Nebraska Basketball: Fred Hoiberg has vision for explosive backcourt

The backcourt in particular should have Nebraska Basketball fans excited.

Much has been made about Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg and his ability to turn around the Nebraska Basketball program in just a matter of weeks. Not only that, he has a vision for how he wants his team to be built around. In particular, his backcourt should be one of the premier ones in the Big Ten Conference if everything goes according to plan.

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In his media availability at the Big Red event on Thursday, Hoiberg discussed what it would mean to have so many playmakers on the roster. He kind of put into words what I have been thinking all along. Nebraska Basketball recruited some tremendous talent. Not only are they talented, but they are explosive and can get to the hoop at will. It will be interesting to see how he fits all of these parts together, but on paper, the roster looks really solid.

They have the size to be able to do whatever they want on the basketball court. That is not something the team had the luxury of last year, and hopefully Nebraska Basketball will put it to good use. Of course, there may be some hiccups with the roster as they try to find the best role for everybody. Even still, it’s hard to argue with the talent in the program. Especially in what is supposed to be a rebuilding year, the Nebraska Basketball coaching staff has done a nice job of building a solid foundation not only for the fall but for years to come.

"“It’s a group that I think has some unique talents,” Hoiberg said of his new roster. “I feel really good about our backcourt. We’ve got a lot of speed with Cam Mack and Jervay Green, Dachon Burke, Haanif Cheatham. Guys that can get downhill and get in the paint and make plays, and that’s where it starts. If you can surround those types of athletes and playmakers with shooting, you’ve got a chance to have a really good group on the floor that’s difficult to defend.”"

It sounds like the coaching staff has identified their playmakers and now wants to surround them with talent. You see it all the time in the NBA. To borrow an example, it’s what LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers did for years. All Lebron had to do was drive to the hoop and then pass the ball to one of the shooters waiting on the perimeter. It was a nightmare for opposing defenses to defend, and it led LeBron to a championship in Cleveland.

Obviously, the efficiency of an NBA player is not going to be present in the college game. Even still, that type of blueprint has what it takes to be successful. As a blueprint that I think could make Nebraska a serious headache for opposing teams, especially when it comes to conference play. Those are the games that count, and as we saw last year, they can make or break your season. Hopefully, we will not have a repeat of last year.

It’s fun to see Coach Hoiberg have an idea of what his roster will look like already. That part is encouraging, especially with so many new pieces and an entirely new group of coaches in the fold. I certainly smell success in the near future.