COVID protocols will keep Duke assistant coach out for Saturday’s game
With his bench already down one assistant coach the last two games, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski will be missing another aide for Saturday’s game with Elon.
In accordance with the university’s health and safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nolan Smith is not at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
The Blue Devils are scheduled to play Elon at 4 p.m. in a game televised by ACC Network.
According to a university news release, “an assessment by Duke’s medical personnel indicated no other members of the program are at risk with this particular circumstance.”
Duke associate head coach Chris Carrawell is already unavailable as he recovers from his Dec. 2 knee replacement surgery. This will be the third game Carrawell has missed. He is hoping to return for either this Wednesday’s ACC opener with Virginia Tech or the Dec. 29 league game at Clemson.
That leaves associate head coach Jon Scheyer, who will take over as Duke’s head coach following this season when Krzyzewski retires from coaching, as the lone assistant coach on Duke’s bench today.
Saturday’s game with Elon had already been twice impacted by the pandemic earlier this week. Duke was originally supposed to play Cleveland State but the Vikings had to pause their team activities due to positive COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.
Duke lined up Loyola of Maryland as a replacement team on Thursday. But, on Friday, the Greyhounds pulled out of the game due to positive COVID-19 cases.
This story was originally published December 18, 2021 at 3:05 PM with the headline "COVID protocols will keep Duke assistant coach out for Saturday’s game."