Being mostly new to Nebraska Basketball, I have a question about program identity and how it is viewed. Context...I essentially became a college basketball fan at ISU, watching Fred Hoiberg for 4 years.
A friend, UNL alum, and I went to a game in Hilton and he was shocked by the whole Johnny Orr as the dominant face of the program, the Tonight Show Theme play-in with a clear focus on the head coach. He thought it was strange that the players weren’t the focus. Johnny Orr was the face of that program and was the architect of most of their success at the time.
So, remembering that tidbit, it seems like the “celebrity” coach might be a fairly foreign concept in this program. Nebraska’s essentially never had a “name” coach of any kind until now, even in the 25-ish years since then. Fred isn’t flashy or folksy like Johnny was. But, Fred is drawing serious coin and with that, attention.
How has Nebraska typically viewed the identity of the program, based on the top players of a particular year or era? Recently, PBA?
Does this hire represent/require a real or perceived mental shift for the fanbase?
A friend, UNL alum, and I went to a game in Hilton and he was shocked by the whole Johnny Orr as the dominant face of the program, the Tonight Show Theme play-in with a clear focus on the head coach. He thought it was strange that the players weren’t the focus. Johnny Orr was the face of that program and was the architect of most of their success at the time.
So, remembering that tidbit, it seems like the “celebrity” coach might be a fairly foreign concept in this program. Nebraska’s essentially never had a “name” coach of any kind until now, even in the 25-ish years since then. Fred isn’t flashy or folksy like Johnny was. But, Fred is drawing serious coin and with that, attention.
How has Nebraska typically viewed the identity of the program, based on the top players of a particular year or era? Recently, PBA?
Does this hire represent/require a real or perceived mental shift for the fanbase?