We know one way to help spice up the rest of the summer.
It’s mailbag time.
You came through once again with superb questions, so let’s get this rolling.
Why do you constantly try to equate Scott Frost and Fred Hoiberg? Take out the COVID year — Frost had two full years to show progress. He regressed. Hoiberg had one year. Not to mention, Frost came in shooting his mouth off about the Big Ten adjusting to them. Hoiberg did nothing of the sort. He just went to work. End of the day, it’s not the same and yet you get worked up when Hoiberg is rightly treated with more grace than Frost — Jeff W.
You clearly listen closely to “Early Break” on 93.7 FM. Thank you.
You might consider that my way of thinking has been impacted on some level by covering a Nebraska football program that twice fired head coaches following nine-win seasons. Perhaps I’ve become a bit callous, and somewhat irrational. But consider that Frank Solich was 58-19 (.753) in six seasons before getting the axe. Then, Bo Pelini was 67-27 (.713) in seven seasons before being jettisoned.
So, tell me more about grace.
I get it. Hoiberg inherited a depleted roster, and had little time to revamp it. But his two-year record in Big Ten play is a woefully inept 5-34 (.128). Pope Francis would struggle with the idea of grace when pondering 5-34.
My guess is Hoiberg doesn’t expect much grace with that record.
He’s a hard-core competitor. I’m sure all the losing grates on him. If it doesn’t, there’s something seriously wrong.
We should add that Hoiberg benefits from the “good-guy factor.” He’s unfailingly pleasant and professional. His family has embraced the community. What’s more, he’s seemingly made significant upgrades to his roster, highlighted by five-star shooting guard Bryce McGowens. That said, I don’t want to go too far with this sort of praise because Nebraska fans have been burned too many times by fluffy offseason optimism.
(Yes, I’ve often contributed to it).
One other thing: I don’t dismiss the idea of closely evaluating programs during the COVID year as quickly as some might. I appreciated the aggressive manner that Frost and his program attacked the situation, even if the results (3-5 record) didn’t always reflect it.
Hoiberg’s program was hit hard by COVID. Hoiberg himself was hit hard. It was a trying time for a lot of people in the program. The Huskers were on pause for basically a month and had five Big Ten games postponed. They came off pause and went 3-12, including a loss to Penn State in the conference tournament.
No question, Hoiberg and company deserve a level of grace. But I don’t think it does anyone good to overdo it.
Did I mention 5-34?
It’s a rugged, bottom-line business. NU hoops fans should expect the program — 14-45 (.237) overall under Hoiberg — to finish in the .500 range in 2021-22.
That’d make it much easier to show grace.
I expect Nebraska football to win at least nine games this season and make a high-profile bowl game. Is that high or low? — Mark H.
You may be shooting a bit high.
So says veteran NFL and college football handicapper Lee Sterling of Paramount Sports.
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Can you ever remember a Nebraska football season where expectations were so low? — Bill M.
