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Mike Krzyzewski will take indefinite leave of absence due to back surgery

By Chris Stone

Dec 31, 2016; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski looks on during the first half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2016; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski looks on during the first half against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Michael Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mike Krzyzewski will step away from the Duke Blue Devils after their matchup with Georgia Tech.

The Duke Blue Devils announced via a release on Monday that head coach Mike Krzyzewski will step away from the team for an unspecified period of time in order to have lower back surgery.

According to reports from ESPN, Krzyzewski will begin his leave of absence following the Blue Devils’ matchup against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Wednesday. He is expected to return this season with the expected recovery time being four weeks.

Associate head coach Jeff Capel will fill in for Krzyzewski while he’s away. Capel has previously been a head coach at VCU and Oklahoma before joining the Blue Devils’ staff in 2011.

Obviously Krzyzewski’s health comes first, but it is a difficult time for him to step away from the program. Duke recently indefinitely suspended star guard Grayson Allen for his third tripping incident in a calendar year. Allen has also been stripped of his captaincy as a result of the of the suspension.

In addition to dealing with the Allen saga, the Blue Devils are also coming off a blowout loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies in the opening game of ACC play. In the aftermath, Krzyzewski and several players lamented the lack of team cohesion on the court suggesting that there are more issues to deal with than just Allen’s suspension.

Although Duke’s next two matchups are against the league’s bottom two teams, Georgia Tech and Boston College, it will face serious challenges in the coming months as the ACC is one of the most loaded conferences in the country. That could prove to be challenge for Capel as he looks to clean up the Allen saga and encouraging more continuity on the court without Krzyzewski on the sidelines.