Duke might have it's man.
According to this report in the Knoxville News, Tennessee OC David Cutcliffe has been offered the Duke head coaching job and is expected to accept the offer.
I'm going to hold back on my opinion on this one until it becomes more official and I hear him at the press conference, but on the surface it looks like a decent hire. What do you think?
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Cutcliffe in the Lead
That's according to David Glenn, who quoted a Duke source that raved about the Tennessee OC in his latest blog post.
"(Cutcliffe) was very, very impressive," a Duke source said. "With some coaches, the more you delve into the details of their background, the less you like them. With (Cutcliffe), the more you learn, the more you like. He's an impressive person and an impressive coach."
Glenn also mentioned the name of Atlanta Falcons OC Hue Jackson as another candidate that has been interviewed by Alleva. Jackson was a finalist for the opening in 2003 before it went to Ted Roof.
"(Cutcliffe) was very, very impressive," a Duke source said. "With some coaches, the more you delve into the details of their background, the less you like them. With (Cutcliffe), the more you learn, the more you like. He's an impressive person and an impressive coach."
Glenn also mentioned the name of Atlanta Falcons OC Hue Jackson as another candidate that has been interviewed by Alleva. Jackson was a finalist for the opening in 2003 before it went to Ted Roof.
Thursday Update - Noon
Finals week has kept me away from the blog over the last few days, but here is the latest I've heard and read.
1) Tennessee OC David Cutcliffe was on campus Wednesday to interview for the job, making him the fifth coach to interview with Duke AD Joe Alleva. Cutcliffe was 44-29 in six seasons with Ole Miss, and he only had one losing season at one of the tougher coaching situations in the SEC. He's also a noted quarterbacks tutor, as he's coached both Manning brothers.
2) Former Georgia Tech HC Chan Gailey and Louisiana-Monroe HC Charlie Weatherbie have had their names linked to the position, although there is no indication yet whether they've officially spoken with Alleva or have an interview planned.
3) Tom Dienhart's blog on the Sporting News site says that Dorrell might be the front runner for the job right now and that Gailey's name has surfaced to him, too.
1) Tennessee OC David Cutcliffe was on campus Wednesday to interview for the job, making him the fifth coach to interview with Duke AD Joe Alleva. Cutcliffe was 44-29 in six seasons with Ole Miss, and he only had one losing season at one of the tougher coaching situations in the SEC. He's also a noted quarterbacks tutor, as he's coached both Manning brothers.
2) Former Georgia Tech HC Chan Gailey and Louisiana-Monroe HC Charlie Weatherbie have had their names linked to the position, although there is no indication yet whether they've officially spoken with Alleva or have an interview planned.
3) Tom Dienhart's blog on the Sporting News site says that Dorrell might be the front runner for the job right now and that Gailey's name has surfaced to him, too.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Bobby Johnson Withdraws Name
According to this statement on the Vanderbilt athletics web site, Commodores HC Bobby Johnson has withdrawn his name in Duke's search to fill its head coaching vacancy.
The statement says that Johnson decided to withdraw his name Tuesday afternoon and informed Duke officials of his intention shortly thereafter.
The decision is probably the result of a realization on Johnson's part that a move to Duke would be pretty lateral, and that he'd be leaving behind all that he's started and built at Vanderbilt just to jump to Duke. It's also conceivable that Duke's interest cooled on Johnson and he wanted to go ahead and end speculation about his future (see more on this theory in the comments).
Regardless, the search goes on. Perhaps a Neuheisel interview is next?
The statement says that Johnson decided to withdraw his name Tuesday afternoon and informed Duke officials of his intention shortly thereafter.
The decision is probably the result of a realization on Johnson's part that a move to Duke would be pretty lateral, and that he'd be leaving behind all that he's started and built at Vanderbilt just to jump to Duke. It's also conceivable that Duke's interest cooled on Johnson and he wanted to go ahead and end speculation about his future (see more on this theory in the comments).
Regardless, the search goes on. Perhaps a Neuheisel interview is next?
More on Neuheisel
Columnist Frank Dascenzo has an interesting read on Rick Neuheisel in today's Herald-Sun, and he quotes the coach as saying that he's interested in the Duke job.
Also, this article from the NC State scout.com site has some informative background info on Neuheisel's infraction history, including more about the ineligible player that led to the forfeiture of 5 wins in the 1997 season at Colorado.
