Nebraska Basketball: 3 reasons why fred hoiberg deserves another year

With this week’s dominating win on the road against Rutgers, Nebraska basketball has won three out of its last four games. Fred Hoiberg has his team playing its best ball of the year, despite losing starters Juwan Gary and Emmanuel Bandoumel to injuries last month.

In fact, Nebraska basketball is playing so well that there’s a scenario in which the Huskers receive a double-bye in the Big Ten basketball tournament.

Likely? No. But the fact that it’s possible this late in the year should encourage all Husker basketball fans.

That brings me to an important question–one that Nebrasketball fans have been asking for the better part of a month now.

“Has Fred Hoiberg done enough to deserve another year as head coach of Nebraska basketball?“

Here are 3 quick reasons why I believe the answer is “yes.”

Fred Hoiberg Proved He Can Adjust His Coaching Philosophy In a Snap

For his first three years at Nebraska, Fred Hoiberg tried to run an up-tempo, let-it-fly offense that few teams not named Golden State can run.

It was awful. So awful it was hard to watch.

After last season, Trev Alberts, the Nebraska AD, said that Hoiberg brought him a new vision for the future. A part of that vision was changing assistant coaches, emphasizing a more physical brand of basketball, and focusing on swarming defensive play.

Check. Check. Check.

Hoiberg proved he can cast a vision and execute it. Now, Nebraska is playing a Big Ten brand of basketball. “Big Boy” basketball. Hoiberg changed the way he coaches, the way the team practices, their lineup, their pace of play, their offensive sets, their defensive rotations, and their recruiting.

IN ONE SEASON.

And it’s working.

Are you serious? It’s a sight to behold.

I know the opposing argument: “Hoiberg should have done this sooner!” Fair. But he didn’t. It is what it is. He also didn’t have Trev Alberts as his boss two years ago. Now, Hoiberg has the best AD in the country who believes in his vision for the future and loves watching this team play.

To me, as a fan, this feels like year one. And I’m excited.

Nebraska basketball has shown obvious improvement and has signature wins

All of Hoiberg’s changes have led to obvious improvement on the floor. Yes, I know Nebraska is two games under .500. But you know a better product when you see it.

This team could have caved in. They lost assistant coach Armond Gates to another job before the season began. They lost arguably two of their best players in Bandomuel and Gary mid-season.

When a coach is on the hot seat and adversity like this strikes, I look at several things: effort, attitude, unity on the floor, and tone in post-game pressers.

None of these have dropped off.

In fact, they’ve all improved.

That’s coaching.

Are there hiccups? Yes. Are there still 6 minute-scoring droughts? Sure are.

But they are starting to eliminate mistakes. Play as a team. Hit shots. Turn defense into offense.

And they’re winning games. Creighton, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Rutgers. All in one season! (And yes, they should have beat #1 Purdue at home but got jobbed by the refs, but I digress.)

When was the last time that happened? If you aren’t impressed by this, you might not be familiar with the history of Nebraska basketball.

Unfortunate injuries have built depth for hoiberg’s future

Finally, the future is on the floor. As horrible as Gary’s and Bandomuel’s injuries were for Nebraska, it’s opened up the door for younger players to get meaningful experience. Heck, even Hoiberg’s son, Sam, a redshirt freshman, is getting quality time and hitting big shots.

I know the objection again: “Hoiberg should have already developed depth–it’s year four!” Fair. But a part of Hoiberg’s change in philosophies has been to move away from the junior college and one-and-done players to developing high school talent.

It’s more of a Big Ten approach to roster management. You wonder how much Alberts encouraged Hoiberg in that. We all know how much Trev loves development. I have my doubts Bill Moss cared about that much at all.

Now think about this. There’s a really good chance Nebraska returns everyone other than departing seniors next year. That hasn’t happened since before Hoiberg arrived.

Nebraska will lose a lot of production in Walker, Griesel, and Tominaga (if he chooses to leave–let’s start a “Stay, Stay, Keisei” campaign right now). But they will be a young and talented team next year that’s building confidence now. Kudos to Fred Hoiberg for turning this Nebraska basketball roster over in a year into a roster that will not need to be turned over next year.