Just a few games into his collegiate career, Jeff Capel, a promising point guard for a national-title-contending team, was taught a lesson he still has not forgotten more than 12 years later.
Like any freshman excited about his first start, Capel was anxious to garner the attention of the national media. And after a strong performance, Capel talked about his own play in a postgame interview.
It wasn't long, however, before head coach Mike Krzyzewski reminded Capel he hadn't won the game on his own.
"The next day, we came back in for film session and the only film we watched was my interview," Capel recounted at his introduction as Oklahoma's new head coach April 12. "Coach K kept pausing it. I learned very quickly the importance of never using the word 'I.' We were always taught to talk about 'we,' to talk about 'us,' because you don't do anything by yourself in a team sport."
It was one of the many lessons Capel learned during his time at Duke, and he will bring this team-first mentality to Oklahoma as he takes over the Sooner program.
There may have been some shock around the nation when Oklahoma hired a coach just eight years older than most seniors, but the former Blue Devil guard is used to filling roles earlier than expected.
As a freshman, the Fayetteville, N.C., native started 28 games at point guard-the position from which Krzyzewski has historically demanded the most-for a team that eventually lost in the National Championship game in 1994.
"I had to grow up very quick there because a lot was expected of me as a freshman," Capel told the Associated Press. "I had to learn how not to defer. I had to learn how to not be afraid to say things and to set a standard, to be an example for the rest of my team."
Capel had to do even more maturing the next year, as Krzyzewski missed most of the season with health issues. The Blue Devils struggled to a 13-18 record under interim coach Pete Gaudet and missed the postseason.
After leading the team in scoring his junior season, Capel started just 18 games and saw reduced playing time on a deeper team his senior year.
"My experience at Duke was different," Capel said. "It was different from a lot of people that have played at Duke, especially more recently, because of all the things that I went through during my four years there."
But despite enjoying less team success than the legendary classes of the early 1990s-he never reached the Sweet 16 after his freshman season-Capel attributes a large influence on his life and his coaching to Krzyzewski.
Following graduation, Capel spent the next three years playing in the CBA and France, struggling through injuries that eventually ended his playing career.
Then, after just one season as an assistant coach under his father at Old Dominion and another as an assistant at Virginia Commonwealth, Capel caused a few shock waves in the college basketball world. The then-27-year old was hired as the head coach at VCU, making him the youngest head coach in Division I at the time.
Capel said he heard the doubters, but the youngster amassed a 79-41 record in his four years, guiding the Rams to the NCAA Tournament in 2004. There, 13th-seeded Virginia Commonwealth nearly knocked off No. 4 seed Wake Forest before falling, 79-78. The next season, Capel took his team to the NIT.
"Obviously when you get an opportunity to be a head coach at 27, you have to grow up pretty quick," Capel said. "I've always felt I was a little bit older than I was, and it's because I've always kind of felt like I've been a leader."
Capel's plans at Oklahoma, however, may be hindered by the previous regime. Kelvin Sampson-who left to take the head coaching job at Indiana March 29-and his assistant coaches made more than 550 impermissible phone calls to recruits from 2000 to 2004. Oklahoma has self-imposed recruiting penalties and will eliminate one scholarship from next year's squad. The school will also meet with NCAA officials Friday to learn if the governing body will enact any additional sanctions.
Despite the challenges he faces at Oklahoma, Krzyzewski believes Capel will succeed in charge of the Sooners.
"Jeff is one of the best communicators I've known, and he will continue the quality tradition of basketball there by building a program suited for long-term success," Krzyzewski said.
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