Fred Hoiberg promises Nebraska fans to turn program around moving forward

The Nebraska Cornhuskers ended their season in disappointment, missing the Big Ten Tournament after finishing in the bottom three for the conference standings. Now, head coach Fred Hoiberg knows he needs to find a way to turn things around quickly.

Hoiberg appeared on Huskers Radio Network recently. There, he made a promise to Nebraska fans that he’s going to turn the program around and avoid another similar season to this one.

“I promise you this, Husker Nation, we are going to do everything we can to get this thing back to where we are in the tournament,” Fred Hoiberg said. “And we are going to be there consistently. This place means the world to me. I absolutely love it. I’m passionate about it.”

Nebraska was one of five Big Ten teams to finish 7-13 in conference play this season. That included a five-game losing streak and six losses in their last seven games to finish the season. Amid that, the Cornhuskers got the worst of the tiebreakers and missed the conference tournament.

For Hoiberg and Nebraska, turning things around starts with recruiting. That includes from the high school ranks and in the Transfer Portal. However, it’s also important to get the right type of players for this program.

“We’ve got staff right now that are out on the road recruiting, and once the portal opens up, obviously, we’re going to be active in it. We’re going to put a team on the court that’s going to fit the values of Huskers. I think this team was,” Hoiberg said. “It was a hard-working team. We just did not close out games the way we needed to. We’re going to do everything in our power to get this thing right and get a consistent winner on the court.”

Since getting to Nebraska in 2019, Fred Hoiberg has been working to build the program to be competitive in the Big Ten. That’s included back-to-back last-place finishes in his first two seasons with the program and making his first NCAA Tournament with Nebraska in 2024. Overall, he has a record of 80-108 with the program.

For Hoiberg, the 2024-25 season will be one marred by missed opportunities. In particular, he knows his team needed to be better in close games, after going 1-7 in overtime and one-possession games this past season.

“We’re going to be back next year and hopefully do a better job,” Hoiberg said. “We had some great wins this year but too many one-possession [losses] where you’ve got to find a way, whatever it takes.”

The offseason is going to be a difficult one for Fred Hoiberg and Nebraska. However, if it’s a successful one, he knows he can take Nebraska back to the NCAA Tournament.