Welcome to Duke, Michael Savarino!

[Bluedog]

Dakich said last night (he was speculating) that the redshirt was because they probably thought Savarino could play, and wanted him to be a "grad transfer." Meaning, I think, that he'd transfer this year and still have four years of eligibility left somewhere else so that he could play his final year as a grad student rather than burning a year of eligibility with walk-on minutes this year. Dakich said they did the same thing with his son, who ended up playing at OSU for his final year.

I don't think Dakich and Savarino are analogous. Dakich actually had some recruiting profile (certainly not highly ranked at 159 at his position in the nation) while Savarino's profile is basically non-existent. I find it much more likely that Savarino would want to pursue a graduate program at Duke to advance his career. He's not going to be playing heavy minutes at a D1 program but certainly can contribute to Duke as a walk-in and learn some great skills -- and build amazing connections.

[ShaneRyan]

I don't think Dakich and Savarino are analogous. Dakich actually had some recruiting profile (certainly not highly ranked at 159 at his position in the nation) while Savarino's profile is basically non-existent. I find it much more likely that Savarino would want to pursue a graduate program at Duke to advance his career. He's not going to be playing heavy minutes at a D1 program but certainly can contribute to Duke as a walk-in and learn some great skills -- and build amazing connections.

Yeah but it doesn't take a redshirt to be able to go to a Duke graduate program, right? He could get in to any program he wanted and be a grad assistant for the team or something. The redshirt has to be intentional, and I tend to think it has to be more than just wanting to play an extra year at Duke as a walk-on. But you may be right, who knows?

[Lauderdevil]

Besides the "fact" that Duke does not announce redshirts, this struck me as odd simply for the logic of it. As in, is there any? Why would Duke redshirt a guy who will never be in the game for anything more than garbage minutes?

I suspect Coach K is playing the long game here — for the program, for himself, and for Savarino. In a couple years K will be in his mid-70s, and it will be really helpful to have one more trusted guy in the locker room telling him what’s going on, how people are feeling, what he might do to help connect with the newest 18-year-old, etc. By Savarino’s fifth year, he will already be more graduate assistant than player. It will feel like he’s been at Duke forever, and the most natural thing in the world will be for him to slide right onto the staff the following year — working for, let’s say, new head coach Scheyer. Coach K’s legacy renews. And who knows, maybe Coach Savarino will turn out to be so good that he gets his own program, and then when 70-year-old Coach Scheyer retires after his sixth ring, the call will come and it will be time for the prodigal grandson to return. There you have it, on our bench right now, the Duke head coaches for the next 50 years.

[uh_no]

Yeah but it doesn't take a redshirt to be able to go to a Duke graduate program, right? He could get in to any program he wanted and be a grad assistant for the team or something. The redshirt has to be intentional, and I tend to think it has to be more than just wanting to play an extra year at Duke as a walk-on. But you may be right, who knows?

then he'd have to graduate in 3 years. you still only get 4 years of playing, regardless if you're a grad transfer.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I thought Dakich's comment about Savarino potentially grad transferring was really odd, given Savarino's obviously close connections to Duke. Then again, this is coming from a guy whose son transferred from Michigan to Ohio State, which is like transferring from Duke to Carolina. I am assuming Savarino and Coach K agreed that this year's team is particularly deep, there are even a few veteran walk-on types ahead of him (Robinson and Buckmire) to eat up the garbage time minutes, so why burn a year to potentially play two minutes in two games.

The only way I see him grad transferring out is if he improves over the next four years and is really jonesing to get some PT, so transfers down a few levels competition-wise to start on his grad degree somewhere and get some to play a bit. He doesn't even need a scholarship at the new place - I'm sure grandpa could find the spare change in the couch to help pay tuition...

[SavDukeGrad]

Yeah but it doesn't take a redshirt to be able to go to a Duke graduate program, right? He could get in to any program he wanted and be a grad assistant for the team or something. The redshirt has to be intentional, and I tend to think it has to be more than just wanting to play an extra year at Duke as a walk-on. But you may be right, who knows?

