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Cutcliffe changing culture at Duke
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David Cutcliffe is coming back to Tennessee.
Not as a University of Tennessee football coach, mind you, but a promoter of Duke football.
Cutcliffe will speak at The Foundry for the inaugural Iron Dukes' "Duke Athletics Tour" on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Cutcliffe, who was hired by Duke in December, answered questions about the transition from UT offensive coordinator to Duke head coach on The News Sentinel's radio show, The Sports Page.
What must change for Duke to have a winning football program?
Probably the difficult thing was just some of the culture here as to how our facilities may have been a little disrespected in my mind.
I made a lot of people mad. I closed off our practice facility and had some cars towed from some other coaches that were parking where they weren't supposed to be parking.
I made some enemies, but they found out real quick that we're going to have a football program here that's not going to be disrespected.
I'd say it to their face. They're not going to disrespect football. It's the dawn of a new day.
How have Duke's players responded to the new staff?
The players are willing. That's the beginning of all of it. When you talk, they listen and they respond.
I can promise you, we're a lot better football team right now than we were when we came in here in January.
Will we be good enough that it will compute to wins? I can't say that just yet. We've got a summer to go.
By gosh, we're going to win some football games. You wait and see.
How have prospects responded to the change?
It was slow to begin with. It's very different for them to understand what's happened in terms of change. Once people get around our staff, they immediately see the energy, the passion and the commitment.
There is no doubt we're going to be in the hunt if we get them on campus.
Will academics be a major hurdle in recruiting?
They don't all have to be great students. That's a misnomer and an excuse that's been used.
How can Duke basketball help you?
The first thing we have is name recognition. Lord, if we didn't have a basketball team, we wouldn't have any name recognition.
How is recruiting for 2009 going?
People know we're going to throw the football and be putting great offenses on the field.
We're going into the same areas as (Duke) basketball and lacrosse and getting great receptions.
We intend to sign really good North Carolina football players. We've already gotten a really good jump start on that. We've gotten tremendous interest. Once we get one or two of these young men committed, the ball is going to start dropping in our direction.
How difficult was it to leave good friend/UT head coach Phillip Fulmer for another job a second time?
It was difficult. But I let him know up front (when Cutcliffe was re-hired following the 2005 season) that I would be looking for a head coaching opportunity and if I did (get another job), I'd probably be taking some people with me. With that knowledge on the front end, it wasn't as difficult as you might think.
It's a perfect time (for UT). Look at the veteran offense. When you have a veteran offensive line, they can handle change. You don't want to do that with a bunch of rookies coming back. You've got depth and veteran players in receiver and running back.
What do you think of UT quarterback Jonathan Crompton?
He's a playmaker. He's a really fierce competitor. You have to bridle guys like that because they think they can make all the throws.
He's a guy that has a really quick throwing motion. If he'll take the ball to the right place and do the right thing, he's going to make a bunch of big plays.
You saw it in flashes when he played as a freshman in very difficult games against Arkansas and LSU.
I didn't have him bridled enough to not make the mistakes that are going to get you beat. I think his maturity level, from what I could tell at the end of my tenure there, had just gone up leaps and bounds.
He was ready to take off.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by pdhuff on May 17, 2008 at 7:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You go ,Cutt. "Lord, if we didn't have a basketball program, we wouldn't have any name recognition at all"! Does that say it all or what. Realism, not negativity.
He deserves another HC job after saving Phil's bacon with the dink and dunk. We'll soon see if Clawson has a similiar plan down another road to get us back to being at least respected. For those of you who doubt that, live out of state for several years and listen to other fans.
Love to see ol' Dook win 2 or 3.
Posted by TommyJack on May 17, 2008 at 8:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
PD: Amen
Posted by tigervol9802 on May 17, 2008 at 9:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
pd -
Surely you don't mean that the rest of the country still isn't in awe of our national title (and last SEC title) in 1998 are you?
Posted by khelton657 on May 17, 2008 at 9:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good to hear of a coach with some balls, can make some demands. I will personally be watching his program and pulling for him.
Posted by pdhuff on May 17, 2008 at 9:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
tigervol - Most 2nd graders were just the gleam in their daddy's eye when we last held the Grail.
Or got to order new rings......
Posted by budd on May 17, 2008 at 10:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
1. why do I care about duke?
2. I live out of state and the locals don't talk about UT until we whip their a** each yr. here in the peachpit state.
3. There are a lot of schools in awe of our national chamnpionship cause they dont have one
Posted by KingsportVol on May 17, 2008 at 11:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I will miss Cutt as much as I miss Ainge.Next please.
