How it will affect recruiting for the Nebraska basketball team will be interesting to watch.
Former Northwestern and current Florida Gators’ assistant coach Armon Gates is reportedly about to the join the Nebraska basketball team. His hiring appears to be a good one for the Huskers and a reminder for everyone about just how volatile the basketball assistant coaching market can be.
Gates also apparently learned a lesson about whom he could trust. Just weeks after arriving in Florida and being named Associate Head Coach, his relationship with head coach Frank White soured.
Rivals first reported the rumors that Gates was headed back to the Big Ten. The Chicago Sun-Times is now reporting the same. It certainly seems that Florida’s weird loss is the Cornhuskers’ big gain.
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Gates is largely credited with building the roster that made Northwestern a resurgent program. Even if that resurgence has so far, been short-lived, you have to remember that historically the Wildcats are worse at basketball than the Huskers.
Gates is also someone that has been a pretty hot name in coaching circles. He’s had stops at Kent State, TCU, and Loyola (yes that Loyola) before landing in Evanston.
It would seem like a real boon for Tim Miles that he’s getting someone thought of as a good recruiter who already knows the Big Ten in and out. Not only does Gates know the region, but he can give some scouting advice on Northwestern but other conference opponents from a fresh viewpoint.
If Miles is as smart as we all hope he is, Gates can also provide a bit of opposition research on the Cornhuskers. The new assistant should be able to tell Miles the strengths of weaknesses of the Nebraska basketball program, unfettered, through the eyes of a team that was gearing up to beat them. I was concerned about what the loss of Kenya Hunter meant for the program long term.
Next: Nebraska basketball should look to Big East for Xavier Johnson replacement
If the Armon Gates rumors are true, the program might actually be in better shape in a few years.