Rick Petri, a college coach of 34 years, has been hired by Duke as an assistant coach, head coach David Cutcliffe announced yesterday. Petri will coach the defensive line, a job previously held by Marion Hobby.
Petri helped coach a defensive unit at Miami last year that ranked first in the ACC in pass defense and third in sacks. He chose to leave the successful program, though, and join Duke when given the chance to work again with Cutcliffe. The two coached together for six years at Ole Miss, making it to six bowl games in the process.
“I respect Coach Cut tremendously and I believe in what he believes in and the values he believes in,” Petri told The Chronicle. “Football is about winning and losing, but I’m a little old and I believe in values of football. He believes in them too.
“There’s a lot of time spent coaching in football... and it’s time better spent when you respect and enjoy working with the coaches you’re with.”
In announcing Petri’s hiring, Cutcliffe also said that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles would take over defensive play calling duties. Hobby, who left Duke to coach at Clemson, originally held that responsibility.
Cutcliffe cited Petri’s long track record of mentoring players who went on to play professionally. Petri has personally coached five players who were drafted in the first round of the NFL draft, including seven-time Pro Bowler Warren Sapp from 1993 to 1995 at Miami. Three of his former players currently play in the NFL.
“We are very fortunate to strengthen our defensive staff with the addition of Rick Petri,” Cutcliffe said in a statement. “Rick is widely known in the coaching profession as one of the top teachers of defensive line play, and his track record of preparing young men for the [NFL] speaks for itself. Also, his ideas and methods of helping players mature into young adults fit very well with our philosophies.”
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