He'll be fine at Nebraska, and keep them in tourney contention most years, but I don't see him taking the Huskers to the highs TJ is on the cusp of taking ISU to.
Is Fred Nebraska's... Fran?
He'll be fine at Nebraska, and keep them in tourney contention most years, but I don't see him taking the Huskers to the highs TJ is on the cusp of taking ISU to.
Literally every season at least since ISU was back in NCAA tourney contention under Fred, probably before that, everybody says the bubble is soft/weak. Every year, everybody says this exact same thing.
At some point has something structurally changed that makes this so? Is it that there have become 40 or so programs that have really separated themselves as perennial locks or close to it, that there is always this big dropoff?
Just wondering, because from when I started regaining interest in bracket predictions in 2011-12, every year everybody seems to say the bubble is weak this year.
I think grandpa was there 9 seasons, not 5. (I checked only because the total games tally didn't align with difference in schedule length comparing now to then).What is the worst NCAA W/L record for a grandpa/grandson combo? To his credit, Fred is trying to help the family legacy. Also, looking this up, this is Fred's 6th year at Neb and he was here 5.
Grandpa 81-132 / 38-80
Grandson 80-105 / 37-77
I was not clear - Fred was here 5 and already in his 6th year at Neb.I think grandpa was there 9 seasons, not 5. (I checked only because the total games tally didn't align with difference in schedule length comparing now to then).
This is very accurate and I might add that Fred never was much about coaching up defense intensity. When he was successful in Ames it was offensive production that won similar to the coaching style of his college coach Johnny Orr. Fred is an NBA coach who stresses scoring. As far as why Nebraska can’t get over the hump in basketball, it’s a known fact that the sports fan in Omaha/Lincoln is a Big Red fan in the fall and a Blue Jay fan in the winter. Until NU can lure Rick Pitino to Lincoln they’ll never be a player in basketball.If memory serves when Fred came to ISU Pollard asked him how he plans to turn the program around and into a winner. Fred's plan was to find skilled players with a rocky past looking for a fresh slate. Essentially inventing roster building through transfers. At the time it was an NBA view of roster building which Fred was good with coming from an NBA front office position.
This is something that is just part of the system today so he now doesn't have a leg up on everyone by already having a plan of attack. Everyone else is doing it too now.
With the plan in place he then needed to evaluate the talent and see who would fit the program. It worked well at first since Fred was driven and motivated to make his plan work. Over time Fred famously began to hate the recruitment process and later transfers didn't pan out as well. If you look back and see who was involved with some of the best transfer recruits you'll find TJ's name frequently. The real talent evaluation was likely done by TJ or some other assistants. We have seen TJ still being successful in this process and I believe this proves he was the true source of making this system work.
I believe this isn't working at for Fred at Nebraska because he doesn't have the same quality of people around him, he doesn't have the same passion and drive, and he isn't doing something nobody else considered viable.
Thanks for clarifying, I misunderstood.I was not clear - Fred was here 5 and already in his 6th year a Neb.
I have to say that Iowa State has not always been known as a basketball school.I know everyone says "Football School or "basketball School" or in Iowa's case, "womens basketball school". However, it's pretty true. Most schools are usually known for something. Iowa State is known for Basketball and has always been. Nebraska is a football school. So when recruiting for basketball it seems it was very hard to get recruits. Sure a couple good players here and there. Just when you think "Where am I giong to go play basketball, Schools like Nebraska, Minnesota and so on don't get recruits. Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, K STate are known as basketball schools and it shows.
I have to say that Iowa State has not always been known as a basketball school.
I'm not so sure we have enough of a basketball resume over that time to truly be a basketball school. In the last 40 years we have two regular season titles and an elite 8. I think we as a fanbase over inflate our status as a basketball school because of our strong fan support in hoops and our comparative lack of football success. Nationally a lot of fans likely view us as a nothing school.Since the early 80’s though. We have never been a football school. Couple good years here and there but mostly basketball