Duke’s Scheyer Disrespected in Coach of the Year Rankings

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer has moved himself into the discussion for the best coach in all of college basketball just three and some years into probably the most difficult success job in the history of college basketball, taking over for the legendary Mike Krzyzewski.

Since becoming the next head man with the Blue Devils, Scheyer has kept the program not only nationally relevant but also competing for a national championship each season. In just three years, he has already brought Duke to an Elite 8 in 2024 and a Final Four in 2025.

The 2025-26 campaign has been no different. The Blue Devils have gotten out to a 21-1 overall record and a 10-0 start to ACC play, firmly cementing themselves as the best team out of the ACC and a perennial national title contender once again.

Despite losing his entire 2024-25 starting five from a Final Four squad, mixed with working with an extremely young team in an era where experience is the makeup to win games, Scheyer hasn't missed a beat.

Even with all the consistent success for Coach Scheyer, it feels like how good a job he's actually doing constantly flies under the radar.

Jon Scheyer Disrespected in Latest ESPN Coach of the Year Rankings

As the NCAA NET Rankings currently stand, Duke is No. 3 with a 9-1 record in Quadrant 1, a 13-1 record through the first two quadrants, an 11-0 record at home, and a 7-0 record in true road games.

The Blue Devils are definitively on the NCAA Tournament 1-seed line at this point of the year, but Scheyer is still ranked low in ESPN's Coach of the Year Rankings.

Another win for Duke basketball an Jon Scheyer. pic.twitter.com/JDMp3rSqmk
— Blue Devil Nation (@BlueDevilNation) February 4, 2026

ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf compiled a list of the top 12 candidates for Coach of the Year, and Scheyer came in at No. 10, which feels fairly low.

"They're [Duke] also top five in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency," Medcalf said. "Even more impressive? The average Division I experience of the other nine rosters in KenPom's top 10 is 1.98 years; Duke's is just 0.88, 309th out of 365 teams."

Scheyer Should Be Higher on the List

There are some coaches ranked ahead of Scheyer who probably deserve it, such as Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg and Vanderbilt's Mark Byington, who have turned their respective programs from afterthoughts into deep NCAA Tournament contenders in just one season.

Although, coaches like Michigan's Dusty May, Illinois' Brad Underwood, and Michigan State's Tom Izzo likely should be behind Duke's leader.

10-0 Starts in ACC - Last 30 Years

Duke: 6*
(2026, 2025, 2008, 2006, 2004, 1999)

Rest of ACC: 4
(UVA: 2018, Syracuse: 2014, Miami: 2013, UNC: 2001)

*Duke is the 1st program in 58 years to start 10-0 in the ACC in consecutive seasons.
— #DukeMBBStats (@DukeMBBStats) February 4, 2026

Scheyer lost his entire starting five from a team that went to a Final Four a season ago and has turned right back around to get the Blue Devils out to 21-1. Sure, Duke is extremely talented, but experience is a major factor in success at the high-major level.

It seems like year in and year out, Scheyer doesn't quite get the respect he deserves for how fantastic a head coach he truly is.

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