David Cutcliffe
UT Assistant Head Coach
Offensive Coordinator
Quarterbacks

David Cutcliffe said it occurred to him after the Super Bowl.

Upon returning with head coach Phillip Fulmer from the NFL championship game in Miami, where the two Tennessee coaches watched former Vols quarterback Peyton Manning lead the Indianapolis Colts past the Chicago Bears, Cutcliffe began to realize he has been in some pretty elite company on the collegiate football field.

"Think about what we have been associated with at quarterback. We have a guy who has won the Super Bowl. We have another guy who was the third player taken in the draft who is now a United States congressman. I have another who is starting for the New York football Giants who was the number one pick in the draft. We have an all-star first baseman for the Colorado Rockies in Todd Helton. We have the all-time leading passer in the history of arena league football in Andy Kelly. We have a national championship quarterback in Tee Martin who is successful in coaching now.

”I have been pretty fortunate and it has been pretty special. That hit me on our way back from Miami."

Cutcliffe made his way back to the Big Orange football staff last season and made an immediate impact.

The Vols improved their scoring by nearly 10 points per game and their total offense by nearly 50 yards per game under Cutcliffe’s tutelage.

Most importantly, they improved by four victories and climbed into the SEC championship picture one year after finishing 5-6 thanks to the leadership provided by All-America performers Arron Sears and Robert Meachem.

The Birmingham, Ala., native returned to the place he resided for 17 years, including six as offensive coordinator. He left Tennessee after the 1998 season to become head coach at Mississippi.

Cutcliffe compiled a 44-29 record with the Rebels from 1999-2004 and coached Ole Miss to four bowl victories against one loss. He was the only Rebels coach in history to win at least seven games in each of his first five seasons.

Under Cutcliffe’s leadership as offensive coordinator from 1993-99, Tennessee twice led the SEC in total offense and three times was the league’s rushing leader. The Vols led the SEC in scoring in 1993 and placed second nationally with an average of 42.8 points per game.

The Vols were 63-11 during that span with three East Division crowns, two league championships and the 1998 national title. Cutcliffe received the Frank Broyles Award in 1998 as the nation’s top assistant coach and was a finalist for the honor in 1997.

Coaching awards continued Cutcliffe’s way during his Ole Miss tenure. He was selected SEC Coach of the Year in 2003 by his fellow league coaches while leading the Rebels to a share of the SEC Western Division crown.

Cutcliffe attended Alabama and received his degree in health, physical education and recreation in 1976. He returned to his roots at Banks (Ala.) High School as an assistant for four years before being named head coach in 1980. His first collegiate coaching position at Tennessee saw Cutcliffe serve as quarterbacks coach, offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

Cutcliffe is married to the former Karen Oran of Harriman and they are the parents of four children -- Chris, Katie, Emily and Marcus Hilliard, an adopted family member.

PERSONAL DATA

BORN
September 16, 1954, Birmingham, Ala.

EDUCATION
Banks High School, Birmingham, Ala.; University of Alabama 1976.

COACHING CAREER
Banks (Ala.) High 1976-81, Tennessee 1982-98, Mississippi 1999-2004, Notre Dame 2005 (spring), Tennessee 2006-present

WIFE
Karen Oran Cutcliffe

CHILDREN
Marcus Hilliard (Sept. 13, 1986), Chris (Feb. 6, 1987), Katie (April 12, 1989), Emily (Aug. 8, 2000).

BOWL GAME COACHING HISTORY
1982 Peach, 1983 Florida Citrus, 1984 Sun, 1986 Sugar, 1986 Liberty, 1988 Peach, 1990, 1990 Cotton, 1991 Sugar, 1992 Fiesta, 1993 Hall of Fame, 1994 Florida Citrus, 1994 Gator, 1996 Florida Citrus, 1997 Florida Citrus, 1998 Orange, 1998 Independence, 1999 Independence, 2000 Music City, 2002 Independence, 2004 Cotton, 2007 Outback.

Back To Photos & Bios