I can't shake the year 1 vibes I get from this team...

[uneblinstu]

9 minutes ago, basketballjones said:

Everyone's talking about this style that Fred has created...

 

1. He hired in the defensive scheme. Which, I mean, credit to him I guess for making the change and farming it out. But... 

2. The two players who make what we're doing offensively work are highly specific, special players, and gone next year. 

He's definitely going to get another year. I just do not see Alberts chopping down with the axe this year. But is he going to get an extension? Or is he just a dead man walking next year? 

I don't think it has to be one or the other. You don't need to extend him, he's still got four more years on his contract after this season. This can absolutely be a year-by-year deal. There will be players with similar skill sets as to what he brought in last year out there this spring. What maybe you won't be as likely to find is the connection to the program Griesel has. Perhaps he sees some similar skill sets in guys like Lloyd or Dawson that he won't have to go out and recruit but can instead look for a different skillset that can elevate us offensively. It will be a fascinating offseason if he's retained.

[uneblinstu]

32 minutes ago, royalfan said:

At one point shortly before the injuries, that lineup was among the top 20 best five man lineups in the country per kenpom if memory serves. 

I hadn't seen that, but if that's true, that's pretty crazy. Gives me hope he can do it again this offseason. It's going to be a key development offseason, too, for guys like Dawson, Jamarques, Wilhelm and Blaise. Will need CJ to get back to the form he showed last year and, frankly, I'd like Keisei to stick around during the summer. It'll be a pretty important one for the program.

[cornfed24-7]

22 minutes ago, basketballjones said:

Or is he just a dead man walking next year? 

He's a dead man walking. Walker is the straw that stirs this drink. And I don't believe Hoiberg is able to find someone to replace him that can replicate what he does. 

[Bugeaters1]

16 hours ago, uneblinstu said:

If I'd never watched Nebraska basketball before this year and you told me this was the first year of the Fred Hoiberg Era, I'd be really encouraged. It has everything I'd hope a year 1 team would have. A few experienced veterans transfer in to set a good cultural foundation, with a few quality role players and young guys, perhaps one or two of them redshirt, to build up towards a year two or three breakthrough. There would be a few bright spots that give the fans hope that the concept will work but it's not put together enough to win at a really high level. 

 

That's what this year feels like to me. It's what year one should have been. But we can't just wipe away the disaster the first three years were. Part of me wonders if Trev essentially wipe the slate clean, assuming things didn't completely fall off the rails, and treated this year as year 1 between the two of them. The way Trev talks about the team, the way Fred built the team, it all seems to me like there's some sort of agreement like that. That doesn't mean he'd get as long of a leash as if this was his true year one, but it kind of feels like there's been enough there to give Fred another year 2. And, if you squint hard and turn your head just right, turn it upside down, a 5 kind of looks like a 2...

 

I've heard conflicting info about the state of Trev and Fred's relationship, so perhaps in a few weeks we'll find out his is all hog-wash, it's just the sense I've been getting as the year's gone on. 

 

[Norm Peterson]

55 minutes ago, basketballjones said:

Everyone's talking about this style that Fred has created...

 

1. He hired in the defensive scheme. Which, I mean, credit to him I guess for making the change and farming it out. But... 

2. The two players who make what we're doing offensively work are highly specific, special players, and gone next year. 

He's definitely going to get another year. I just do not see Alberts chopping down with the axe this year. But is he going to get an extension? Or is he just a dead man walking next year? 

 

No, respectfully, it's more than that. The first three years, you saw 3-4 guys trying to run the system and 1-2 guys just doing their own thing. Both on offense and defense.

 

This year it's like there's more of a cohesive whole. Both on offense and defense. And when you watch them play -- I mean, honestly, the first couple of games, the defense looked sketch. But since then they really have picked it up. And offensively, you're seeing movement without the ball. Synchronized movement. Like they're doing what they're supposed to doing. And you're getting the opposing defense reacting and having to move and shift and we're getting open looks. Now, oftentimes we're not pulling the trigger on those open looks, but that's an issue for the portal this year.

