Ex-Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg is in way better situation with Huskers

It has been 13 months and change since the Bulls fired Fred Hoiberg and replaced him with Jim Boylen. Hoiberg initially took the breakup hard but didn’t mind being back in Chicago this weekend coaching his Nebraska team against Northwestern.

He spent Friday night having dinner with his daughter. Meanwhile, the Bulls fell to the Pelicans for their sixth consecutive loss.

It could turn out that Hoiberg’s fresh start with Nebraska was one of the best things that has happened to him.

He’s in total control of the Huskers’ rebuilding program. He doesn’t have to answer to a general manager. It also helps that Nebraska has ample resources, including a state-of-the-art practice facility and the $179 million Pinnacle Bank Arena, to draw in recruits.

Those were reasons why Hoiberg was drawn to the job.

Nebraska has been somewhat unpredictable through 16 games. The Cornhuskers lost to UC Riverside and Southern Utah in nonconference play, but in the Big Ten have beaten Purdue and took Indiana to overtime.

However, after upsetting Iowa earlier this week, Nebraska (7-9, 2-3) fell short against Northwestern (6-9, 1-4) on Saturday. In the first half, the Huskers’ defense lacked intensity. They clawed at a 15-point deficit in the second half, but ultimately lost 62-57 to a subpar Wildcats team that won its first Big Ten game.

Hoiberg is focused on the big picture.

“For us this year with all the new faces and all the youth, we want to see growth with our team and we’ve seen that,” said -Hoiberg, who brought back only one player from last season’s team. “Our guys have gotten -better. They’re playing together for the most part, but we just need to be a more consistent -basketball team, and we were the other night.”

Hoiberg took one year to turn Iowa State’s program around. He led the Cyclones to their first March Madness appearance in seven years and then followed with three consecutive berths before being hired by the Bulls.

Hoiberg believes he can have the same success at Nebraska, which has made one NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 20 years.

“I hope we’re in the mix next year,” Hoiberg said after the loss to Northwestern. “We have a chance to get it turned around quickly. It’s one of the things that really drew me to this job. We can build it very similar to how we can build it at Iowa State, so I’m excited.”

Northwestern coach Chris Collins believes it’s possible.

“They’re going to be very good,” he said. “I really like what Fred’s done. When you have so many new guys . . . people don’t realize you don’t just put nine guys together and just because they’re talented or whatever . . . it takes time to become a team. Fred and his staff have been very creative with how they can be competitive with this group. That’s what good coaching is.”

Now let’s check on Hoiberg’s former -employer.

The Bulls finally won their first game of 2020 with a 108-99 victory Saturday against the Pistons. But after setting a goal of making the playoffs this season, the Bulls are 1-16 against teams over .500.

So, yeah, it’s safe to say not much has changed. Who will figure it out first: -Hoiberg’s Huskers or Boylen’s Bulls?

Let’s put it this way: If Hoiberg can take Nebraska to unprecedented heights like he did at Iowa State, then we’ll know who wasn’t at fault in Chicago.