The “Anti-Frost”

[Handy Johnson]

Fred becomes the “Anti-Frost” & turns this thing completely around in year 4! Bank on it… Big Dance or Bust 

[colhusker]

Well considering Fred has a marquee win I would say he has done more.

[uneblinstu]

Sounds fun. Maybe it happens, but future opponents will be more than willing to play Big Ten basketball, something Creighton wasn't. NU's a better *team* than they were last year, but they're still under talented relative to the conference. The adjustments Hoiberg and co have made have me really encouraged, but the mountain is still tall they're trying to climb. 

[hhcmatt]

Maybe somewhere in between like Year 5 of the Hoiberg era.

[hskr4life]

I was giddy with someone I was talking to the other day about the CU game, and they reminded me that the last time we beat Creighton, we ended up firing our coach at years end.  
 

While I hated the gut punch, it did bring me back down to earth just a little bit.  There’s a long road ahead and a lot can still go south.

 

With that being said— man am I starting to like this team!

[Norm Peterson]

I like this team too, because they're a bunch of gritty, blue-collar guys who just do their jobs without a lot of preening.

 

It helps that we have 3 super seniors, including one of the better centers in program history.

 

That might buy Fred an extra year. But that center and those 3 super seniors will be gone next year.

 

Fred needs this team to do well enough this year that he will be able to convince some portal players that we're a legit destination where they can experience success. And get paid NIL money.

[Handy Johnson]

I prefer to buy into this narrative, we’ve been taking on water for awhile around here & we’re long overdue for a “feel good” story that captures the imagination of a Nation. Why not us, why not NOW…!!! #GBR #Nebrasketball 

[cornfed24-7]

10 minutes ago, Handy Johnson said:

I prefer to buy into this narrative, we’ve been taking on water for awhile around here & we’re long overdue for a “feel good” story that captures the imagination of a Nation. Why not us, why not NOW…!!! #GBR #Nebrasketball 

Yup. I've done a 180. Until proven otherwise...CHOO! CHOO! All aboard the hype train! It's WAY more fun

[jimmykc]

As the snail riding on the turtle's back said, "WHEE!!!"

[Huskerpapa]

I am still in the wait and see camp.  I am loud and excited, but we have to be consistant and improve as the season progresses.   

Tonight will be important.   Winning would be a bonus; but how we respond after a big win will tell us another story.  We need to grow exponentially each and every game.

[hskr4life]

1 hour ago, Huskerpapa said:

 

Tonight will be important.   Winning would be a bonus; 

 

If we win tonight-- that would make Saturday's game THE most intriguing matchup of the Hoiberg era.  You'd be looking at a chance to get to 8-3 and give yourself an opportunity to get to that Iowa game with 10 wins.  HOW HUGE would that be?

 

Now that's a lot of hypotheticals and tonight first of course.  But a win tonight is more than a bonus for me.  A win tonight and I'm really starting to believe and maybe skipping my reffing assignment to be in Lincoln on Saturday.  HA!

[cipsucks]

4 minutes ago, hskr4life said:

 

  But a win tonight is more than a bonus for me.  A win tonight and I'm really starting to believe and maybe skipping my reffing assignment to be in Lincoln on Saturday.  HA!

 

I'm sure the losing team would agree.  

[cipsucks]

17 hours ago, Handy Johnson said:

Fred becomes the “Anti-Frost” & turns this thing completely around in year 4! Bank on it… Big Dance or Bust 

 

Bust isn't all that bad of thing...

 

 

[basketballjones]

Unfortunately I just don't think it's in the cards my man. 

Just do not see a way we can have a record this year that people want to stand behind and get excited about - and maybe worse - we lose the two best players who are making this work (Sam and Derrick). I just see no way we can be anything but another rag tag group of transfers next year praying they figure it out. Assuming everyone stays (highly unlikely), CJ, Keisei, Keita, Gary, Breidbach, Dawson, the will-be-sophomore group, etc... It's just not a competitive roster. 

I tried to be super generous with wins looking at the future schedule and came up with 7-8 more. That's 13-18 or 14-17. That comes out to a 4 year record of 37-85 or 38-84, with no scorer or proven player coming back, banking on getting a couple real, proven dudes out of the portal. Or blind luck. 

It greatly disappoints me, and I've really appreciated what they've tried to do this year and I like the staff he's made now... But I just do not see how you can continue to justify the lack of results. The only thing that will keep him here is if Trev/Boosters/Regents are just like, "we absolutely cannot afford to buy-out this man and pay someone else right now." 

