UT will always be home for Cutcliffe

On Saturday, David Cutcliffe's tie was Duke blue.

On Sunday, Tennessee's longtime assistant coach was back at practice in that familiar orange hat.

And for the first time in a long time, that hat felt a little different.

"A little awkward, but I didn't feel funny on this field," Cutcliffe said Sunday, one day after he was named Duke University's new head football coach. "I don't know but one way to coach. I expect them to respond, and I expect them to play well in this ballgame. That's not going to change."

There's plenty of change coming, mostly after the Vols face Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1.

That's when Cutcliffe will officially turn in the orange hat and take over full-time at Duke, where he will try to revive a program that hasn't won an ACC championship since 1989.

In the interim, he'll continue to prepare Tennessee for the Badgers while working to fill out his new coaching staff.

On Saturday, Cutcliffe said he already had received some 100 phone calls from interested coaches.

Nearly 24 hours after officially being named Duke's coach, that pace hadn't slowed.

"It's been averaging about 55 text messages an hour, and I keep filling up my voicemail within an hour and a half," he said. "I'm amazed that many people out there are interested."

But before Cutcliffe accepted the Duke job, he made a phone call of his own.

Cutcliffe talked to South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier, who spent three seasons as the Blue Devils' head coach 1987-89.

"He had great memories," Cutcliffe said. "What he said was very accurate. He said it's the best people you'll ever want to be around. Without question, just great people, people that are enthusiastic. They're hungry.

"He said if anybody can do it you can. I said I appreciate the vote of confidence. That made me feel good about it."

So has the reaction from his players and fellow coaches at Tennessee.

Just before the end of practice, UT's offensive players did their best impersonation of the "Cameron Crazies," Duke's famously rowdy student section at basketball games.

Shortly thereafter, Cutcliffe spoke to the entire team.

"I just thanked the players and the coaching staff for making me feel a part of this family again," Cutcliffe said. "Really it was the most fun two years I've had in my career. No offense to all the other players all the other years. These teams have been really special, particularly this team this year.

"I told them it was really difficult to leave these returning players. I'm going to miss them as friends, and certainly difficult to leave this staff."

Difficult, sure, but Cutcliffe won't put away the orange for good.

For one, he'll still cut a tuition check every semester.

His three children - Chris, Katie and Marcus Hilliard - will remain at Tennessee.

And so will a part of Cutcliffe, who spent 17 years at UT before returning after the 2005 season to be offensive coordinator.

In those two seasons, he helped UT bounce back from a 5-6 record to win nine games in 2006 and reach the SEC championship game this season.

"I feel good about leaving the place better than I found it," he said. "That's not an arrogant statement at all, but I know we made a difference."

When he goes to work after New Year's Day, things will feel different for a little while, too.

"Feels funny leaving for the last time. That's kind of how I feel," he said. "The Tennessee fans, the University of Tennessee, all the alumni and all of the former players - this is home to me and always will be."

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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