Vols let Cutcliffe's mentor go

Tennessee announced Monday that head coach Phillip Fulmer will not return to the sidelines next season, leading multiple media outlets to speculate that Duke head coach David Cutcliffe, the former Tennessee offensive coordinator, could be a potential candidate to replace his mentor.

Cutcliffe told The (Raleigh) News & Observer Oct. 21 that he would not discuss his contract, but was committed to staying at Duke for the time specified in his deal. As a private university, Duke is not required to release contract information.

Cutcliffe issued a statement Monday to acknowledge the day's events, and Sports Information Director Art Chase said Cutcliffe would address the situation in his weekly media luncheon Tuesday.

"Not only is Phillip a great person, he is the best football coach I've ever been associated with," said Cutcliffe, who did not mention any interest in the open position in the statement. "His work ethic, attention to detail and recruiting efforts were lessons for all of us who were fortunate enough to work alongside him."

Cutcliffe coached in Knoxville from 1982 until 1998, making his way up to offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. He served as offensive coordinator in 2006 and 2007 before coming to Duke.