A bizarre Duke season takes turn as Coach K steps away
DURHAM, N.C. — To add another twist to a strange season, Hall of Fame Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski will step away from the team to have lower back surgery.
The school announced Monday that the procedure is scheduled for Friday, with an anticipated recovery time of four weeks. Associate head coach Jeff Capel will take over in Krzyzewski’s absence, starting with a home game Wednesday night against Boston College.
Duke, a consistent national power that prides itself as being above the fray, has tested Krzyzewski this season, with star Grayson Allen tripping a third opponent in a year. Krzyzewski suspended him indefinitely as he and the school came under fire for allowing Allen’s serial tripping to go on so long.
Additionally, the Blue Devils have been beset by injuries, as hyped freshmen Harry Giles, Jayson Tatum and Marques Bolden all have been sidelined. Still, No. 8 Duke is 12-2.
So a season of headaches apparently includes a backache, too. Krzyzewski will have a fragment of a herniated disk removed. The school says Krzyzewski tried several treatment options during the past month before deciding on surgery.
The winningest men’s coach in Division I history had four surgeries during the offseason to replace his left knee, repair his left ankle and fix a hernia.
Capel previously took over for Krzyzewski when he missed the trip to Georgia Tech last February because of dehydration and high blood pressure.