[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 175 (Wednesday, December 11, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1841]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING DUKE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE FOR BEING 
                HONORED AS WALTER CAMP COACH OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. G. K. BUTTERFIELD

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 11, 2013

  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Duke University 
Head Football Coach David Cutcliffe for being recognized by the Walter 
Camp Football Foundation, Incorporated as Coach of the Year for the all 
Division I-A football teams in the National Collegiate Athletic 
Association, NCAA. Coach Cutcliffe is the only Duke football coach to 
win the award since its inception in 1967.
  After being hired as head coach on December 15, 2007, Coach Cutcliffe 
led Duke this season to a 10-2 regular season record, which is the best 
record in the institution's history. This season, Duke football 
defeated two opponents that were both ranked in the top 25 of all 
Division I-A football teams--the first victories for Duke football over 
ranked opponents since 1994. Coach Cutcliffe also guided his team to 
victories over rivals from the University of North Carolina--Chapel 
Hill and North Carolina State University in 2013. Last season Coach 
Cutcliffe led Duke football to its first post season bowl game since 
1994 and set a school record by scoring a season total of 410 points.
  Coach Cutcliffe has also led the Duke football program to success off 
the field. Students on the Duke football team had a graduation rate of 
92 percent in 2013, compared to the average NCAA rate of 82 percent. 
Under Coach Cutcliffe's leadership, the Duke football team has 
strengthened the school's relationship with the community through 
service opportunities with the Duke Children's Hospital, the Ronald 
McDonald House, and the Oxford Housing Authority Partnership. Prior to 
joining the coaching staff at Duke University, Coach Cutcliffe served 
as an assistant coach at the University of Tennessee and a head coach 
at Ole Miss. Coach Cutcliffe is a native of Birmingham, Alabama and a 
graduate of the University of Alabama.
  The Walter Camp Football Foundation was created in 1967 and is based 
in New Haven Connecticut. The foundation is named for Walter Camp, a 
former athlete and coach at Yale University who is known as the 
``Father of American Football.'' He is credited with inventing the line 
of scrimmage, the game's system of downs, the game's scoring system, 
and the restriction of play to eleven players per team. The Walter Camp 
Football Foundation is part of the National College Football Awards 
Association, which is a coalition of the major collegiate football 
awards.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend David Cutcliffe and the entire Duke University 
football program for their commitment to excellence. This award is a 
testament to the outstanding leadership demonstrated by Coach Cutcliffe 
and tremendous performance on and off the playing field from the Duke 
University football program's student-athletes. I ask my colleagues to 
join me in honoring and celebrating Coach David Cutcliffe's great 
achievement in being recognized as the Walter Camp 2013 Coach of the 
Year.

                          ____________________