Also, this article from the NC State scout.com site has some informative background info on Neuheisel's infraction history, including more about the ineligible player that led to the forfeiture of 5 wins in the 1997 season at Colorado.
Search Committee Members Revealed
David Glenn must have one hell of a source. In his most recent WRAL blog post, he reported the six members of Duke's search committee—names that Duke AD Joe Alleva has repeatedly refused to divulge. The six are:
1) Univ. Trustee Roy Bostock
2) Athletics council chairman and Pol. Sci. Professor Michael Gillespie
3) Athletic Advisory Board Chair Leo Hart
4) Univ. Trustee C.G. Newsome
5) Psychology Professor Martha Putallaz
6) Univ. Exec. VP Tallman Trask
As the Chronicle reported last week, Trask accompanied Alleva and President Richard Brodhead to the Washington area to visit with Navy HC Paul Johnson, so his presence as a member of the search committee makes sense. Bostock, Hart and Newsome are all former football players, and Newsome is the lone African-American in the group.
Glenn's report also cites sources saying that there is significant internal argument about whether Rick Neuheisel should be included as a candidate, based in large part on his checkered compliance record.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Neuheisel a Possibility?
One name that came up in Georgia Tech's search was that of former Washington and Colorado HC Rick Neuheisel, and our friends over at The Blue Zone are suggesting that he might be a good fit for Duke, and that the University has contacted him on an informal basis already.
I don't know quite what to think about Neuheisel...he's a proven winner at the college level and a current NFL OC with the Baltimore Ravens (although under Brian Billick, I'm not sure he gets the opportunity to make too many decisions). Still, he's got plenty of red flags in terms of past NCAA rules violations, including his decision to participate in an NCAA Tournament betting pool that in part led to his 2003 dismissal from UW. Whether that particular infraction merited his firing is debatable, but the history could scare away Duke.
But in sum, the guy is a proven name who has a Pac-10 title to his name and an overall 61-35 record (which improves to 66-30 if you count the 5 wins his 1997 CU team won before being forced to forfeit all of their games due to an ineligible player). He has to merit significant consideration, and he might be the best available candidate if he is truly interested.
I don't know quite what to think about Neuheisel...he's a proven winner at the college level and a current NFL OC with the Baltimore Ravens (although under Brian Billick, I'm not sure he gets the opportunity to make too many decisions). Still, he's got plenty of red flags in terms of past NCAA rules violations, including his decision to participate in an NCAA Tournament betting pool that in part led to his 2003 dismissal from UW. Whether that particular infraction merited his firing is debatable, but the history could scare away Duke.
But in sum, the guy is a proven name who has a Pac-10 title to his name and an overall 61-35 record (which improves to 66-30 if you count the 5 wins his 1997 CU team won before being forced to forfeit all of their games due to an ineligible player). He has to merit significant consideration, and he might be the best available candidate if he is truly interested.
Dorrell Interview Today
Don't expect Vanderbilt HC Bobby Johnson to walk out of Cameron today with a contract offer...this report says that former UCLA HC Karl Dorrell is expected to interview with Duke AD Joe Alleva sometimes early this week.
UPDATE (7:30 pm): Sure enough, this report says that Dorrell was spotted on campus today. Apparently he was spotted in a convertible just outside of Cameron.
UPDATE (7:30 pm): Sure enough, this report says that Dorrell was spotted on campus today. Apparently he was spotted in a convertible just outside of Cameron.
More Thoughts on Bobby
With Vandy HC Bobby Johnson interviewing in Joe Alleva's office today, I've given some thought to how good of a hire Johnson would be, and I'm skeptical about such a move for a few reasons.
To be honest, I'm not sure that Bobby Johnson is a significantly better coach than Ted Roof. I don't know if he has an offensive track record or not or what specifically he brings to the table, but I feel that if you're going to fire an incumbent coach (and one that had the fervent support of many of his players), you've got to bring in someone who either is a better coach, or who will bring about a sea change in terms of a program's culture.
I'm not sold that Johnson is that much of a better coach than Roof, even if he is coaching in the strongest conference in the nation. I just don't think you can pass off the hiring of a coach with a 20-50 record as an improvement to fans.
In the attitude area, It had become pretty clear to me by the end of the season that Duke football more or less had developed a losing culture. Wins weren't expected, and I could tell that both what I saw on the field on Saturdays and from what I heard from players after games and at the mid-week press conferences. I'm not alleging that players quit or gave up on the season, and Roof and his coaches certainly didn't, but it became pretty clear that his approach was taking the team nowhere.
