ESPN College GameDay crew evaluates how Jon Scheyer, Hubert Davis have fared following legendary Duke, UNC coaches

Ahead of the next chapter in the Duke and North Carolina rivalry, the ESPN College GameDay crew had a fascinating debate.

Both Jon Scheyer and Hubert Davis stepped into gigantic shoes to fill. Scheyer with Mike Krzyzewski, Davis with Roy Williams. That’s a challenge for any coach, but the crew believes they’re handling it tremendously.

According to Seth Greenberg, the ability of both coaches to stay in the moment and not continually look over their shoulder at the past is helping them immensely.

“I’ve been blown away by both of these coaches’ leadership, patience and their poise, in staying focused on the most important thing, the next game,” started Greenberg. “Not who coached before. But what they’re doing with both feet firmly planted on the ground.”

Moreover, former North Carolina star Eric Montross joined the crew in their debate, where he explained that he believes both Davis and Scheyer are built for the new age of collegiate sports.

“When you look at these coaches, it’s a new age for coaches,” started Montross. “I think it’s great to have the skin in the game and to understand the past, but right now you’ve got NIL, you’ve got conference realignment, the transfer portal. All these things are distractions that are taking away from the magic of college sports. What you want is the magic of college sports, the magic you feel in March, and take away the business side of it.

“The business exists for coaches, but you’ve got to have a coach and a personality that can handle that. I think both these young men are going to be really good at doing all of the above.”

As for Jay Bilas, the former Duke star recognizes that there’s always going to be change. It’s inevitable. Heck, even Alabama deals with it on the football side of things. But that magic that is the rivalry between the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels continues to remain.

“The replacing legends thing, I get it. … But look at Alabama. Alabama Football’s had change. Change happens everywhere,” added Bilas. “What doesn’t change is what North Carolina and Duke are, have been and will be the same going forward. There’s going to be no change there.”

Indisputably, the ESPN College GameDay crew are believers in both Jon Scheyer and Hubert Davis. However, only one will walk out of Saturday’s showdown a winner in an all-important ACC showdown.