Nebraska Cornhuskers coach safe for season
According to a recent report made by The Associated Press, Nebraska’s Doc Sadler can rest a little bit easier knowing that his job is secure, at least through the end of the season. On Wednesday 10 November, Nebraska athletic director (AD) Tom Osborne assured
the men’s head basketball coach that he has the administration’s full support through the 2010-11 campaign.
Osborne stated that no matter how the team finishes this season, he has no plans to axe the coach in the foreseeable future. Instead, the AD is looking ahead, stating that Sadler should be afforded the opportunity to entice potential recruits with the Cornhuskers’
new practice facility that is scheduled to open next fall. Nebraska is also expected to relocate to a new arena in 2013.
Although Sadler’s contract isn’t set to expire until the 2013-14 season, the coach will likely have to improve upon his current record if he hopes to garner an extension with the school. In four seasons at the helm, Sadler has gone a mediocre 70-58, with an
in-conference record of just 23-41. The Huskers, who have not made the NCAA tournament since 1998, have never finished better than seventh in the Big 12 during the coach’s tenure.
Still, Osborne believes in providing his coach the opportunity to improve with the prospect of Nebraska’s new facilities, noting that Sadler has never cited his resources (or apparent lack thereof) to garner sympathy.
“He’s never asked for anything,” the athletic director said. “When you figure most of the schools in the Big 12 have practice facilities or are completing them, it’s pretty hard to recruit. When you don’t have a huge tradition in basketball and your facilities
aren’t as good as some other people, we’re going to have facilities with the addition of the arena that will be in the upper 10 per cent nationally.”
And, even as Osborne looks to the future, he hopes that his decision to support Sadler will pay dividends as early as this season.
“I think he’s got a chance to be a factor to be reckoned with in the Big 12,” Osborne said. “I certainly don’t mean to say he should be favoured or anything like that, but he should have a good team.”
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