Nebraska Basketball: Huskers encountering some expected growing pains

This Nebraska Basketball program is still very much a work in progress.

There is no doubt that this Nebraska Basketball roster is going to be special. When you consider the talent there is in the program, there is no question that they will be successful in the coming years. Right now however, there could be some growing pains.

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There is no question that no matter how talented this Nebraska Basketball program is, they are undergoing a rebuild. From the coaching staff to the players on the roster, everyone is getting adjusted to life in Lincoln. That is expected, as many players have been shuffled in and out of the program over the past couple of months. There are bound to be some growing pains, and that’s what it sounds like head coach Fred Hoiberg is encountering.

As the team begins to practice as a group and get acclimated to each other, Hoiberg has acknowledged that this team does not handle adversity well. Right now, I wouldn’t be too worried about that. They are still trying to mesh with each other and working together to form a cohesive unit. Nevertheless, the growing pains are very much a thing for the head coach, as he told Steven M. Sipple of the Lincoln Journal Star.

"“Our guys are really good when things are going well out there,” he said. “But when the tough times hit, that’s when they have the tendency to shut down. You see that at all levels. We just have to continue to battle through those times. We’re trying to figure out which of our players are mentally tough enough to perform at a high level 100% of the time.”"

It sounds like the head coach is beginning to try to figure out who will be starting and who will be on the bench. Although he doesn’t explicitly say that, the guys who are performing at a high level 100% of the time should be at least considered for a starting spot. The rest will probably be on the bench. Of course, I do not know that for certain, but that would certainly be a logical way of thinking.

There are going to be several ups and downs with a new program. It sounds like cohesion and chemistry are a bit of an issue right now. I’m sure that will be corrected before the opening game. I’m glad he said this, as it’s just a reaffirmation that not everything is perfect. If anything, this adversity will hopefully make the final product even more enjoyable.