Duke’s Scheyer Now Needs To Be in This Conversation

The Duke Blue Devils are now 25-2 overall on the 2025-26 college basketball campaign after a huge 68-63 victory over No. 1 Michigan at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. on Saturday night. The Blue Devils will now almost definitely be the new No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25 and the new top projected overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Duke is now 11-2 in Quadrant 1 games, 17-2 across the first two quadrants, and 9-2 against ranked opponents. The Blue Devils' nine wins over ranked teams are more than any other team in the sport.

Feb 14, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) and guard Caleb Foster (1) react during the second half against the Clemson Tigers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Head coach Jon Scheyer dealt with immense roster turnover heading into the 2025-26 campaign and still has the Blue Devils at the very top. Year in and year out, Scheyer brings his teams to deep postseason runs with new faces all over the floor.

Scheyer entered his tenure as the head coach of the Blue Devils with one of the most difficult success jobs in college basketball history, taking over for the legendary Mike Krzyzewski. With all the pressure that comes with an elite job like being the head coach at Duke, Scheyer has kept the program as one of the best in the nation.

Jan 31, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer watches his team against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the second half against Virginia Tech Hokies at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Jon Scheyer’s Success Can’t Go Unnoticed

Scheyer is in just his fourth season at the helm in Durham, making it extremely difficult for him to be put in any conversation for the best coach in the sport. However, his success can't go unnoticed.

In his first three years, Scheyer has brought the Blue Devils to the NCAA Tournament each season, including an Elite 8 appearance in 2024 and a Final Four appearance in 2025. He also became the fastest coach in ACC history to eclipse 100 career victories and has won two ACC Tournament titles.

Scheyer Needs To Be in Coach of the Year Conversation

Scheyer hasn't been mentioned heavily in discussions around the top candidates for this season's Coach of the Year award, but this signature win for the Blue Devils over Michigan needs to put him up there.

Duke lost its entire 2024-25 starting lineup to the NBA Draft, and each player was selected. With a whole new starting lineup that features numerous young players, Scheyer has still led his team to be arguably the top squad in the sport.

Jan 24, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer directs his team during the first half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils will now be at the top of almost every ranking and metric, and Scheyer is on the fast track to earning Duke a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second season in a row.

After a massive win over the No. 1 team in the land, Scheyer needs to be heavily considered as the Coach of the Year.

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