David Cutcliffe

David Cutcliffe is a highly respected football coach, known for his ability to develop quarterbacks and transform struggling programs into competitive teams. After earning the prestigious Frank Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach and contributing to the University of Tennessee’s 1998 National Championship, David Cutcliffe established a reputation as a preeminent developer of quarterbacks and a transformative leader. His foundational collegiate coaching career at Tennessee began in 1982, progressing from a part-time assistant through various assistant and coordinator roles, culminating as Assistant Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator, and Quarterbacks Coach from 1995 to 1998. During this impactful 16-year tenure, Cutcliffe played a crucial role in developing future NFL talents like Heath Shuler, Tee Martin, and NFL MVP Peyton Manning, contributing to five SEC championships.

For his exceptional efforts, Cutcliffe garnered National Coach of the Year honors in 2013 from the Football Coaches Association, Bobby Dodd Foundation, Maxwell Football Club, Sporting News, and Walter Camp Foundation, in addition to being named ACC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year (2012, 2013). His tenure also saw Duke claim the New Era Pinstripe Bowl (2015), Quick Lane Bowl (2017), and Walk-On’s Independence Bowl (2018), while mentoring NFL first-round draft picks Laken Tomlinson (2014) and Daniel Jones (2019). After mutually parting ways with Duke University in 2021, David Cutcliffe continues to apply his extensive expertise at the highest level of collegiate athletics. In March 2022, he was appointed Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Football Relations by the Southeastern Conference, where he leverages his decades of leadership and player development experience to contribute to one of the nation’s premier football conferences.