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Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski takes leave to have back surgery

FILE - Duke coach Mike Krzyzewskia will temporarily step away from the basketball team to have surgery on his lower back that will remove a fragment of a herniated disk. (Gerry Broome / Associated Press)
Associated Press

DURHAM, N.C. – 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. Krzyzewski will coach Wednesday night’s game against Georgia Tech before handing off to associate head coach Jeff Capel for Saturday’s home game against Boston College.

The 69-year-old 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 a trip to Georgia Tech last February because of dehydration and high blood pressure.