As Nebraska's roster comes into shape, role acceptance will be paramount

MINNEAPOLIS – Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg reeled off one veteran player after another while discussing his 2023-24 team during Big Ten Media Day on Tuesday.

The good news for the Huskers is that they boast arguably their deepest roster since Hoiberg’s arrival in 2019. The challenge with that, though, is figuring out how to manage that many potential lineup combinations.

With nine players having four or more years of college basketball experience, NU holds the conference’s oldest roster on average. That includes returning 50% of its scoring from 2022-23 and adding five upperclassmen transfers over the offseason.

Figuring out the ideal balance with Nebraska’s starting lineup and bench rotation will be no easy task. But it’s one that Hoiberg is happy to undertake.

“That is going to be a challenge, but it’s a good challenge for us and a good problem to have when you have great depth,” Hoiberg said. “Our big thing right now is figuring out the rotation. We had our first intrasquad scrimmage of fall camp, and we’re going to have another one on Thursday. That’s where you figure out who is going to be in your rotation.

“Early on, the rotation may not be the same as it is as you go throughout the year. How certain players respond to pressure, situations on the court. But I’m really mixing the teams pretty much on a daily basis to see who fits with each other.

“The one thing that I think you’ll see with this team with the depth is we’re going to have a lot of different combinations we can put on the floor. We can play smaller, more skilled line-ups, but we can also play big, and I think have a chance of being a team that can punish some people, especially on the glass, which we have not had that in my time at Nebraska.”

With so many veterans who have played extensive minutes in their careers, role acceptance will be critical to making this roster reach its potential. Hoiberg has complete faith that the players will buy in regardless of their position in the lineup.

“That’s the challenge right now, is figuring out not only who starts – which I really could care less about – but more importantly, who is going to finish the game for us,” Hoiberg said. “Again, I keep throwing the word “mature” out, but it is a mature group, and we talk a lot about role acceptance. Whatever role you have, you have to shine and star in that role. I’m confident our guys will do that.”

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Nebraska is exploring all options at point guard

After losing Sam Griesel and Emmanuel Bandoumel to graduation, Nebraska had a glaring void at point guard this offseason.

The Huskers returned several potential options for that role. But none who served as primary ball handlers much at all a year ago. They added Iowa transfer point guard Ahron Ulis from the transfer portal. However, his availability remains in question due to his involvement in a sports gambling investigation.

During its foreign trip to Spain, NU added Ball State graduate transfer point guard Jarron “Boogie” Coleman on August 6.

As Nebraska enters official preseason practices, Hoiberg knows he’ll need more depth at his lead guard spot. That’s why he’s looking at a few other options to help with those duties.

Sophomore Jamarques Lawrence, who played primarily off the ball as a freshman, is now working almost exclusively at point guard.

“It’s a shift in mentality,” Hoiberg said. “I have to continue to remind him to be aggressive. What’s made him a special player over the course of his career is his ability to put the ball in the basket. But now the balance of running an offense and running the show and getting players involved is something that he is still learning.

“It probably will continue to learn as we play the first couple of games of the season. I’ve been really pleased with Jamarques going out there and running the show for us.”

Junior Brice Williams, a 6-foot-8 transfer wing from Charlotte, is also practicing some PG.

“I think he’s going to be able to bring the ball,” Hoiberg said. “We’ve been using him a little bit at the point spot. That’s one of the questions, I think, on our team. He has handled that very well to this point.”

Hoiberg has also said sharpshooter Keisei Tominaga could bring the ball up. As could bigs like Rienk Mast and Josiah Allick. That’s in addition to guards Sam Hoiberg and Ramel Lloyd.

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