Coach K or Steve Spurrier? Who could be College GameDay guest picker for Duke football?
Duke football is set to host ESPN College GameDay for the first time in program history ahead of the Blue Devils’ game against Notre Dame on Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium.
So, with that in mind, who could be the celebrity guest picker in the show’s final segment on Saturday before college football games kick off in Week 5?
Darius Rucker, Joe Namath, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Vince Vaughn were the guest pickers in the first four stops of the season. Here’s a look at seven guesses for guest pickers this week in Durham ahead of Duke’s game against the Fighting Irish at 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
Coach K
Whether it’s realistic or a dream, former Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has to be the name at the top of ESPN’s wish list. Now retired, Coach K has some time to swing by the set and chop it up with McAfee and the rest of the crew. Unfortunately, Army – Krzyzewski’s alma mater – will be enjoying an off week, so he wouldn’t have an opportunity to pick his beloved Black Knights. NC State plays Friday, and UNC is off next week, so Krzyzewski doesn’t have to worry about firing up fans of the Wolfpack and Tar Heels. Bringing on an all-time great would be a slam dunk for all involved.
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Steve Spurrier
“The Head Ball Coach” is a quote machine. Spurrier was in Durham for the Blue Devils’ win against Clemson on Labor Day when Duke honored the former coach’s 1989 squad. That victory was Duke’s first against a top-10 opponent since Spurrier led the team to win against the Tigers in 1989. Before winning more than 200 games and a national championship during his time at Florida and South Carolina, Spurrier got his start at Duke. He helped the Blue Devils win an ACC title in 1989 before heading to Gainesville.
Daniel Jones
The New York Giants quarterback won’t be back under the lights until a Monday Night Football game against the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 2 at MetLife Stadium. A three-year starter for David Cutcliffe at Duke, “Danny Dimes” was the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Jones reached a four-year, $160 million extension with the Giants in March. He'd be the most logical pick as a former player.
Ken Jeong
A regular at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke graduate Ken Jeong would be a great comedic choice for ESPN. Jeong made an appearance as a guest picker on GameDay in 2021 ahead of Michigan at Michigan State. The longtime actor and comedian delivered Duke’s commencement address in 2020. If you’re aiming for laughs, Jeong has to be on the list.
JJ Redick
A podcaster and analyst for ESPN, Redick is Duke basketball’s all-time scoring leader. The sharpshooter retired after 15 NBA seasons and had a seamless transition as a media personality. Redick’s “The Old Man and the Three” podcast is consistently among the top basketball shows.
Christian Laettner
Do people still hate Christian Laettner? One of college basketball all-time greats and a polarizing star during his time with the Blue Devils, Laettner’s buzzer-beater against Kentucky in 1992 is shown throughout each college basketball season. Kentucky football hosts Florida in Week 5. I wonder if Laettner would pick the Wildcats.
9th Wonder
A Winston-Salem native and Duke professor, Patrick Douthit – better known as 9th Wonder – is a Grammy-winning producer and huge Blue Devils fans. He’s worked with the likes of Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and North Carolina’s own J. Cole. If you’re looking for someone with ties to the music business and the Blue Devils, this is the ideal choice.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Who will be College GameDay guest picker at Duke football vs Notre Dame?
