SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Jeff Capel has the vote from Mike Brey for ACC Coach of the Year.
In return, Brey has the respect and appreciation from Capel to allow for Wednesday evening's game in South Bend, Ind. to have all of the emotions riding high.
For one, it is the last home game in Brey's tenure as Notre Dame's coach, as he is set to depart the program which he manned the bench for since 2000. For two, it is another opportunity for the now-ranked, No. 25 Pitt to make some history in its own regard, in this storybook and unprecedented run towards contention in the ACC and what could be the first NCAA Tournament bid in seven years.
That is just the tip of the iceberg.
Welcome to March, everyone.
"I'm excited about it because of the people coming back," Brey said. "I think we have 30 of our former players coming back. Lot of friends and people are coming to town, and I'm looking forward to that. I'm trying not to concentrate on how good Pittsburgh is and they could be the regular-season champion and they've got the ACC Coach of the Year in Jeff, in my opinion. They're really good. I made my mind up (Sunday), I'm going to enjoy it. Win, lose, or draw, I'm going to enjoy it."
Brey is 482-278 in his near-complete 23 seasons on Notre Dame's bench. He is a three-time Big East Coach of the Year and is the 2010-'11 Associated Press Coach of the Year after guiding the Fighting Irish to a 27-7 record -- a 4.5-game improvement from the prior season -- and an AP ranking as high as four while making it to the NCAA Tournament that season. Brey led the Irish to the 2015 ACC Tournament championship and has lifted them to the NCAA Tournament 13 times and to the Elite Eight twice.
Pitt has a ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since the Jan. 11, 2016, polling. Pitt checked into this week's poll at No. 25 with 140 points, which edged Creighton's 87 points for the 25th spot. Pitt (21-8, 14-4 ACC) can clinch at least a share of the regular-season ACC title and get one step closer to the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament with a win Wednesday.
But, Capel will have to go through one of his mentors to do it. While he will be recognized as the best coach in Notre Dame's history, Brey is also "coach" to Capel.
Brey was an assistant on Mike Krzyzewski's staff from 1987-'95 at Duke, which overlapped with Capel from 1993-'95 in his playing days. Brey left to become the head coach at Delaware in 1995, where he would last until 2000 when he took the Notre Dame job.
"Coach Brey, I've known him since I was 16," Capel said. "He was part of the recruitment. Tommy Amaker was the main guy, and (Krzyzewski), but I do remember Brey coming down one time with TA. ... Being a player at Duke can be really heavy, and those guys kept it loose for us, and especially for me as a young freshman that ended up earning a starting position early in the season when there were a lot of expectations on our team, for our team. The thing I remember about coach Brey is how funny he was and how loose he kept everything, and I've never met a guy that was a coach that never seemed like he had a bad day. He always was just in a good mood. Cracking jokes, playing 'HORSE' and all these trick shots, and I thought that was even more beneficial my second year when we were bad and it became really, really heavy and there was just turmoil everywhere. Just him being here and being someone that just helped keep things light when it was incredibly, incredibly heavy."
Brey admitted that he couldn't beat Capel in "HORSE," though he did share insight on how Capel grew and developed as a player at Duke.
"He was fabulous as a freshman," Brey said. "Really ready to play on a team that had pressure to deliver. The play I remember, we're playing in Knoxville, Tennessee, against Purdue with the 'Big Dog,' Glenn Robinson. At a key possession, across from our bench -- I can still see it -- he throws a behind-the-back, post feed to Tony Lang for a layup, and to have to cohones to make that play in a regional final, I turned to (Amaker) and I said, 'are you kidding me? That's unbelievable.' Fearless young man and was going to be a coach. Jeff's the son of a coach and a teacher like me, and it was almost maybe predestined that we'd be in the family business."
Capel said he stayed in touch with Brey "a little bit" once Brey left for Delaware, and that is where his first coaching interview took place once his playing days were done.
"When I was trying to get in coaching I went up and interviewed with him at Delaware," Capel said. "A guy had left on his staff -- it was, like, the restricted-earning spot -- and he offered me the job. I didn't take it because I knew they were coming into the CAA, and I didn't want to coach against my dad (who was at Old Dominion). So, I didn't take it. Like, two weeks later I get the job with my dad. James Johnson on his staff left, so I joined, and probably a week after that, Brey left for Notre Dame. So it's just funny how this stuff works."
Game respects game. Just as Brey acknowledges Capel as this season's front-runner for ACC Coach of the Year, Capel has the same admiration for the work his former coach put in at Notre Dame for two decades and some change.
"He's someone that I've always admired," Capel added. "As a coach I think he's an outstanding, unbelievable coach, but, man, just as a guy he never took himself too seriously, which coaches can do. He was just a fun dude to be around, to hang out with, to talk to. Our game will miss him, our conference will miss him, but I'm really, really happy for him that he gets to do it his way."
Capel and Brey shared those above comments in the weekly ACC coaches Zoom call on Jan. 23, right after Brey announced he was leaving Notre Dame after this season. Brey was scheduled to speak right after Capel wrapped up, so he was online to hear Capel's nice words about him.
Brey then proposed this to Capel:
"Appreciate you, coach Capel," Brey chimed in. "Hey, halftime -- you're the last home game here -- halftime, let's play 'HORSE' in front of everybody."
The two shared a laugh, then Brey left Capel off with: "Love you, brother. Keep doing your thing. Proud of you."
On Monday's coaches' Zoom call, Brey reiterated he wants that "HORSE" game to take place.
"We should do that pregame," Brey said. "I still can get in his head with some of those banked free throws or left-handed stuff.
Brey then shared more high praise for his former player.
"I am so proud of Jeff Capel," Brey added. "He had to have a big year, and he has. He's the ACC Coach of the Year. I think it's brilliant how he's reinvented his team, and we've got one heck of a challenge on Wednesday night. Jeff is like a son to me because I coached him and watched him grow. I know his father is so darn proud of him, looking down. He deserves it."