[hhcmatt]

Players come and go.

 

To me I see the recruiting focus changed and the product on the court has changed (for the better).  Fred wins enough conference games and I think the question becomes whether or not Fred has something with the new staff he has assembled and I'm leaning towards Trev Alberts running it back another year. 

[Handy Johnson]

On 12/8/2022 at 10:40 AM, basketballjones said:

Unfortunately I just don't think it's in the cards my man. 

Just do not see a way we can have a record this year that people want to stand behind and get excited about - and maybe worse - we lose the two best players who are making this work (Sam and Derrick). I just see no way we can be anything but another rag tag group of transfers next year praying they figure it out. Assuming everyone stays (highly unlikely), CJ, Keisei, Keita, Gary, Breidbach, Dawson, the will-be-sophomore group, etc... It's just not a competitive roster. 

I tried to be super generous with wins looking at the future schedule and came up with 7-8 more. That's 13-18 or 14-17. That comes out to a 4 year record of 37-85 or 38-84, with no scorer or proven player coming back, banking on getting a couple real, proven dudes out of the portal. Or blind luck. 

It greatly disappoints me, and I've really appreciated what they've tried to do this year and I like the staff he's made now... But I just do not see how you can continue to justify the lack of results. The only thing that will keep him here is if Trev/Boosters/Regents are just like, "we absolutely cannot afford to buy-out this man and pay someone else right now." 

Those are all very real & valid concerns, I just don’t think Trev wants to undertake another Coaching search on the heels of the Football hire. I’m hoping for some dumb luck & Husker Magic to lead us into the Light…

[hskr4life]

If what we've seen from recent play on the court continues through the rest of the year, I don't think we'd have a ton of trouble reaching a win total that Trev would be comfortable keeping Fred at.  It'll be interesting if we do go on a bit of a losing streak-- to see how the boys respond.  

[Fullbacksympathy]

I'm liking the basketball I'm seeing on both ends of the court.  The effort is there.  That's a result of good coaching and a roster with high character, smart players.  Will that be enough?  I don't know, but I'm optimistic Fred has found a formula for success, and I'm not sure Trev will want to risk stopping that momentum.  

[NUdiehard]

On 12/8/2022 at 10:40 AM, basketballjones said:

Unfortunately I just don't think it's in the cards my man. 

Just do not see a way we can have a record this year that people want to stand behind and get excited about - and maybe worse - we lose the two best players who are making this work (Sam and Derrick). I just see no way we can be anything but another rag tag group of transfers next year praying they figure it out. Assuming everyone stays (highly unlikely), CJ, Keisei, Keita, Gary, Breidbach, Dawson, the will-be-sophomore group, etc... It's just not a competitive roster. 

I tried to be super generous with wins looking at the future schedule and came up with 7-8 more. That's 13-18 or 14-17. That comes out to a 4 year record of 37-85 or 38-84, with no scorer or proven player coming back, banking on getting a couple real, proven dudes out of the portal. Or blind luck. 

It greatly disappoints me, and I've really appreciated what they've tried to do this year and I like the staff he's made now... But I just do not see how you can continue to justify the lack of results. The only thing that will keep him here is if Trev/Boosters/Regents are just like, "we absolutely cannot afford to buy-out this man and pay someone else right now." 

 

This is an interesting perspective.  But should a decision on the future of this program be determined by the past if the current situation is more aligned with what you would want to see going forward?  The first three years are in the past, and cannot be changed.  But by all appearances, the current state of the team and coaching staff are different than the past 3 years (even though Fred is still the HC).   The types of players on this year's team are different than the past 3 years.  By most accounts, this year's team has more grit, effort, teamwork, discipline, etc, that we all wanted to see more of the past 3 years.  Even if this team loses more than it wins this season, most recognized this was not going to be an NCAA tourney type year, but most wanted to see players that played hard, that played together and seemed to really care about playing basketball at Nebraska and being the best "team" possible. 

 

Whether the team finishes 5-15 or 8-12 in league, if all those things continue to be true this entire season, what is it that you believe a new coach could bring to this program that the current coach cannot.  Do you believe a new coach could bring even "more" grit, teamwork and discipline?  If so, on what basis?  Or is it just a hope?  And if it is just a hope, is hope a strategy or a sound basis for a decision?

