Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball: Former ACC Coach Spews Harsh Criticism of Blue Devils

Chris Mack called into question the intensity of Jon Scheyer's Duke basketball squad.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
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As a Wake Forest assistant in the early 2000s, Chris Mack witnessed Duke basketball talents routinely exhibit more determination than their opponents. Mack, who later coached against the Blue Devils as the leader at Louisville (2018-22), was with the Demon Deacons the same years Chris Duhon displayed his renowned grit in Durham.

On countless occasions, Duhon would end up in the crowd, often flying headfirst over a scorer's table or first rows of fans in an attempt to come up with a loose ball. Those Blue Devils and others throughout Mike Krzyzewski's legendary 42-year tenure at Duke were floor-burn specialists, to a degree that other teams rarely matched.

They thrived in creating chaos on defense by contesting seemingly every pass, regularly leading to fastbreak opportunities and patented Blue Devil scoring runs that utterly demoralized foes.

Now, Mack doesn't notice that quality in Jon Scheyer's second Duke basketball squad. During his appearance on The Field of 68: After Dark podcast this week, he explained that the relative lack of ferocity is preventing the No. 9 Blue Devils (17-5, 8-3 ACC) from appearing on his list of legit national championship contenders.

Here's what Mack said, adding to the assessment of Duke that UNC basketball great Tyler Hansbrough (2005-09) expressed in their podcast chat:

"It's like Tyler said before: they've got talent. I just don't think that they are dawgs...Just think about, like, a Houston, just the way those guys play and how hard they play. I don't get that when I watch Duke.

"And having played against them, whether it was when I was an assistant at Wake Forest or head coach at Louisville, I always felt like Duke's intensity was at another level. I'm sure you saw that, Tyler, when you played in, obviously, a huge rivalry game. But I don't see that type of intensity.

"I don't know if it's the makeup of those kids. I think they're talented. But until they play with a little more intensity, for me, I don't see them as being a threat to win a national championship."

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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