Since February 1, 2023, Fred Hoiberg has done precisely what Nebraska basketball fans hoped he would do on day one. He's built a winner. He's built a team other schools don't want to face in must-win games.
He's built a team going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade. He might have built the Nebrasketball team that will win the school's first NCAA Tournament game. He's done all of this at a Cornhuskers program that is historically downtrodden.
While Nebraska Cornhuskers fans are understandably excited about Hoiberg's job, not just loyal backers of the program are taking notice. After the Huskers lost to Illinois on Saturday afternoon, one Illini analyst made it clear he was impressed by the Huskers coach.
Kedric Prince, a recruiting analyst for Illiniguys.com, took to Twitter to explain how much he was swayed by Fred Hoiberg's performance in the Big Ten Tournament and against Illinois.
"This Tweet (X) is not meant to throw shade, but I want to give major respect to Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg," Prince wrote. "When I sit at press row, it can be tough watching and listening to some coaches. Hoiberg is one of the the classiest coaches in the conference and country! He doesn't complain or berate officials or his players; he just coaches. I got to meet him at an AAU event in Chicago, and he talked to me like we were best friends. He was great at Iowa State, and now the Cornhuskers have a winner in this man"
Fred Hoiberg draws praise from rival
It stands to reason that more analysts are going to be voicing their impressions of the Huskers head coach in coming days. As they preparewill for Selection Sunday and the NCAA Tournament, the Nebraska basketball team is about to do what they do on a national stage.
Fred Hoiberg has the chance to really put the Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball program on the map in a big way.