Coach K on Scouting FSU on Short Notice

Blue Devils staff streamlined scouting report for tired players

Coach K said that his team this season has gelled into a tightly-knit group.

“They love one another,” he said. “You wouldn’t know what class anyone is in. When they eat there’s not groups. They’re just a really good group. I have problems with one of the walk-ons every once in a while (Kryzyzewski’s grandson Michael Savarino). I have to smack him a little bit. I had to do it to his mother too. Verbally. Not physically.”

The team, and Krzyzewski, were in a good mood following Duke’s 70-65 win over Florida State, which came just 48 hours after the Blue Devils won an overtime thriller at UNC. The quick turnaround meant Duke had to streamline its scouting for FSU, especially in light of the fact that the Seminoles play 11 players.

“We did a different thing,” Krzyzewski said. “Usually we have a scouting report—‘Here’s your starters and whatever—What we did, we changed in a short period of time from the game Saturday night. It’s how much can you retain? So you don’t want to give them much.”

Still, the team needed a plan for defending FSU, so Duke’s staff came up with a way to present a lot of information briefly.

“You change your delivery,” Krzyzewski said. “What we did with the scouting report—and (assistant) Nate James had the scout—we said, ‘Let’s put their shooters, drivers and bigs (in categories). They’re all starters. When you’re on a shooter, you do this. When you’re on a driver, you do this. When you’re on a big, you do this. It wasn’t like you have to know 11 guys. You have to know that these five are shooters. Every once in awhile, we forgot that tonight. And these are drivers … who to help from … We tried to simplify. I thought It was a good way, and they liked it, our guys. So they got it. So that was one of the ways we tried to do it.”

Krzyzewski also discussed Matthew Hurt, who scored 12 points against FSU after seeing his playing time shrink in recent games.

“Our guys are responsible,” Coach K said. “They know if they haven’t played well. That doesn’t mean we don’t think they’re good, but if you’re not playing well, then you shouldn’t play at that time. Someone else who’s playing well (should). You’re going to have an opportunity.”

That opportunity came for Hurt in the first half, and he made the most of it.

“He has a great attitude,” Krzyzewski said. “He came out firing. When we were moving, we got really good shots. Then we got tired, and we stopped moving. He’s not the only one. Javin (DeLaurier) would have bad games. Not like everybody has good games all the time. Tre (Jones) is probably the closest to having a good game all the time.”