Posted by TommyJack on May 18, 2008 at 12:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
kingsportvol: sounds about right.
Posted by pdhuff on May 18, 2008 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
KingsportsV - You seen any prospects around Mt Carmel lately?
Posted by KingsportVol on May 18, 2008 at 10:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
pd good ole Mt Carmel.Not much going on there but cheese burgers at the Dairy Cup.
Posted by TurboFan on May 18, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Now the admission as to why a hurt Ainge was better than an unbridled Crompton. Didn't trust him.
Posted by KingsportVol on May 18, 2008 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think Crompton would have thrown to our recievers as much as Ainge did.If you give TDTN's pee drinking monkey the time that our O-line gave Ainge he could throw a screen pass 5 yards behind the line of scrimage.
Posted by TommyJack on May 18, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Kingsport: Yeah, on third and 21
Posted by nafslov on May 18, 2008 at 11:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Who's Cutliffe ? And is Duke an SEC school ? Go Vols !
Posted by pdhuff on May 18, 2008 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Never forget that now we are the Dook of the Smokies thanks to our very own Pearl.
Posted by pdhuff on May 18, 2008 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
errr, Am I missing something or why is this under Vols in the Pros?
Posted by IPOrange on May 18, 2008 at 12:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good question, pd. As Pete once said, "THAT DON'T MAKE NO SENSE"!
TJ (11:50 a.m.) - Yep, that's just about the way it works.
Posted by murrayvol on May 18, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
pdhuff: Even the best website in the whole wide world errs occasionally in content location.
Posted by murrayvol on May 18, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Lord, if we didn't have a basketball team, we wouldn't have any recognition." What about lacrosse?
Posted by invisiblekid on May 18, 2008 at 6:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like the Guru is workin' like heck to get better. I hope he succeeds although I will have to pass on the inaugural Duke Athletics Tour and those 15$ tickets. As a parting suggestion, I wouldn't recommend having Coach Krzyzewski's car towed.
Posted by pdhuff on May 18, 2008 at 7:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
murrayvol, you sent me looking for my old stick (?) and helmet.
I remember the days of lacrosse in HS, what's that, Ma, that was broomsticks and a wet t-shirt!
Sorry, got carried away, we're still the Dook of the Smokies and Cumberland Avenue....
Posted by pdhuff on May 18, 2008 at 7:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
murrayvol, you sent me looking for my old stick (?) and helmet.
I remember the days of lacrosse in HS, what's that, Ma, that was broomsticks and a wet t-shirt!
Sorry, got carried away, we're still the Dook of the Smokies and Cumberland Avenue....
Posted by pdhuff on May 18, 2008 at 7:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
my bad, lacrosse and Dook and dink and dunk must have meant something, at one time...
These 9 yr-old emachines can be blamed for something, I guess!
Posted by Plasticman on May 18, 2008 at 9:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry Coach Cut but Duke Football will never matter in Durham....
Posted by murrayvol on May 18, 2008 at 10:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
invisible: Good advice on the K-car. That would take the bloom off Cut's rose in a heartbeat.
pd: Would've wagered that helmets were not standard issue in your playing days. I've been wrong before.
Posted by TurboFan on May 18, 2008 at 11:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think Cut will make progress in the first coupla years. But ability to recruit will keep Duke where it is.
Posted by Brama on May 19, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good Luck at Duke
Posted by DannyVol on May 20, 2008 at 4 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The next time he tows Coach K's Lexus he will be gunning for another OC job somewhere.
By the way, who gives a rats behind about Duke football? That's two stories in a month or so about Cut at Duke. If we have to look in the rearview mirror, let's spread the wealth and at least see what Woody McCorvey is up to these days.
Posted by pdhuff on May 20, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
True murrayvol 10:56, thought LaCrosse was in Wisconsin.
Have fought with broomsticks before, had an ex who could ride on (man, that was bad, she's fine) one at times.
Oh well, at least we're the Dook of the Smokies.
Doldrums are conquering all. As usual.
Posted by jdcdjc on May 20, 2008 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I do not really care about Duke football and cannot stand Duke basketball & the coach. Cut did an ok job at UT but I don't think it was anything most anyone else could have done. I, personally, thought his offence was too predictable. I don't think we are going to miss him that much.
Posted by nafslov on May 26, 2008 at 9:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who's Cutcliffe ? And.....Is Duke in the SEC ? Go Vols !
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