Duke Vice President and Director of Athletics Nina King announced on Sunday the school and head football coach David Cutcliffe have reached a mutual agreement for separation.
“After some detailed and amiable discussions with Nina King, we’ve mutually decided that it is the right time for change in the leadership of Duke Football,” Cutcliffe said. “Karen and I have loved our time in Durham. Duke University will always hold a special place in our hearts. To our current and former players please know how much joy you’ve brought to our lives. To all of our coaches and staff, many who have been with us for 14 years, you will always have our love and respect. I want to thank Dick Brodhead for the opportunity to come here. I’m very thankful for Kevin White and Nina and their leadership. I can’t say enough about all the faithful alumni and friends that gave us an opportunity to build and win here. I’m not sure just yet what the future will look like, but I am looking forward to some family time to reflect a bit on the past and see what the future holds.”
“We are extremely grateful for David’s leadership over the past 14 seasons,” King said. “He lifted our program to unprecedented heights, both on and off the field, while maintaining the core values of the University and we could not be more appreciative of his mentorship of every student-athlete who played for Duke during his tenure. David and Karen have been tremendous ambassadors of Duke University and the Durham community and we wish them, along with their family, all the best going forward.”
Cutcliffe went 5-18 in his last two seasons in Durham. He was named Duke’s head coach on December 15, 2007, and took over a Blue Devil program that had won just eight total games in the previous five years. The two-time ACC Coach of the Year and the 2013 National Coach of the Year, Cutcliffe led Duke to 77 victories in 14 seasons with six bowl game appearances, three bowl victories and the 2013 ACC Coastal Division championship.
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