That said, I've been a strong proponent of bringing in a coach that will bring an attitude shock to the program. I think the best example, and most relevant considering the circumstances of Duke as an academic institution, is Stanford's hiring of Jim Harbaugh. Before his team even strapped up their helmets for practice, Harbaugh made headlines calling out USC and Pete Carroll at the Pac-10 Media Day, and of course he backed up his rhetoric on the field when the Cardinal knocked off the Trojans 24-23 this season.
For a Duke football program that has been more or less a running national joke for the past decade, the swagger that a fresh attitude change would provide is, in my mind, imperative in a new hire . Honestly, I don't think the saintly, cursing-averse Johnson would provide enough of an attitude shift to merit his hiring.
Just my two cents. Feel free to comment/respond.
To be honest, I'm not sure that Bobby Johnson is a significantly better coach than Ted Roof. I don't know if he has an offensive track record or not or what specifically he brings to the table, but I feel that if you're going to fire an incumbent coach (and one that had the fervent support of many of his players), you've got to bring in someone who either is a better coach, or who will bring about a sea change in terms of a program's culture.
I'm not sold that Johnson is that much of a better coach than Roof, even if he is coaching in the strongest conference in the nation. I just don't think you can pass off the hiring of a coach with a 20-50 record as an improvement to fans.
In the attitude area, It had become pretty clear to me by the end of the season that Duke football more or less had developed a losing culture. Wins weren't expected, and I could tell that both what I saw on the field on Saturdays and from what I heard from players after games and at the mid-week press conferences. I'm not alleging that players quit or gave up on the season, and Roof and his coaches certainly didn't, but it became pretty clear that his approach was taking the team nowhere.
That said, I've been a strong proponent of bringing in a coach that will bring an attitude shock to the program. I think the best example, and most relevant considering the circumstances of Duke as an academic institution, is Stanford's hiring of Jim Harbaugh. Before his team even strapped up their helmets for practice, Harbaugh made headlines calling out USC and Pete Carroll at the Pac-10 Media Day, and of course he backed up his rhetoric on the field when the Cardinal knocked off the Trojans 24-23 this season.
For a Duke football program that has been more or less a running national joke for the past decade, the swagger that a fresh attitude change would provide is, in my mind, imperative in a new hire . Honestly, I don't think the saintly, cursing-averse Johnson would provide enough of an attitude shift to merit his hiring.
Just my two cents. Feel free to comment/respond.
Duke Pursuing Johnson...the other one
According to this report in the Tom Dienhart's blog on the Sporting News website, Duke will interview current Vanderbilt HC Bobby Johnson on Monday. Johnson's name came up much earlier in the search process, but I hadn't heard a peep about him as a candidate until now.
A hire of Bobby Johnson would be an interesting move on both ends. Duke would be getting more or less what they want—a HC that's shown that he can be at least competitive in the nation's toughest conference, and in spite of similar academic recruiting restrictions.
However, I find the move to be less clear cut from Johnson's end. A jump to Duke would be a lateral move at best, and potentially a downward move leaving the SEC and leaving a program that has been on the cusp of bowl eligibility in that conference over the past few years. That said, Duke has a dedication to athletics that exceeds Vanderbilt's (remember, they don't even have a formal athletic department), and we probably could offer more money than Vanderbilt is paying him right now (the actual number is undisclosed, but its probably at or slightly above $1mil).
UPDATE (9:25 am): Some morning reads on Johnson in the Herald-Sun and News & Observer. Also, here is one from a Vandy perspective in the Nashville Tennessean.
A hire of Bobby Johnson would be an interesting move on both ends. Duke would be getting more or less what they want—a HC that's shown that he can be at least competitive in the nation's toughest conference, and in spite of similar academic recruiting restrictions.
However, I find the move to be less clear cut from Johnson's end. A jump to Duke would be a lateral move at best, and potentially a downward move leaving the SEC and leaving a program that has been on the cusp of bowl eligibility in that conference over the past few years. That said, Duke has a dedication to athletics that exceeds Vanderbilt's (remember, they don't even have a formal athletic department), and we probably could offer more money than Vanderbilt is paying him right now (the actual number is undisclosed, but its probably at or slightly above $1mil).