 

Now, if you want to say that Fred's team this year shows he can "coach" to a sufficient level, but he just doesn't have the players to get it done, then that is a completely different argument and one worth discussion.  But this was not the issue everyone talked about Fred's team and coaching coming into this season.  During this entire off-season, all the talk was about how undisciplined and selfish his players and teams were.  That is a different issue than talent level of players (although it must be acknowledged that the recruiting the right "type" of player is very integral in having a team that exudes the characteristics we want to see on the court). 

 

If the issues is the lack of "talent" in the players (as opposed to the "coaching" of the players), then the question is whether you strongly believe the "new" coach will most likely be able to better recruit more talented players (who also play with grit, effort, teamwork, etc) than Fred AND coach them up just as good or better than Fred.  If you strongly believe that is true, then a new coach may be warranted.  But, considering we have no idea who the knew coach would be, and considering in the entire history of NU hoops, no coach has been able to get players sufficiently talented and team-oriented enough to win just ONE NCAA tourney game, it seems the odds are not in our favor of that happening.   In contrast, Fred has proven from his time at Iowa State he can not only get the talent necessary to win in the NCAA tourney, but also coach them up to the level to win, then why not give him a couple more years to try and find that talent here at NU? 

 

If the concern is that the fans just cannot bear to watch another unsuccessful season next year (as you indicate the current roster is not overwhelming for next year), the question must be asked:  Do you believe a new coach will be able to recruit and coach up a quality roster next year (considering most likely it will mean most current players transferring and turning over the entire roster)?  In fact, if the entire roster is turned over for the new coach, is there any basis to believe the new coach will be successful in either year 1 or year 2?  If not, then what is the difference between this hypothetical new coach vs. Fred who has essentially become a "new" style of coach this year (which could theoretically be considered his transitional year 1)?  

 

One possible difference (in Fred's favor) is that Fred and his staff have been actively recruiting throughout the past off-season and during this season (for example the big man coming in for an official this weekend).   There may even be relationships and recruits that have been in development for a couple years now.  Aren't the odds better that Fred and his staff can harness those relationships which have been years in development into landing recruits than a new coach who will not even be hired until April and then have to assemble an entire roster in a few months (just as Fred had to do his first year here)?  Unless the new coach is one of the nations best recruiters, it seems the odds are better with the current staff. 

 

[49r]

4 hours ago, hhcmatt said:

Players come and go.

 

To me I see the recruiting focus changed and the product on the court has changed (for the better).  Fred wins enough conference games and I think the question becomes whether or not Fred has something with the new staff he has assembled and I'm leaning towards Trev Alberts running it back another year. 

 

I think that magic number of wins is probably 14 for Fred to automatically get another year.  Anything less and decisions will need to be made.

[cipsucks]

2 hours ago, NUdiehard said:

 

  The first three years are in the past, and cannot be changed. 

 

 

For those of us who remember Cliff Notes...

 

 

[huskerbill85]

Don't care how many games they win if they continue to compete like this he should absolutely keep his job

[cornfed24-7]

14 minutes ago, huskerbill85 said:

Don't care how many games they win if they continue to compete like this he should absolutely keep his job

If they continue to compete like this the wins will come, but yeah, what you said.

[basketballjones]

On 12/9/2022 at 2:34 PM, NUdiehard said:

then the question is whether you strongly believe the "new" coach will most likely be able to better recruit more talented players (who also play with grit, effort, teamwork, etc) than Fred AND coach them up just as good or better than Fred.  If you strongly believe that is true, then a new coach may be warranted. 

You typed a lot of words to get to this point finally. 
 

Not only do I believe this to be obviously true, it’s historically true. He has the worst record of any Nebrasketball Coach than anyone on here can remember. 
 

I’m not sure what there’s even to argue? Only Nebraska basketball fans would be like, “gosh I dunno if we can find a coach who can win more than ~38 games in five years!!!?!?!”

[cornfed24-7]

13 minutes ago, basketballjones said:

You typed a lot of words to get to this point finally. 
 

Not only do I believe this to be obviously true, it’s historically true. He has the worst record of any Nebrasketball Coach than anyone on here can remember. 
 

I’m not sure what there’s even to argue? Only Nebraska basketball fans would be like, “gosh I dunno if we can find a coach who can win more than ~38 games in five years!!!?!?!”

I really like what he's doing this year. Its unfortunate we're only seeing this type of team in year four. Even if he does come back next year the ugly truth is he's pretty close to being in coaching no mans land. He's not getting an extention. Its the same place Miles was at in his last years. Its a good thing there's a portal because that's likely Hoibergs only chance to turn this thing around if he's retained.

Edited December 10, 2022 by cornfed24-7