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Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski takes leave to have back surgery

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski yells to his players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec 31, 2016, at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va. Tech won 89-75. (AP Photo/Don Petersen) Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski yells to his players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec 31, 2016, at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va. Tech won 89-75. (AP Photo/Don Petersen)

By Associated Press January 2, 2017 1 min read

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) – Hall of Fame Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is stepping away from the team to have lower back surgery.

The school announced Monday that the procedure is scheduled for Friday, with an anticipated recovery time of four weeks. Associate head coach Jeff Capel will take over in Krzyzewski’s absence, starting with a home game Wednesday night against Boston College.

Krzyzewski will have a fragment of a herniated disk removed. The school says Krzyzewski tried several treatment options during the past month before deciding on surgery.

The winningest men’s coach in Division I history had four surgeries during the offseason to replace his left knee, repair his left ankle and fix a hernia.

Capel previously took over for Krzyzewski when he missed the trip to Georgia Tech last February because of dehydration and high blood pressure.

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