For whatever reason, I seem to remember that Coach K said after the exhibition game (in which they both played) that Savarino and Worthington would probably both redshirt, so that would be their only game action this year. I think it was in his post game press conference, iirc.

I assumed that was why only Buckmire played mop up minutes against Central Arkansas.

[JasonEvans]

I was pretty clear that all the conversation about Sav was just an excuse for Dakich to talk about his son.

[TruBlu]

For whatever reason, I seem to remember that Coach K said after the exhibition game (in which they both played) that Savarino and Worthington would probably both redshirt, so that would be their only game action this year. I think it was in his post game press conference, iirc.

I assumed that was why only Buckmire played mop up minutes against Central Arkansas.

I remember this as well*, and was about to post the same thing.

*This could be an indictment of your memory banks. 😜

[budwom]

one possibility is that if those guys stay with the program for 3-4-5 years, they might get a scholarship some of those years, just as Justin Robinson has...get some free grad school bucks, not that the family is wanting for dollars...

[Neals384]

Dakich said last night (he was speculating) that the redshirt was because they probably thought Savarino could play, and wanted him to be a "grad transfer." Meaning, I think, that he'd transfer this year and still have four years of eligibility left somewhere else so that he could play his final year as a grad student rather than burning a year of eligibility with walk-on minutes this year. Dakich said they did the same thing with his son, who ended up playing at OSU for his final year.

I didn't hear it that way at all. I think he was saying Savarino could be in the Duke program for 4 years, graduate, and then be able to transfer to a school where he could pursue an advanced degree and also play BB. But that's pure speculation on Dakich's part.

[budwom]

I didn't hear it that way at all. I think he was saying Savarino could be in the Duke program for 4 years, graduate, and then be able to transfer to a school where he could pursue an advanced degree and also play BB. But that's pure speculation on Dakich's part.

he could, but he could also work on that grad degree at Duke, which is hardly a bad idea...and still play on the Duke team. Lots of ACC athletes are working on grad degrees.

[ShaneRyan]

I didn't hear it that way at all. I think he was saying Savarino could be in the Duke program for 4 years, graduate, and then be able to transfer to a school where he could pursue an advanced degree and also play BB. But that's pure speculation on Dakich's part.

You're right, I misspoke on that. Four years (one of them redshirted) at Duke plus a potential grad year somewhere else was Dakich's theory.

[budwom]

You're right, I misspoke on that. Four years (one of them redshirted) at Duke plus a potential grad year somewhere else was Dakich's theory.

not sure of his point of "elsewhere."

[MCFinARL]

then he'd have to graduate in 3 years. you still only get 4 years of playing, regardless if you're a grad transfer.

Yes, but I think that is why ShaneRyan said he could be a grad assistant with the program during his grad student year, not a player. He/she is assuming Savarino does not need status as a basketball player to get into, and pay for, a grad program at Duke.

[BD80]

clearly he's in coach K's doghouse

I imagine Coach K's dogs lead a rather comfortable life. Might not be so bad being in his doghouse.

[Hingeknocker]

The safest thing to do whenever Dan Dakich says something is to just assume that whatever is going on in his brain is completely untethered to reality, do whatever you can to forget you heard it, and remember to mute the TV the next time he's on.

That being said, my reaction when I first heard of Savarino's red-shirt was that he just wanted to spend more time being coached by his grandfather, and I mentally chalked up 2024 as the new "earliest date Coach K will retire."

[tbyers11]

I agree with others that the best advice regarding Dakich is to ignore or do the exact opposite. Since he didn't know for quite awhile that Michael Savarino was planning to redshirt why would we think minutes later that he what the "reason" was.

In one of the ACCN games, an announcer mentioned Coach K's comments that both Michael Savarino and Keenan Worthington would likely not play this year and redshirt. He mentioned that Coach K thinks that both players have the potential to be real contributors to the program as upperclassmen and that redshirting them this year could further increase that potential.

[camion]

I believe this is what Dakich said with respect to the redshirt.

Linky

Then again it may have been Dakich on almost any topic.

[DrChainsaw]

Not to throw a damper on the Dakich-bashing, but I think it was his partner who said Savarino was redshirting, no?