Two days after pleading for the NCAA to revisit its stance on playing through the continuing COVID pandemic, Hall-of-Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski announced Duke has scrapped the remainder of its non-conference schedule—which only includes three games—instead choosing to focus on its upcoming ACC slate.
“In making sure that we’re doing the right thing for our players, just for safety, we’re not going to play any non-conference games. We’re not going to try to reschedule,” Krzyzewski explained in a video posted to Twitter Thursday night. Coach K also said he’s carving out a 4-to-5-day window for players to see their families over Christmas. “These kids go through a lot. They’re not paid employees and we need to take care of them.”
While all of that seems reasonable enough, Alabama coach Nate Oats isn’t buying it, seeing Duke’s decision to punt its remaining non-conference games as a ploy to divert attention from the team’s sluggish 2-2 start including losses to non-conference opponents Illinois and Michigan State. “Do you think if Coach K hadn't lost his two non-conference games at home that he would still be saying that?” asked Oats in response to Krzyzewski questioning the NCAA for “plowing through” as COVID cases continue to rise nationwide. “We 100 percent should be playing basketball.”
Mark Titus of Fox Sports offered his own criticism of Krzyzewski, implying Coach K’s recent remarks have little to do with COVID and everything to do with his team’s early struggles.
Oats and Titus are correct in their assertion Duke hasn’t performed up to expectations this year, though suggesting the winningest coach in NCAA history is ducking cupcake matchups against Charleston Southern, Elon and Gardner-Webb is quite the leap. Plenty of programs across college sports have made similar overtures including the Boston College football team, which announced it will not partake in bowl season despite earning the six wins required for eligibility. This also isn’t the first time a school has been accused of dodging an opponent under the guise of COVID. Coach Dabo Swinney previously blasted Florida State for calling off its scheduled matchup with Clemson, insisting his team “met the standards to play” despite one of Clemson's players testing positive for the virus.
Even after falling to No. 4 Michigan State and No. 6 Illinois in Durham—a rarity in the Coach K Era—the Blue Devils are still ranked tenth nationally heading into conference play. Duke will face Notre Dame in its ACC opener next week. After that, they’ll have a 13-day layoff before hosting Pittsburgh at Cameron Indoor on December 29th.
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