Pitt's Jeff Capel defends Mike Krzyzewski's covid comments

With Pitt’s nonconference schedule finished and the first of 20 ACC games scheduled for Wednesday in Miami, Jeff Capel’s thoughts are focused on basketball.

Most of them, anyway.

On the court, in his locker room, while speaking to reporters, Pitt’s socially conscious basketball coach has become a strong advocate for collegiate athletes. And his voice has grown steadily louder as his concern for playing basketball in a pandemic grows.

He spoke out last week about the contradiction of starting the 2020-2021 season amidst covid-19 statistics that are worse than when the NCAA Tournament was canceled in March.

He suggested delaying the start of the season might have been wise.

“You have (players’) families struggling back at home. Yet, they’re here,” he said at the time. He added, “I feel for these young people. I don’t think anyone can say anymore that these young men are amateurs.”

Those comments reached Durham, N.C., and the office of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who coached Capel and later hired him on his staff.

“He called me to tell me what I said was right,” Capel said Monday on a conference call with local reporters. “He was proud of me for stepping out and saying that.”

Duke was playing the next night, and Krzyzewski told Capel he wanted to say something about the situation, but he hoped his team would win first.

“He said, ‘I’d like to say something (after a victory) because I know if we lose and I say something, I’m going to get killed.’ ”

Duke lost at home to Illinois, 83-68, the Blue Devils’ second non-conference loss. After the game, Krzyzewski was asked about Capel’s comments.

Like Capel, Krzyzewski wondered why colleges were playing basketball in the middle of a pandemic. Subsequently, Duke canceled the remainder of its nonconference games.

Krzyzewski was criticized for it, specifically from Alabama coach Nate Oats, who suggested Krzyzewski wouldn’t have made those comments if he had won those two games. (Oats later called Krzyzewski to apologize.)

“He’s been saying it for a while, and everyone wants to twist,” Capel said. “That’s what happens when you’re the best.

“That’s absolutely ridiculous to say that about the person who’s won more games in the history of college basketball than anyone. So, I don’t think losing a couple games is going to affect him.

“Because of how much he’s won and his stature, he takes bullets. He’s an easy guy to take shots at. And for me, I get really upset by it because of how much I care about him. With working with him for seven years, I know how much he’s done for the game and for coaches.”

Without calling out Oats by name, Capel added, “I’ve seen it. The one coach in particular who made a comment, I know exactly what coach did for him. I know it because I was the one who helped facilitate it.

“It’s disappointing. There’s a certain respect level that should be there.”

Back home, Capel was dealing with a situation on his team during the Gardner-Webb game Saturday after Florida player Keyontae Johnson collapsed during a game at Florida State. (Johnson is in critical, but stable, condition and is following simple commands.)

Johnson and Pitt’s Au’Diese Toney are close friends, Capel said.

“Au’Diese seemed off, like he wasn’t himself,” said Capel, who bowed in prayer with his players when he found out what was on their minds.

“These kids are going through a lot. They are going through a lot,” he said, banging the table in front of him for emphasis.

“And what happened to one of their contemporaries scared them.”

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