Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis announced the resignation of assistant coach David Cutcliffe on Wednesday, June 1.

David Cutcliffe Resigns From The Football Staff

June 1, 2005

University of Notre Dame Head Football Coach Charlie Weis announced today the resignation of assistant head coach David Cutcliffe effective immediately.

A statement from David Cutcliffe:

“Everywhere I look these days I see opportunity, and I know well that many will say that I’m squandering a fantastic one today when I say that I’m resigning as quarterback coach and assistant head coach for the offense at the University of Notre Dame. Coach Charlie Weis and the university gave me the opportunity to become an integral part of one of the most storied college football programs of all time. I relished helping to develop some fine players and working side by side with Charlie and the terrific staff he put together. Poor health initiated a series of events that culminated in this decision. Through it all, no one could have asked for more support than Charlie and the people at Notre Dame gave me and my family.

“During my limited time at Notre Dame, I learned to appreciate the unique spirit inherent in this university and the people who enliven it. It’s a spirit that demands full attention and boundless energy. I’m happy to say that I am on the mend and, in fact, that I am healthier since my bypass surgery than I’ve been in years. However, it will be months before I can claim that mental, physical, and emotional intensity and would never give any program less than the passion and energy it deserves. To do so would unfairly penalize the Irish players, staff, students, alumni, and devoted friends. As anyone who knows me can attest, it’s all or nothing with me.

“I’m taking the remainder of this year to become even stronger. During that time I’m committed to growing professionally so that I’ll be a better coach in the future.”

Cutcliffe joined the Notre Dame staff on January 4, 2005, after six seasons as head coach at the University of Mississippi. His official title with the Irish was assistant head coach (offense)/quarterbacks coach. In March, Cutcliffe underwent heart bypass surgery while on a visit to his home in Oxford, Miss. He has been on medical leave from Notre Dame since that time.

As head coach at Ole Miss from 1999-2004, Cutcliffe produced a 44-29 ledger (.603) while becoming the only Rebels coach to win at least seven games in his first five seasons, joining Johnny Vaught as the only coaches to produce five straight seven-win campaigns during their tenures at Mississippi. Cutcliffe came to Ole Miss following 17 seasons on the Tennessee staff, the last six as offensive coordinator. He has coached eight players who became first-round NFL draft picks, including Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning and Ole Miss running back Deuce McAllister. While at Tennessee, Cutcliffe developed Eli’s brother, Peyton Manning, into one of the most prolific signal-callers in SEC and NCAA history and the first overall selection in the 1998 NFL draft.

While serving on the Tennessee staff, Cutcliffe helped the Vols compile a 154-46-7 record while winning five SEC championships and one national title. In his 17 years at Tennessee the Vols went to 16 bowl games, winning 11 times, rolling up five straight bowl victories during one stretch (1985-90 seasons) – and seven times finishing in the final AP top 25. He received the Frank Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach, in 1998 (and also was a finalist in 1997).

Born Sept. 16, 1954, in Birmingham, Ala., David Nelson Cutcliffe attended the University of Alabama and received his bachelor of science degree in health, physical education and recreation in 1976. He returned to his alma mater, Banks (Ala.) High School, as an assistant coach for four years – then was named head coach in 1980. His teams reached the Alabama state high school playoffs three times as an assistant and in both his seasons as a head coach.