Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
His bosses have announced they’ve seen enough progress to keep him in charge of the Nebraska men’s basketball program.
His detractors, of course, aren’t sure about the soundness of that decision and continue to carry on a debate that endured throughout the recently concluded season.
With Barry Collier’s every move under such close scrutiny, perhaps the question that now needs asking is this: How much does the 51-year-old enjoy being the Huskers’ coach?
Try asking Collier that and you won’t be able to get the words out of your mouth.
“Let me interrupt,” he said Monday as soon as he detected the line of questioning. “I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to say that I love being at Nebraska. I love coaching these kids. I think this is a great place for young men to come and grow and learn and be together.”
Through thick and, often, thin.
During his first five years at Nebraska, Collier produced one winning (and postseason-appearing) team.
This season, a squad comprised of nine first-year Huskers went 10-3 playing a non-conference schedule designed to achieve success. Picked to finish 10th in the Big 12, NU then made its first semi-serious run under Collier for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
But after going 5-3 through the first half of Big 12 Conference play, the Huskers went 2-6, including 2- and 1-point losses to lower-division opponents during the final week of the regular season.
That still left NU in sixth place. But the two wins it produced at the league tournament — another first for a Collier squad — were what sealed a bid to the National Invitation Tournament.
Finally, the Huskers’ roller coaster stopped with a loss at Hofstra on Thursday, leaving them with a respectable 19-14 ride that also illustrated the difficulty Collier faces in bringing them their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1998.
“It’s a challenge to coach at Nebraska because the Big 12 is such a challenge,” he said. “That’s probably the No. 1 aspect of this job. It’s also the No. 1 reason I came to this job. It’s a great challenge, and I think that’s what you want.”
Now 89-91 at Nebraska, Collier has two years remaining in a four-year contract. He seems unbothered by a notion that the sand in his hourglass is running low.
“We talk about staying focused on things you can control and not letting yourselves be anxious about thing you can’t control. That is a pretty good way to live, much less play basketball,” Collier said. “I think our guys did a pretty good job of that (this season).”
But what about breaking through the NCAA Tournament door, coach?
“I don’t think that it’s a given, but I can remember having a conversation with another coach in our league before last season talking about how close we’ve been,” Collier said. “I think anybody can see we were very close to pushing into a level where we would’ve earned an opportunity to go to the NCAA Tournament.”
Nebraska loses two starting senior forwards — Jason Dourisseau and Wes Wilkinson — but returns the rest of its regular rotation.
Center Aleks Maric will be a junior and expected to be one of the league’s premier players. Guard Jamel White was named to this year’s Big 12 all-freshman unit.
“We’ve got pieces,” said point guard Charles Richardson. “We’ve got to work a little more on our work ethic.”
Richardson, who will be the lone fourth-year senior on next year’s team, promises that issue will get settled during off-season workouts.
“Guys come to me every day asking what our off-season is going to be like,” he said, acknowledging that he’ll have no trouble playing drill sergeant. “I can understand how Jason, Wes (and senior walk-ons) Bronsen (Schliep) and Tony (Wilbrand) felt as far as making their goal list. Their No. 1 goal was to make the NCAA Tournament. That will be my No. 1 goal. I’ve achieved everything else.”
Richardson was then reminded that his coach had recently asked his returning players to spend a couple of weeks recouping and focusing their energies on matters outside of basketball.
“I want this thing so bad,” Richardson said. “Give it a week and I’ll be back in the gym.”
His detractors, of course, aren’t sure about the soundness of that decision and continue to carry on a debate that endured throughout the recently concluded season.
With Barry Collier’s every move under such close scrutiny, perhaps the question that now needs asking is this: How much does the 51-year-old enjoy being the Huskers’ coach?
Try asking Collier that and you won’t be able to get the words out of your mouth.
“Let me interrupt,” he said Monday as soon as he detected the line of questioning. “I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to say that I love being at Nebraska. I love coaching these kids. I think this is a great place for young men to come and grow and learn and be together.”
Through thick and, often, thin.
During his first five years at Nebraska, Collier produced one winning (and postseason-appearing) team.
This season, a squad comprised of nine first-year Huskers went 10-3 playing a non-conference schedule designed to achieve success. Picked to finish 10th in the Big 12, NU then made its first semi-serious run under Collier for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
But after going 5-3 through the first half of Big 12 Conference play, the Huskers went 2-6, including 2- and 1-point losses to lower-division opponents during the final week of the regular season.
That still left NU in sixth place. But the two wins it produced at the league tournament — another first for a Collier squad — were what sealed a bid to the National Invitation Tournament.
Finally, the Huskers’ roller coaster stopped with a loss at Hofstra on Thursday, leaving them with a respectable 19-14 ride that also illustrated the difficulty Collier faces in bringing them their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1998.
“It’s a challenge to coach at Nebraska because the Big 12 is such a challenge,” he said. “That’s probably the No. 1 aspect of this job. It’s also the No. 1 reason I came to this job. It’s a great challenge, and I think that’s what you want.”
Now 89-91 at Nebraska, Collier has two years remaining in a four-year contract. He seems unbothered by a notion that the sand in his hourglass is running low.
“We talk about staying focused on things you can control and not letting yourselves be anxious about thing you can’t control. That is a pretty good way to live, much less play basketball,” Collier said. “I think our guys did a pretty good job of that (this season).”
But what about breaking through the NCAA Tournament door, coach?
“I don’t think that it’s a given, but I can remember having a conversation with another coach in our league before last season talking about how close we’ve been,” Collier said. “I think anybody can see we were very close to pushing into a level where we would’ve earned an opportunity to go to the NCAA Tournament.”
Nebraska loses two starting senior forwards — Jason Dourisseau and Wes Wilkinson — but returns the rest of its regular rotation.
Center Aleks Maric will be a junior and expected to be one of the league’s premier players. Guard Jamel White was named to this year’s Big 12 all-freshman unit.
“We’ve got pieces,” said point guard Charles Richardson. “We’ve got to work a little more on our work ethic.”
Richardson, who will be the lone fourth-year senior on next year’s team, promises that issue will get settled during off-season workouts.
“Guys come to me every day asking what our off-season is going to be like,” he said, acknowledging that he’ll have no trouble playing drill sergeant. “I can understand how Jason, Wes (and senior walk-ons) Bronsen (Schliep) and Tony (Wilbrand) felt as far as making their goal list. Their No. 1 goal was to make the NCAA Tournament. That will be my No. 1 goal. I’ve achieved everything else.”
Richardson was then reminded that his coach had recently asked his returning players to spend a couple of weeks recouping and focusing their energies on matters outside of basketball.
“I want this thing so bad,” Richardson said. “Give it a week and I’ll be back in the gym.”
