April 26 (Bloomberg) -- Just minutes after college basketball's championship game ended, Mike Krzyzewski appeared on my television screen, even though his Blue Devils had long been ousted from the tournament.

Coach K, as the Duke basketball czar is known, appeared in a commercial extolling the virtues of owning a Chevrolet. When he isn't hawking Impalas, Coach K tells the world that his credit card is American Express.

``Nothing is more powerful than the truth,'' the West Point- educated Coach K says at the outset of one Chevy ad.

If it's truth you want, coach, here it is: Duke needs you. Durham needs you. Now!

It's been almost six weeks since a black woman hired to dance at a private party told police that she'd been raped by three white members of the Duke lacrosse team.

Six weeks of accusations and outrage. Six weeks of protests and vigils. Six weeks of simmering anger and resentment. Six weeks of silence from Coach K.

Krzyzewski, according to Duke basketball spokesman John Jackson, is working behind the scenes with the school's president and athletic director.

Well, that isn't good enough. Not now. You mean to say that whatever good he accomplishes behind the scenes wouldn't be outweighed by the good done in public?

Clout, Stature

The folks of Durham, including those on campus, need reassurance and comfort from someone they trust. That's Krzyzewski. He's got that kind of clout, the kind of stature that makes questioning his methods risky.

``Two people have written to me saying `hands off Coach Krzyzewski no matter what you do,''' says Houston A. Baker, a Duke professor of English and African American studies who has been critical of the administration's response to the rape accusation. ``But why can't he, in this moment of crisis in his backyard, stand up and be heard?''

It's a fair question, one that Coach K won't answer.

``Not at this point,'' says basketball spokesman Jackson.

This isn't just any basketball coach we're talking about. This is Coach K. He's the face of Duke, which is renowned as much for its commitment to basketball as its academic excellence.

Perhaps you've heard of Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Elton Brand. All of them gush about Coach K, whom, they say, helps his players to become great people and not just National Basketball Association millionaires.

If Duke had its own currency, it would read ``In Coach K We Trust.''

Professor K

They think so much of Coach K at Duke that, in a rare move by any university, the Fuqua School of Business named him a faculty member. Krzyzewski usually delivers the keynote address at the annual conference of business executives at the Coach K Center of Leadership and Ethics.

Coach K also is Chairman of the Emily Krzyzewski Family Life Center, which, according to its mission statement, endeavors to ``build a better future for the children and families in our community by creating an environment that fosters the development of life skills that are fundamental to reaching one's highest potential.''

What's the environment like around campus these days?

Well, according to a statement issued by community and church groups a few weeks back, Durham is in the midst of a crisis.

Still, some say there is no public role for Coach K to play.

``It's a sensitive deal,'' says Phoenix Suns executive Jerry Colangelo, who picked Krzyzewski to coach the U.S. basketball team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. ``It'd be inappropriate for him to be out front.''

If Not Him, Who?

If not him, who? University President Richard Brodhead doesn't seem capable of assuaging an angry community stoked by distrust of the police and prosecutors. Coach K is the perfect candidate to serve as a calming influence.

Krzyzewski doesn't have to comment on things like the merits of the woman's allegations or the innocence or guilt of the two lacrosse players that have been charged. A trusted leader offering some sort of reassurance surely would be helpful.

``He needs to be a face, a voice,'' says Marie Brodie, spokeswoman for the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence. ``I would hope that someone as prominent as he is would be willing to put himself out in the public eye, not to accuse anyone, but to take a leadership role.''

Of course, Coach K may be using his unparalleled authority to force much-needed change at Duke. Perhaps he's the driving force behind Brodhead's initiatives. Who's to know?

Take a Stand

The school has appointed committees to examine a range of concerns, including the culture of the lacrosse team, the university's response to the allegations and the student judicial process.

``He could be leveraging his silence in getting them to take stands that may be challenging,'' says Dan Leahy, president of the Leadership Institute of Seattle. ``But the human side of me would appreciate someone of that stature taking a stance.''

Duke and Durham could use a little humanity these days, and Coach K could provide it.

Remember, Coach K: Nothing is more powerful than the truth. You said so yourself in the Chevy ad. It'd be nice to hear from you again soon.

To contact the writer of this column: Scott Soshnick in New York at ssoshnick@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: April 26, 2006 00:06 EDT