Cutcliffe to remain at Duke

Coach David Cutcliffe is staying at Duke, school sports information director Art Chase said Friday morning.

Cutcliffe had been pursued by Tennessee for its head coaching job. Chase said Cutcliffe will meet with the media later today.

"After much thought and consideration, Karen and I reached the decision that Duke is the place for our family,” Cutcliffe said in a statement released by Duke. “We have both 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.

“I’ve said all along that what makes Duke so special is the people, and that is the truth. We’ve 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.”

White, the Duke athletic director, said in a statment that Cutcliffe informed the school this morning that he planned to remain with the Blue Devils.

Cutcliffe has guided Duke to a 9-15 overall record in two seasons. The Blue Devils had won 10 games in the previous eight seasons combined. In ACC play, Duke’s four wins in two years under Cutcliffe is one league victory greater than the previous eight-year total.

“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 football program. In just two years, David and his stellar coaching staff have made a significant impact on the department, the university and the Durham community. Together, we look forward to building on that great work for many years to come. Under David’s guidance and with the strong support of university leadership, Duke is committed to building a football program consistent with the standard of excellence exhibited throughout the entire institution.”

Duke returns 41 lettermen and 17 starters from last year’s squad that posted a 5-7 overall record, achieving the program’s highest win total since 1994.

“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.”

Tennessee had been seeking a replacement for Lane Kiffin, who left Tuesdayd to coach Southern California after just one season with the Volunteers.

Cutcliffe, 55, had worked at Tennessee for 19 seasons in two separate stints. He's considered one of the best offensive minds in the game, and was offensive coordinator of Tennessee's 1998 national championship team.

He also coached Peyton Manning in the mid-1990s for the Vols and coached Eli Manning at Mississippi during a six-year stint there. He is 53-44 overall as a head coach in eight seasons.

Ken Tysiac