The arrival of four blue-chip freshmen aside, the biggest difference in the men's basketball team this year will likely take place not on the court but on the sidelines.
No, don't worry, Mike Krzyzewski is returning for his 18th season as the Blue Devil's head coach.
But while Krzyzewski remains at the helm, two of his three assistants have changed. Tommy Amaker and Tim O'Toole both left for coaching positions at Seton Hall in the off-season, leaving Quin Snyder as the only returning assistant for the upcoming season.
Former Duke players Johnny Dawkins and David Henderson took over the two vacancies in April, leaving themselves with over half a year to prepare for the new season. Dawkins and Henderson are members of what Krzyzewski refers to as the 'Duke family'. They both played for the Blue Devils from 1982-86 and retained ties to the program after graduation.
For Dawkins, in particular, it was only a matter of moving his office a few doors down from his job as Duke sports marketing assistant. Also nearby was Henderson, who was working in the Atlantic Coast Conference office in Greensboro.
But entering this year, neither had any previous coaching experience. While this lack of experience might discourage some, Dawkins and Henderson feel that their familiarity with Krzyzewski and the Duke program will ease their transition into coaching.
"This is a very high-profile program and for someone who's coming from a smaller program to Duke, it could be a little bit intimidating," Henderson said. "This is the only program [Johnny and I] have known outside of playing professional basketball, which is another level in itself. We're not intimidated at all because this is the program we've always been a part of.
"The biggest part of it is just getting used to the day-to-day administrative work. Most people when they think of basketball just think of in the gym, on the court. There are so many other things that go on, and that's been the biggest thing."
Both Dawkins and Henderson plan to emphasize their roles as teachers. Many of this season's returning players stayed on campus during the first session of summer school, giving both new coaches the opportunity to meet with the players and develop working relationships.
Henderson spent a lot of his time working with sophomore Nate James, a player who mirrors his own on-court persona. James' role on the team and his intensity on the floor were traits Henderson instantly identified as close to his own.
"Nate, because of his character, is similar to the kind of character I had," Henderson said. "He can become the kind of person I was on the [court]. I think that was the immediate attachment."
Dawkins, the Blue Devils' all-time leading scorer, is what Krzyzewski calls a gym rat. The 10-year NBA veteran anxiously looks forward to practicing daily with the team and letting his work ethic and wealth of experience rub off on his pupils.
"I like to teach," Dawkins said. "I'd like to share some of the experiences I've had with the young players and help them grow. I think I can bring my personal experiences to the job. Having played basketball from [age] eight to 33, you pick up a few things here and there."
The biggest task facing both coaches is helping to improve the Blue Devils' play inside the paint. Krzyzewski chose not to hire a specific big-man coach like former assistant coach Pete Gaudet, instead bringing in two former players who will both try to help Duke's inside play.
"We're well aware that inside play was one of our weaknesses last year," Henderson said. "The guys who are coming will be able to help to improve that problem, and the guys who are here, they just need to work a little more on focusing on the interior. I think we have to raise the intensity level- that's the huge key.
"When we went with a smaller lineup last year, the intensity was there. If you've got that same level of intensity and bigger players, then your interior game has changed tremendously. We feel like this year, with our personnel, we can get that kind of intensity level and improve our interior game."
In addition to helping the players individually, Henderson and Dawkins both provide relief for Krzyzewski. Because he hired two men who have instant credibility with the players, the burden on Krzyzewski is lessened and his time spent with the players maximized.
"I have a lot of confidence in how my staff will handle things, which gives me the freedom to coach more," Krzyzewski said. "Even though I have great relationships with my players now, it is different and harder than it was 10 years ago because of the demands on my time. Johnny, David and Quin can teach the ideology, the trust and all the cliched things we have, but need to a deeper level."
Dawkins and Henderson plan not only to work for Krzyzewski, but, most importantly, with him as well. Both new assistants and the head coach quickly erased any doubts as to how influential the newcomers will be in their dealings with the boss.
"What they have to understand is that I do a lot of thinking out loud, watching tapes and in meetings," Krzyzewski said. "They can't accept that as gospel, or that I've necessarily thought it all out. They won't be 'yes men' unless yes is the answer. They weren't afraid as players, so I don't see them being afraid as coaches."
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