David Cutcliffe yesterday resisted the temptation to take control of one of college football's more prominent programs and will stay at Duke.
Cutcliffe decided not to pursue the head-coaching position at Tennessee, where he has spent most of his college-coaching career. He spent Thursday night discussing the situation with his wife, Karen, and their children.
Cutcliffe said in a statement released yesterday by Duke that he wants to finish the job he started in 2008 and turn the Blue Devils into ACC contenders.
"After much thought and consideration, Karen and I reached the decision that Duke is the place for our family," Cutcliffe said in the statement. "We both have family members and lifetime friends in the Knoxville community and share a deep respect for the University of Tennessee.
"Our ties to the school and the eastern Tennessee area are obvious. But before Tennessee's hiring process comes to a conclusion, I know that Duke University is where we want to coach."
The Knoxville News Sentinel reported on its Web site Thursday that Cutcliffe would be Tennessee's next coach unless negotiations broke down. The paper also reported that Cutcliffe was assembling a staff to coach at Tennessee.
Cutcliffe told Kevin White, Duke's athletics director, yesterday morning that he would stay. Cutcliffe spent a total of 19 seasons at Tennessee, his past eight as the offensive coordinator.
"He is a tremendous football coach, and an even better person with a terrific family," White said in a statement. "Simply put, we could not be happier or more excited about the future of the Blue Devil program."
Tennessee football has everything Duke football doesn't, but Cutcliffe is comfortable coaching in the shadow of Duke's dominant men's basketball program. He considers Duke "hallowed ground" for its blend of athletics and academics.
"I've said all along that what makes Duke so special is the people, and that is the truth," Cutcliffe said in his statement. "We received tremendous support from President (Richard) Brodhead, Kevin White and the rest of the school's administration and are very grateful for their efforts.
"We have the best coaching staff in the country and are convinced that we will continue to build a successful football program that both the Duke and Durham communities will be proud of."
Cutcliffe became a top prospect Thursday after two possible candidates -- defensive coordinator Will Muschamp of Texas and head coach Troy Calhoun of Air Force -- indicated they had no interest in Tennessee.
Tennessee introduced Derek Dooley as its new football coach last night. Dooley was formerly the head football coach at Louisiana Tech.
Cutcliffe has a 9-15 overall record at Duke (4-12 ACC), with more ACC wins and only one less overall win than Duke had in the eight seasons before he took over. Duke has 17 commitments for its 2010 recruiting class, including one of its largest hauls of in-state players in 25 years.
"We are extremely excited about the future of this program," Cutcliffe said. "From the players we have returning, to our work on the recruiting front to our facility projects, we know we're headed in the right direction."
bcole@wsjournal.com
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