Jeff Capel Now Has Golden Opportunity to Prove He Can Succeed Coach K at Duke

The Jeff Capel Era at Duke begins on Saturday against Boston College, and Capel has about a month to show he’s capable of one day succeeding arguably the greatest college basketball coach in the history of the game.

No one knows when 69-year-old Mike Krzyzewski will coach his last game, but he won’t be on the sidelines forever.

And Capel is the heir apparent to succeed Coach K once that day comes.

Now with Coach K sidelined for about a month with back surgery, Capel has a golden opportunity — and a loaded roster — to show he deserves the job when that day does come.

“I haven’t thought about it because I’ve never imagined the day of Coach [K] not coaching, of not being the head coach at Duke” Capel, 41, said Thursday on a conference call. “Since I started watching basketball, and really understanding basketball, he’s the only coach I’ve known at Duke. And so I’ve never thought about anything like that. I try to concentrate on doing my job and doing the best job I can for our program.”