[basketballjones]

52 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

This year it's like there's more of a cohesive whole. Both on offense and defense. And when you watch them play -- I mean, honestly, the first couple of games, the defense looked sketch. But since then they really have picked it up. And offensively, you're seeing movement without the ball. Synchronized movement. Like they're doing what they're supposed to doing. And you're getting the opposing defense reacting and having to move and shift and we're getting open looks. Now, oftentimes we're not pulling the trigger on those open looks, but that's an issue for the portal this year.

Yes, but as I said, that is only because it's built around the highly unicorn-level skill set of two guys who won't be here next year. 

[basketballjones]

1 hour ago, uneblinstu said:

I don't think it has to be one or the other. You don't need to extend him, he's still got four more years on his contract after this season. This can absolutely be a year-by-year deal. 

I did not know that, that is a good thing. Then I would say next year is truly Trev's decision year, not this year. 

[hskr4life]

Just as long as we don’t handicap him and leave him hanging in the wind like we did Miles.  If he’s got 4 years left after this year, good, if not, extend him or let him go.

[brfrad]

14 hours ago, uneblinstu said:

...sigh...

 

 

I have us 6 - 4.  Wins vs FSU, BC, Creighton, Queens, Iowa, and Minnesota.   Losses vs Memphis, Purdue, KSU, and MSU.

[Norm Peterson]

17 hours ago, basketballjones said:

Yes, but as I said, that is only because it's built around the highly unicorn-level skill set of two guys who won't be here next year. 

 

I get it with Walker and agree -- and have said on this forum -- that he's special. But I assume your other unicorn-level skill set guy is Griesel. What do you see him bringing to the table that cannot be duplicated by some other portal option? Is it just his length at the PG spot? He has great length. He has great decision making. He's good at driving to the basket. But he's not a very good perimeter shooter. We might take a step down at that spot next year, but I don't see him as irreplaceable.

 

Also, we have a 6'6 wing sitting out this year who has some mad skeelz, IMO. So, while we're losing one unicorn, I'm hopeful we'll be gaining another one.

 

And let's be clear so there's no confusion in the peanut gallery: I am not saying that he's going to be all-Conference or anything. But I do think he'll be a better shooter/scorer on the wing than what we've been rolling out all season. So we might take a step back in one spot, but hopefully a step forward in another.

[hugh42]

1 hour ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

I get it with Walker and agree -- and have said on this forum -- that he's special. But I assume your other unicorn-level skill set guy is Griesel. What do you see him bringing to the table that cannot be duplicated by some other portal option? Is it just his length at the PG spot? He has great length. He has great decision making. He's good at driving to the basket. But he's not a very good perimeter shooter. We might take a step down at that spot next year, but I don't see him as irreplaceable.

 

Also, we have a 6'6 wing sitting out this year who has some mad skeelz, IMO. So, while we're losing one unicorn, I'm hopeful we'll be gaining another one.

 

And let's be clear so there's no confusion in the peanut gallery: I am not saying that he's going to be all-Conference or anything. But I do think he'll be a better shooter/scorer on the wing than what we've been rolling out all season. So we might take a step back in one spot, but hopefully a step forward in another.

 

Let me add how much I appreciate Walker and Griesel (and Bando) playing for the Huskers. They are talented players that are fun to watch and without them we will certainly look different next season. HCFH will have to tailor his offense to the skill sets that the returning players have, as well as any new additions. This is what every coach has to do every year. Hopefully we will have some guys currently on the roster develop and that the staff can add some solid contributors through the portal.

 

 

[49r]

What makes Sam special in my mind is the fact that he's a home town kid and loyal Husker.  It's that level of pride he has being a Husker that makes him a unicorn.  Sure, there are other more talented players (Lord knows we've had our share of those) but we haven't had one who the name on the front of the jersey means more like him in a while.  Certainly for the Hoiberg era he's the first.

[uneblinstu]

What's so great about college sports, or even just sports in general, is that sometimes the irreplaceable players do get replaced. Walker probably doesn't get replaced in exactly the same way as he produces but steps forward from Kieta and Wilhelm could get us close to Walker's production. Both were highly rated players, so the talent should be there for it to happen. I'm not ruling out help in the portal either.

