Scoggins: Fred Hoiberg making another name for himself at undefeated Nebraska

Fred Hoiberg earned the nickname “The Mayor” as a college basketball player at Iowa State in the early 1990s because of his immense popularity. He grew up in Ames, Iowa, became a Cyclones legend on the court and even received write-in votes in that city’s mayoral election in 1993.

The way things are going, Hoiberg might soon get votes for mayor in the city where he was born and is currently scripting a fairytale season.

Lincoln, Nebraska, of all places.

“Go Big Red” chants filled Williams Arena on Saturday, Jan. 24, as the seventh-ranked Cornhuskers men’s basketball team finished off a 76-57 victory over the Gophers to remain undefeated.

The Indiana Hoosiers are the 16-0 national champions in football, and the Nebraska Cornhuskers are 20-0 in basketball.

We have officially entered the Twilight Zone.

“That was pretty cool,” Hoiberg said of the chants. “You obviously see it in football. You see it in volleyball. But this is two in a row [road games] now where we’ve had a huge Nebraska contingent. I think this is a really easy team to root for.”

Both of his parents went to Nebraska. His grandfather, Jerry Bush, coached the Huskers basketball team from 1955 to 1963. Hoiberg was recruited to play football by legendary coach Tom Osborne.

“That was a dream come true,” Hoiberg said. “He was a larger-than-life figure to me.”

Coach Osborne likely will tip his cap to Hoiberg for doing the unthinkable: Turning the Huskers into a basketball success.

Leaning against a wall outside the visitors interview room, Hoiberg shared with the Minnesota Star Tribune his appreciation for his team but also his connection to Minnesota as a former Timberwolves guard and team executive.

He still owns a cabin up north for summer getaways. His brother-in-law and best friend from childhood live in the Twin Cities.

Hoiberg bought the lake home and a membership to Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska around the same time in 2005.

“Then two weeks later I found out I was going to have to have open heart surgery,” he said. “I recovered up at that lake house. That’s where I recovered from my procedure.”

The surgery to repair an aortic root aneurysm ended his playing career. He veered down a different path in coaching, with stints in the NBA and college.

“You start moving all around,” he said. “The one place that we created so many memories [as a family] was up north.”

He’s creating new memories this season with a job performance that stands as a testament to patience.

“I’m thankful,” he said. “I always felt like I was the right guy for this job. I hope I can continue with this for a long time.”

Hoiberg struck gold in the portal, most notably landing Iowa transfer Pryce Sandfort, the team’s leading scorer. Sandfort scored 20 of his game-high 22 points in the second half to ignite a comeback Saturday.

“We found the right guys in the portal that fit who we are,” Hoiberg said. “They fit the standard that we’re trying to live up to. There’s no distractions with this team. It’s just been a really fun group to coach.”

The group includes his son Sam, a senior starting guard who sounds just like his dad when he talks. Sam noted that the locker room was not a happy place at halftime with the Gophers leading 36-30.

“Coaches jumped us,” he said. “They thought they were playing harder than us.”

The Huskers tweaked their defensive strategy and found a rhythm offensively to turn an eight-point deficit early in the second half into a blowout.

Hoiberg’s team is legit. They have veteran experience, a balanced lineup and an offensive system that is difficult to defend.

Their 20-0 record is the best start in program history, as is their No. 7 national ranking.