Duke Football has a huge game coming up this weekend in their first Power 5 Conference match-up of the season against #23 Northwestern. Duke Basketball Report recently sat down with the current head coach of the Northwestern Men’s Basketball team, Chris Collins, who is also a former Duke point guard and assistant coach for the Blue Devils to talk about the upcoming football game, Northwestern basketball, Coach K, USA Basketball, and his time as a player and coach at Duke.
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Collins played it safe and didn’t pick a winner for the game this weekend, saying he loves both schools and will be happy with whoever wins between his “two favorite teams”. He did provide a quick scouting report though, noting that the Wildcats’ strengths this year are in their defense that hasn’t allowed a touchdown yet this season and running back Justin Jackson.
Collins praised the football coaches at both schools, talking about the relationship he’s built with Pat Fitzgerald since joining Northwestern and witnessing the excellent job that David Cutcliffe has done with Duke Football and how he’s trying to the same thing to change the culture of his own program. The Northwestern job was one of the toughest in the NCAA when Collins took over being the only school in a Power 5 conference that has never made it to the NCAA Tournament.
As far as basketball, Coach Collins is looking forward to the season as the Wildcats look to continue to improve in the Big Ten conference. They will return 7 of the top 8 scorers from last season and will be the most talented team he’s had since taking over for the Wildcats as older players gain more experience and talented recruits coming in. He was an assistant coach on two of Duke’s National Championship teams in 2001 and 2010.
The entire interview with the former Blue Devil can be heard here. Chris Collins will be entering his 3rd season with the Wildcats with a 29-36 record and is slowly progressing the program saying he plans to stay at Northwestern for a while and building a tradition for the men’s basketball program there. Best of luck to former Blue Devil Chris Collins for the upcoming basketball season and be sure to check out Duke take on Northwestern in football this weekend!