was his best friend since the sixth grade.
Hilliard bounced between a few homes after his mom died, and he frequently spent weekends with the Cutcliffes.
“It just got to a point where one weekend, I just felt like, I really don’t want to leave. I really don’t want to go,” Hilliard said. “My now-mom (Karen) said, ‘David and I talked, and if it’s comfortable with you, we don’t want you to leave. We want you to stay.’ I was excited. I was ecstatic. I was overjoyed.
“They’ve always been like family. They are my family.”
Posted on 3/18/26 at 12:21 pm to paperwasp
quote:
leading Ole Miss to the SEC Western Division title in 2003
I seem to remember LSU winning the West, SEC and the NC in 2003 but yes ole miss hangs "the banner". That was the year Eli fell down to end the game
Posted on 3/18/26 at 12:27 pm to LSU4Life2021
Actually USC won the natty
Posted on 3/18/26 at 12:38 pm to paperwasp
His son is the HS football head coach at Oxford High, and David has been spending a ton of time in Oxford recently with the grandkids. Expect him to fully retire down in Oxford.
Posted on 3/18/26 at 12:38 pm to paperwasp
A good coach, and an even better man.
He had a lot to do with UT's 1998 championship.
It was Fulmer's recruiting and Cutcliffe's coaching that won it.
I hope he has a long and healthy retirement.
He had a lot to do with UT's 1998 championship.
It was Fulmer's recruiting and Cutcliffe's coaching that won it.
I hope he has a long and healthy retirement.
Posted on 3/18/26 at 12:49 pm to paperwasp
Great guy but a bad head coach.
Posted on 3/18/26 at 1:03 pm to Landmass
quote:
bad head coach
I'll take your word for it, but he won 10 games in 2003, then went 4–7 in 2004 and y'all fired him for Orgeron, who promptly went 3–8, 4–8, and 4–9.
In the 17 succeeding years until Kiffin, Ole Miss won 10 games only once (Freeze).
Cutcliffe went to as many bowls there as Tuberville, Orgeron, Nutt, and Luke combined.
Maybe it's an Ole Miss issue?
Posted on 3/18/26 at 3:06 pm to paperwasp
quote:
SEC Special Assistant to the Commissioner
This is basically a job title with almost zero duties that pays out six figures and allows the individual to go to all the fancy events for as long as they want to keep doing it. Larry Templeton had a similar gig that lasted a decade+.
Must be nice. But then I think I’d rather the SEC spend money on improving the quality of officials.
Posted on 3/18/26 at 3:16 pm to Landmass
quote:
bad head coach.
There are times when if you don't have anything good to say, then it's best to keep quiet. This be one of those times.
Posted on 3/18/26 at 3:39 pm to Landmass
quote:
Great guy but a bad head coach.
Dude was having major health issues his last year at Ole Miss. Yeah, Spurlock didn't work out, but gotta give Cut some slack for not having the energy at that time in his life.
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