The Doc is back.
After five years as the head coach for Southern Miss, Doc Sadler is returning to Nebraska to join head coach Fred Hoiberg’s staff as an assistant coach, the school announced Friday.
“I am excited with the staff we have put together,” Hoiberg said in a press release. “I wanted to put together an experienced staff and saw how important that was in our past success. We wanted to get the right mix of coaches who can go out and recruit the players we need to be successful and also do a good job of teaching on the floor.
“In talking with Doc, you see that Nebraska is a special place for him, and I am excited to bring him back on staff. Doc was an instrumental part of our staff at Iowa State when we won our first Big 12 Tournament title in 2014. Not only does he bring a wealth of experience and an extensive recruiting background, but he is a highly respected coach on the floor who will be valuable on our staff.”
Sadler announced his resignation from Southern Miss Thursday morning, just one day after multiple reports suggested he was among those being considered for an assistant position at Nebraska. During a press conference held Thursday afternoon, Sadler said, according to WJTV 12’s Jesse Finver, he doesn’t want to be a head coach anymore, that he asks a lot of his players and he doesn’t want to demand something he’s not giving back himself.
For Nebraska, it’s a reunion with a coach who was fired in 2011 but is still very much a popular figure throughout the fanbase. Sadler was hired in 2006 and coached for six seasons. During that time, he went 101-89 with four winning seasons. Then-Athletic Director Tom Osborne decided to part ways in 2011 on the heels of a 12-18 campaign. Miles was hired after.
The Huskers also announced that Armon Gates, a first-year assistant under Tim Miles in 2018, will be retained as Hoiberg’s third assistant.
“I’ve been impressed with Armon as I’ve gotten to work with him over the past week,” Hoiberg said. “He’s been good on the floor with our players during workouts and gives our staff someone who has experience with both our current players and of the Big Ten.”
Finally, Bobby Lutz, a former head coach at Charlotte, has officially been named as a special assistant on Hoiberg’s staff. Lutz brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to Nebraska and reunites with Hoiberg after a season spent together at Iowa State and time spent with the Bulls. Lutz has won nearly 400 games as a college head coach and reached the postseason 22 times as either a head coach or an assistant.
“Bobby was my first hire when I got to Ames, and I relied on him during my first year of coaching,” Hoiberg said. “He has an unbelievable basketball mind and is a great sounding board for me with his experience as a head coach. Bobby’s basketball knowledge and expertise will be a great resource for our staff.”
So far, Hoiberg has surrounded himself with people he knows well. Abdelmassih coached at Iowa State with Hoiberg as an assistant from 2011-2015 and before that was hired by Hoiberg during his time in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ front office. Lutz, a former Charlotte head coach, was in Ames with Hoiberg for the 2010-11 season. Sadler was an assistant for Hoiberg during the 2013-14 season.
