Duke University’s head coach Jon Scheyer has reported that he is recovering from an illness that prevented him from leading the Blue Devils during their recent victory against SMU. Reflecting on his absence, he described the experience of watching the game from a distance as “bizarre.”

“I felt terrible,” Scheyer shared during a teleconference with Atlantic Coast Conference coaches on Monday. He expressed confidence in the decision made late the previous night to step back and let his team play, emphasizing his trust in the players and coaching staff. He believed they were thoroughly prepared for the matchup, noting that the game plan was established.

Due to his illness, Scheyer did not travel to Dallas for the Saturday game, and assistant head coach Chris Carrawell took over the team’s responsibilities. This marked the first game Scheyer missed since succeeding the legendary Mike Krzyzewski as head coach in 2022.

Despite his absence, Scheyer found value in watching his team, which was ranked No. 4 in last week’s AP Top 25, triumph over SMU with a score of 89-62 from a different vantage point.

“Being removed from decision-making provides a unique perspective,” Scheyer explained. He acknowledged that being outside of the usual decision-making roles helped him observe how the team was functioning and appreciate the efforts of the coaching staff. He was struck by how well all elements of the team seemed to be aligned and in rhythm while he watched the game unfold.

Jon Scheyer is expected to make his return to the sidelines for Duke’s upcoming home game against Pittsburgh on Tuesday.