Longtime college football coach David Cutcliffe is calling it a career.
Cutcliffe has spent most of the last 40 years involved with college football. The former Tennessee assistant and Ole Miss head coach has been working in the SEC office as the special assistant to the commissioner for football relations since 2022.
“I leave this game with a full heart and a deep sense of gratitude, especially for the young men I’ve had the privilege to coach,” Cutcliffe said in a statement. “The players have always been the reason and the reward. Watching them grow, not just as players, but as students, leaders, sons, husbands, and fathers, has been the greatest joy of my career.
“I’m equally thankful for the outstanding coaches, staff members, and administrators who worked alongside me, but it’s the relationships with our players that I will treasure most,” Cutcliffe said. “They taught me as much as I ever taught them. College football has given me a lifetime of memories and friendships, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to be part of so many young lives.”
In addition to his work in the SEC, Cutcliffe was also the head coach at Duke from 2008-21. His tenure included Duke’s first-ever 10-win season back in 2013. That remains the Blue Devils’ highest single-season win total to this day.
Cutcliffe’s final day at the SEC will be on March 31. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey also released a statement on his departure:
“David Cutcliffe has devoted more than four decades to shaping young men and strengthening the game of football, and his influence reaches far beyond wins and championships,” Sankey said in a release. “Throughout his career as a coach, mentor, and most recently as a special assistant in our SEC office, David has served college football with wisdom, integrity, and a genuine care for people. He is a teacher at heart and someone whose counsel and friendship have meant a great deal to many of us across the conference and throughout the game. We are deeply grateful for his leadership and the example he has set. I wish David and Karen every happiness in this well-earned retirement.”
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