[cornfed24-7]

52 minutes ago, uneblinstu said:

What's so great about college sports, or even just sports in general, is that sometimes the irreplaceable players do get replaced. Walker probably doesn't get replaced in exactly the same way as he produces but steps forward from Kieta and Wilhelm could get us close to Walker's production. Both were highly rated players, so the talent should be there for it to happen. I'm not ruling out help in the portal either.

I mean I'm not ruling it out either. But I am highly skeptical that Hoiberg can get a collection of talent that can achieve a winning record. 

Edited January 25, 2023 by cornfed24-7

[huskerbaseball13]

On 1/24/2023 at 1:12 AM, FredsSlacks said:

i'm fairly certain half the member on this board could have coached us to a 34-77 record.

 

what exactly is the argument to bring back fred for year 5?

I’ll preface this by saying I really like Trev.  I don’t have any inside info but I just have a feeling Trev will not be eager to have another major coaching search. I think what has been an obvious philosophy change to be more of a Big Ten type team and injuries will be likely used to bring Hoiberg back. 
 

I do hope I’m wrong because I don’t see how Hoiberg turns this bad boy around next year with losing the top players on this team and really the only offensive threats sans Tominaga. And it would surprise nobody if he left to play overseas. 

[Norm Peterson]

2 minutes ago, huskerbaseball13 said:

I’ll preface this by saying I really like Trev.  I don’t have any inside info but I just have a feeling Trev will not be eager to have another major coaching search. I think what has been an obvious philosophy change to be more of a Big Ten type team and injuries will be likely used to bring Hoiberg back. 
 

I do hope I’m wrong because I don’t see how Hoiberg turns this bad boy around next year with losing the top players on this team and really the only offensive threats sans Tominaga. And it would surprise nobody if he left to play overseas. 

 

End of the year discussion.

 

Trev: Well, Fred, I know you had some injuries and you gave it your best, but sometimes ...

 

Fred: And don't forget my best recruit was wearing a K-State uniform scoring 18 points per game.

 

Trev:

 

Fred:

 

Trev: Like I was saying, sometimes you just have to run it back the next year and hope the basketball gods quit acting like dicks.

[Huskerpapa]

7 minutes ago, Norm Peterson said:

 

End of the year discussion.

 

Trev: Well, Fred, I know you had some injuries and you gave it your best, but sometimes ...

 

Fred: And don't forget my best recruit was wearing a K-State uniform scoring 18 points per game.

 

Trev:

 

Fred:

 

Trev: Like I was saying, sometimes you just have to run it back the next year and hope the basketball gods quit acting like dicks.

This was sort of brought up tonight by Kent in his post-game.

[huskerbill85]

On 1/24/2023 at 1:27 PM, uneblinstu said:

...sigh...

 

 

This is good but I also feel like a hypocrite because if Miles didn't have those injuries that team is likely tournament bound and he doesn't get fired. 

[hskr4life]

9 minutes ago, huskerbill85 said:

This is good but I also feel like a hypocrite because if Miles didn't have those injuries that team is likely tournament bound and he doesn't get fired. 

 

 

This was a reply to the tweet.  Don’t know how accurate, but it seems right?

 

 

[FredsSlacks]

i assume he'll get a year 5 in the same way that frost did, but fred has some serious work to do in the offseason for this to be an above .500 team next year. 

[hhcmatt]

On 1/26/2023 at 4:38 AM, FredsSlacks said:

i assume he'll get a year 5 in the same way that frost did, but fred has some serious work to do in the offseason for this to be an above .500 team next year. 

 

It would be different stylistically as Hoiberg showed change and improvement

[FredsSlacks]

18 hours ago, hhcmatt said:

 

It would be different stylistically as Hoiberg showed change and improvement

regardless if he can't replace walker and griesel with 2 quality transfers next year is most likely just another .500 year at best

[Faux Mike Peltz]

I know it’s hard to have trust, but last year at this time, none of us knew Gary, Bando, and SG would be on this year’s team. The portal can fill gaps faster than traditional recruiting. Need to hope the staff and Fred are able to get some other guys to back fill. 

[Silverbacked1]

I would also like to see this whole staff a whole year to get the ship righted.  I think it could be done if they are all allowed to grow.

[Tallbaby21]

Frustrating that we have to nail the portal and have injury luck to stay out of the bottom four.