The SEC announced Thursday that it has hired former Ole Miss and Duke head coach David Cutcliffe as its special assistant to the commissioner for football relations. Cutcliffe's primary responsibilities will include guidance in multiple areas of on-field aspects of the game such as game management, communications, playing rules, national policies and scheduling.
"I am thrilled to return to the Southeastern Conference where I have spent much of my life," said Cutcliffe in a statement. "It is rewarding to be joining an amazing team at the SEC Office led by Commissioner Sankey and his staff. I look forward to working with the coaches and administrators across the league to continue to further advance football in the SEC."
Cutcliffe will essentially serve as a liaison between the conference's head coaches and its administrators with the primary goal of enhancing college football in a wide variety of ways.
"David Cutcliffe has earned tremendous respect across the college football community and he adds to the SEC office a valuable depth of knowledge and expertise in the game," said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. "David will add a new perspective to Conference football operations that will benefit our universities and their student-athletes as we look to the future."
Cutcliffe was the head coach at Ole Miss from 1999-2004, where he complied a 44-29 record, including a 10-3 record in 2003 and win over Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl. He was hired by Duke prior to the 2008 season and spent 14 seasons with the Blue Devils, posting a 77-97 record and winning the ACC Coastal in 2013.
Regarded as one of the best quarterback coaches in the country, Cutcliffe was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Tennessee during the Peyton Manning era (1994-97), and Eli Manning's head coach at Ole Miss from 2000-03. Cutcliffe also coached future first-round pick Daniel Jones at Duke from 2015-18. Cutcliffe and Duke agreed to part ways last November following a third consecutive losing season.