UPDATE (9:25 am): Some morning reads on Johnson in the Herald-Sun and News & Observer. Also, here is one from a Vandy perspective in the Nashville Tennessean.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Sunday Afternoon Update
Sorry for the long delay between posts, but here is the latest that I've heard and read:
1) A comment on this blog mentioned that former Southern Miss HC Jeff Bower is a lock to become the next coach and that an announcement is forthcoming. Although I've heard nothing of the sort that a deal has been reached, I have heard that Bower would be interested in the position if Duke contacted him.
I think that Bower would be a good hire. He's offensively-minded, won 119 games (with only 2 losing seasons) in 17 years at Southern Miss, and his teams were often in the top 10 of D-I graduation rates. He'd be a nice fit.
2) Air Force HC Troy Calhoun is out as an option for the job, according to the Herald-Sun. I was skeptical about Calhoun's interest in the job when I first heard his name, as he's already in a "destination" job at his alma mater.
3) This report in the N&O has updates on Terry Bowden and David Cutcliffe. Despite plenty of speculation about his candidacy for the job, Cutcliffe apparently hasn't been contacted by Duke. Bowden, meanwhile, says that he is "intrigued by the job," but that he hasn't been contacted yet by Duke.
This report from CSTV.com, however, says that Duke has contacted Cutcliffe. Don't quite know who to believe on this one, but I don't think that Cutcliffe is on the front burner for the Blue Devils right now.
4) I got a tip from a reader that said a Richmond TV station has reported that Duke has contacted Spiders HC Dave Clawson to inquire about his interest in the job. Clawson reportedly had no comment. Remember, Clawson's team shut the Blue Devils out in the 2006 season opener in Durham.
1) A comment on this blog mentioned that former Southern Miss HC Jeff Bower is a lock to become the next coach and that an announcement is forthcoming. Although I've heard nothing of the sort that a deal has been reached, I have heard that Bower would be interested in the position if Duke contacted him.
I think that Bower would be a good hire. He's offensively-minded, won 119 games (with only 2 losing seasons) in 17 years at Southern Miss, and his teams were often in the top 10 of D-I graduation rates. He'd be a nice fit.
2) Air Force HC Troy Calhoun is out as an option for the job, according to the Herald-Sun. I was skeptical about Calhoun's interest in the job when I first heard his name, as he's already in a "destination" job at his alma mater.
3) This report in the N&O has updates on Terry Bowden and David Cutcliffe. Despite plenty of speculation about his candidacy for the job, Cutcliffe apparently hasn't been contacted by Duke. Bowden, meanwhile, says that he is "intrigued by the job," but that he hasn't been contacted yet by Duke.
This report from CSTV.com, however, says that Duke has contacted Cutcliffe. Don't quite know who to believe on this one, but I don't think that Cutcliffe is on the front burner for the Blue Devils right now.
4) I got a tip from a reader that said a Richmond TV station has reported that Duke has contacted Spiders HC Dave Clawson to inquire about his interest in the job. Clawson reportedly had no comment. Remember, Clawson's team shut the Blue Devils out in the 2006 season opener in Durham.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Moving on...Karl Dorrell
Now that the loss of Paul Johnson has sunk in a bit, here is some new news and a new name—former UCLA HC Karl Dorrell is now one of Duke's top targets.
This report is in line with what I've been hearing about Duke's next plans, and despite a rocky tenure at UCLA that saw only one great (10-2 last season) season and three mediocre ones, Dorrell by all accounts is a good coach. He has an NFL track record, and is an offensive-minded guy. Again, he has the experience—he just had the misfortune of coaching cross-town from Pete Carroll and USC.
The article also does say that Dorrell may want to get back into the NFL. He's a decendant of the Mike Shanahan coaching tree, so the Broncos or the Texans (with former Broncos OC Gary Kubiak as HC) are his most likely destinations there. Keep in mind that the Texans have just lost their OC (Mike Sherman to Texas A&M), so there may be an opening there for Dorrell.
This report is in line with what I've been hearing about Duke's next plans, and despite a rocky tenure at UCLA that saw only one great (10-2 last season) season and three mediocre ones, Dorrell by all accounts is a good coach. He has an NFL track record, and is an offensive-minded guy. Again, he has the experience—he just had the misfortune of coaching cross-town from Pete Carroll and USC.
The article also does say that Dorrell may want to get back into the NFL. He's a decendant of the Mike Shanahan coaching tree, so the Broncos or the Texans (with former Broncos OC Gary Kubiak as HC) are his most likely destinations there. Keep in mind that the Texans have just lost their OC (Mike Sherman to Texas A&M), so there may be an opening there for Dorrell.
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