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Ted Roof Dismissed As Duke Head Football Coach

Duke Director of Athletics Joe Alleva announced on Monday that head football coach Ted Roof has been dismissed from his post.

"Following several conversations between Coach Roof and myself over the past two days, I have decided to move in a different direction with our football program," Alleva said. "Coach Roof embodies everything that Duke represents and his commitment to this University and his job was unwavering. He is an outstanding family man, a man of great integrity, and among the classiest individuals with whom I have worked. I truly appreciate his service to Duke and how he represented himself, his family and this school. That is why this decision was so difficult.

"However, after our annual evaluation of the program, I believe that we need to make a change based on the results we were seeing on the field each week. Over the past several years, we have made the commitment to upgrading our football program and we will continue to do so. Our ultimate goal for football, as with all of our programs, is to pursue and achieve excellence. We are taking the proper steps to see that will happen. We must win in football at Duke, while maintaining our deepest commitment to the educational values of the institution."

A former All-ACC linebacker at Georgia Tech, Roof took over the program seven games into the 2003 season, guiding the Blue Devils to a 2-3 record as interim head coach to conclude the year. He was named head coach on December 6, 2003 and posted records of 2-9, 1-10, 0-12 and 1-11 for a cumulative ledger of 6-45, including a 3-33 mark in ACC play.

Roof served two stints as an assistant coach at Duke as a member of Barry Wilson's staff from 1990-93 and under Carl Franks from 2002 until taking the reigns midway through the 2003 season. The 1987 Georgia Tech graduate also logged assistant coaching tenures at Alabama (1987-88), West Georgia (1989), Massachusetts (1994-96), Western Carolina (1997) and Georgia Tech (1998-01).

"I support Joe Alleva's decision, which I know was not an easy one," said Duke President Dr. Richard H. Brodhead. "Ted Roof has earned the highest respect from everyone he's worked with, and we're grateful for what he has accomplished. But though our team has showed progress, we have yet to reach the success we're looking for. Duke is committed to developing excellence in football and I am confident that with new leadership, we will achieve this goal."

Alleva said that a national search for a head coach will begin immediately. "I will lead the search for our new coach and complete that process as soon as possible. I emphasize the word ‘process' as this critical decision cannot be rushed. We will identify the candidate that we feel best fits the needs of this unique program, and on a larger scale, the excellence that is expected of everyone working at Duke University."