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Barry Collier to be named Butler AD

August 1, 2006

Barry Collier to be named Butler AD

By Jeff Rabjohns

Jeff.rabjohns@indystar.com

Barry Collier will be introduced as Butler University’s new athletic director at 2 p.m. this afternoon.

Collier leaves the Nebraska men’s basketball program with two years remaining on a four-year contract.

Collier, who coached six years at Nebraska with no NCAA Tournament appearances, remains popular in Butler circles for leading to the Bulldogs to three NCAA Tournaments.

Collier played two seasons at Butler (1974-76) and returned as the Bulldogs’ head coach in 1989 and stayed for 11 years. He took over a program that had been above .500 only five times in the 19 years since legendary Tony Hinkle retired in 1970 and led the Bulldogs to three NCAA Tournaments and three NIT appearances.

Collier, 196-132 at Butler, is behind only Hinkle in coaching victories. Collier was inducted into the Butler athletic Hall of Fame on Sunday.

 
Butler University has chosen Nebraska basketball coach Barry Collier as its new athletic director. "I just spoke with Barry Collier, and he informed me that he has accepted the athletic director position at Butler University,'' Nebraska Athletic Director Steve Peterson said in a statement. "We wish him all the best in his new career path.''

 
I hope we pursue Fox from Nevada. First off, he is a younger guy with a lot of energy. Secondly, he has been very succussful in his tenure there at Nevada.

 
ESPN link

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Barry Collier resigned as Nebraska's basketball coach Tuesday to become athletic director at Butler, where he coached basketball for 11 years.

Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson announced the move and was to appear at a news conference later in the day with executive associate athletic director Marc Boehm.

"We wish him all the best in his new career path," Pederson said.

Collier, who coached at Butler from 1989-2000, has declined comment. He was the Bulldogs' winningest coach and was inducted into Butler's Hall of Fame on Saturday.

The 52-year-old Collier coached the Cornhuskers for six years. His job status was the subject of speculation last season before Pederson announced after the Big 12 tournament that Collier would be retained.

If he had been fired at the end of the season, it would have cost Nebraska $976,090 to buy out the last two years of his four-year contract. Collier will be taking a likely $400,000-plus salary cut with his move to Butler.

The Cornhuskers finished 19-13 last season but lost six of their last eight regular-season games to finish in sixth place in the Big 12 at 7-9. They knocked off Missouri and Oklahoma to reach the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament. The Huskers played in the NIT, losing to Hofstra.

Collier left Butler in 2000, going 196-132 with winning records in all but two years at the Indianapolis school. He guided the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament in 1997, 1998 and 2000. As a player at Butler, Collier was the team's co-MVP in 1975-76.

Even though it is early August, Nebraska is confident that they can land a quality head coach, according to a source. The most obvious candidate isn't likely to move in. Dana Altman of rival Creighton is at a basketball-crazed school, and he makes comparable money (reported by the Omaha World-Herald as being between $700,000 and $800,000).

High on Nebraska's list are Nevada's Mark Fox, a former Kansas State assistant, and Kent State's Jim Christian.

Fox, though, returns four of five starters to the Wolf Pack, including potential WAC MVP Nick Fazekas who withdrew from the NBA draft in June. Fox signed a five-year deal with a buyout of $250,000 prior to last season. His wife, Cindy, is an assistant athletic director at the school. Nevada is likely going to be picked as the favorite to win the WAC and get back to the NCAAs. The Wolf Pack will be without forward Demarshay Johnson for the first semester after he was ruled academically ineligible. A source close to Fox said he hasn't been contacted.

Christian, who was an assistant at Pitt in the late '90s when current Nebraska athletic director Steve Pederson and assistant AD Marc Boehm were at Pitt, may be more likely to make the jump at this stage. A source close to Christian said he would leave if Nebraska offered the job. Christian signed a seven-year contract following the Golden Flashes' 25-9 season and NCAA Tournament berth after winning the MAC tournament title game. Christian has a buyout of $250,000, as well.

The Huskers may also look at Rice coach Willis Wilson. But the focus, according to sources, could be Fox and Christian with the Huskers likely to move quickly once Collier tells them that he is out.

 
If Pederson is going to hire a mid-major guy, he better give the fella in Omaha a call. :thumbs
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:lol: Unfortunatley, Altman wouldn't leave Creighton for the Huskers. That would almost be like taking a step down for him, even though he would be going to a Big XII school. He has everything he needs at Creighton, and I think he would only leave for a big time gig, and right now the Huskers are not that.

 
If Pederson is going to hire a mid-major guy, he better give the fella in Omaha a call. :thumbs
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:lol: Unfortunatley, Altman wouldn't leave Creighton for the Huskers. That would almost be like taking a step down for him, even though he would be going to a Big XII school. He has everything he needs at Creighton, and I think he would only leave for a big time gig, and right now the Huskers are not that.
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I think you're right. After what George Mason did last year as a mid-major, I think Creighton has what it takes to make it that far as well. They had a ridiculous haul in recruiting the last year and they have a kid who transferred from Kansas that had to sit out last year that will be in the mix this year. Altman would be the best mid-major coach out there, in my opinion. It never hurts to give him a call and see if he is interested, the worst he can say is no.

 
I am not that much of a fan of the sport, i hope that the Huskers will get someone that can recruit and coach. A few winning seasons and a tourny bid could help bring the huskers to the next level

 
If Pederson is going to hire a mid-major guy, he better give the fella in Omaha a call. :thumbs
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:lol: Unfortunatley, Altman wouldn't leave Creighton for the Huskers. That would almost be like taking a step down for him, even though he would be going to a Big XII school. He has everything he needs at Creighton, and I think he would only leave for a big time gig, and right now the Huskers are not that.
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I think you're right. After what George Mason did last year as a mid-major, I think Creighton has what it takes to make it that far as well. They had a ridiculous haul in recruiting the last year and they have a kid who transferred from Kansas that had to sit out last year that will be in the mix this year. Altman would be the best mid-major coach out there, in my opinion. It never hurts to give him a call and see if he is interested, the worst he can say is no.
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Altman is one of the highest paid mid-major coaches in the country, and he has such high job security at Creighton that I dont see him leaving there anytime soon. Altman is almost worshiped by the Creighton athletic department. Plus, why would he give all this up at a BASKETBALL school to take a less fortunate program at a FOOTBALl school??

 
I think you're right. After what George Mason did last year as a mid-major, I think Creighton has what it takes to make it that far as well. They had a ridiculous haul in recruiting the last year and they have a kid who transferred from Kansas that had to sit out last year that will be in the mix this year. Altman would be the best mid-major coach out there, in my opinion. It never hurts to give him a call and see if he is interested, the worst he can say is no.
Click to expand...
Altman is one of the highest paid mid-major coaches in the country, and he has such high job security at Creighton that I dont see him leaving there anytime soon. Altman is almost worshiped by the Creighton athletic department. Plus, why would he give all this up at a BASKETBALL school to take a less fortunate program at a FOOTBALl school??

Pretty much. There is no real incentive for him to come to NU, but he would be the best available coach. According to the world herald this morning, Pederson won't pursue him. He didn't really specify why, but stated he had tremendous respect for him. Fine by me, I like driving about 5 minutes to watch great basketball games. I think he will retire a Bluejay.

 
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