1-on-1 with DP – 93.7 The Ticket KNTK - Sam Hoiberg (Nebraska Basketball Guard): May 10th, 10am

Episode Date: May 10, 2022

How do you deal with the negativity aimed at your dad?Social media?Coach or Dad?People see you as practice squad/bench player, what say you?What are you trying to improve on?What was the year like for you? Practicing and putting in the work but not getting into gamesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It's time to go one-on-one with D.P. Coming at you live from the Coppull Chevrolet GMC Studios, here is your host, Derek Pearson, presented by Beatrice Bakery, on 937 The Ticket and the Ticketfm.com. Tuesday morning, 10 o'clock, one-on-one, brought you by the folks from Beatrice Bakery. We want to thank them for what they do, providing this hour of sports radio. 402, 464, 5685, Sartarhamming text line,

Honda Liggin Hotline, you can follow on the Sartarhamming video stream, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and now Twitter Live. So you can see what's going on in the studio. You can hit the app. The app is flowing and fluid. It's good, good. Ticketfm.com, if you want to just jump on the website and click the watch now, listen now, button, whatever you want to do.

I'm going to kill a couple of birds with the same stone today. within what we do, and Beatrice's Bakery allows us to put smiles on the faces of people who do extraordinary things, extraordinary work from extraordinary places. And in this community, there's somebody who does an extraordinary job under very, very unique circumstances. So what we would like to do is put together a small care package for this person because they carry, they carry, they do the heavy lifting. It's a familiar name.

But it does not get the conversation required because while her husband runs the basketball program and her sons are all excelling at life, she holds it down. She holds it down. And I think the stories that can be told and should be told come from the matriarch. It holds it down. So we're going to send some goodies with Sam for his mom just to say she is. is appreciated and thought well of. We know that sitting in a stand and staying some nights isn't fun.

We know that making sure that you guys are on time and in place isn't always easy. And then she has to be the voice of reason when alpha males decide they're going to alpha to their own detriment. So to your mom, we want to send a little care package. It's courtesy of folks in Beatrice's bakery. Just to say thank you. Let's bring in our guest, Sam Hoyberg. Sam, let's talk about mom because dad's, his career has been like it's easily trackable.

But within that, there's somebody who holds it together. When the health goes left, holds it together, when the job changes and the moves have to happen, has to hold together when the sons have to learn to find their way in a new community, a new state, and a new spot. She holds it together. Who is she? Talk about your mom. my mom's the best she i mean

whenever we've had to do moves and stuff she's always been like extremely positive about it and just makes us like because when we had to move here especially me and my brother we were very like negative about it and she kept us positive just wanted us to keep like just give it a chance and we loved it here so i mean it's always listened to mom at our home like we know she knows best and she's always going to be there for us

how much of ball games before you're on the bench of the game when you're sitting in the crowd how much of what said in this in the building do you hear i mean so because we there was COVID the year before i got here and then the year before that like i didn't there was that much talk that i heard okay at least just because that team was obviously new and we had two football players playing at one point. There wasn't a lot you could say about them. And I don't, I try to tune it out. So it's, it's not too bad.

How do you tune out social media? How do you deal with it? Yeah, I mean, I try my best too. Like sometimes I'll look on Twitter and stuff, but I don't take anything seriously from what people say. Well, they don't know you. Yeah. So like, I especially learned that from when my dad was with the Bulls, like all the people,

all the stuff that people say is just they don't, they don't, they don't. don't know what they're talking about. They just want to be negative. And so I just learned to not like take anything serious. Just laugh at it if I see it. With with that, what does, what was mom saying to you about being a Hoyberg and playing in the sport in which the name is tied to in this space? So you're, you're playing high school ball. How much of the conversation was you have to remember you're, you know, you're Sam you're not anonymous you're not joe smith something else is tied to this yeah i mean honestly because i didn't really get too bothered by stuff that people said we didn't have to have

that conversation very often i think it'd more be my dad like if i if i ever like did something cocky tell me like stop that's stupid like so i i i never i never celebrate any of my baskets unless it's like a huge shot or anything but what are the what are the what are the unspoken Hoyberg basketball rules. Things that he's, he's passed out because that's got to be exceptional. Yeah, don't,

don't celebrate like a random three in a game. Just act like you've been there before. Level-headed, obviously. Don't talk. Just let your game do the talking. That's so funny. You call those like Hoybergisms?

Yeah. Just to find out what those are, right? Because I would imagine most of the trash talk you got was, Hey man Tell your dad It would be hard to resist Somebody talking about My dad

Yeah it was more of the fans though that would do that The players couldn't say anything What's the best sign that's ever been made for you At like a high school game Where you looked up and you just went Okay that's pretty clever I don't know if I can think of one

You know because that's tough times Right? Yeah To do that Now is there I know a lot of brothers who play together and some will most will say there's good and bad because there's an acknowledgement and accountability what did you get different from playing with your brother that that

comes to mind what's the thing that you get from playing with your brother yeah I mean we had insane chemistry together just from playing together all of our lives like I remember sometimes in film sessions our high school coach would be like how did you guys do that like it'd be like a pass like me in the corner with two guys on me. I'd chuck it over my head right to Charlie from the other side of the court and you make a three. So I think we just always knew where to go. And like we knew where we would see each other.

And we always saw each other on the court. Did you ever have the urge to tell your coach? Hey, that's not how that's supposed to go. Yeah. If I felt like he was like saying something wrong, especially about me, I'd be like, well, I was trying to do this. and they'd be like, oh, okay, that makes sense. Does that come up now with your dad?

Not as much because I feel like he really knows what he's talking about. And I learned everything I know from him, so I can't like really. What's the line? When is he dad and when is he coach or is he always both? He's mainly dad to me. Yeah. So coach is like practice and games, obviously. But he's mainly dad to me.

So when you're having a moment at practice and you're running things and it's going well or not going well and he speaks to you, your response back is, I try to stay away from. It'd be so weird for me to call him coach. Right. I just acknowledge him. I don't really say, like, coach or dad, really. You ever said coach dad? I have not. I just think that would be like I've been around it and it comes up and it's.

conscious people just go okay that doesn't work for me and i don't really know how to deal with it so it's there uh you were in with coby um a week ago and we're talking about this a lot of the perception as it currently exists is you as a practice squad and the bench kind of kind of player for this program but i don't believe that you believe that i definitely don't I mean, I took this year, my redshirt year as a development year, because I knew I wasn't ready. Like, that's fair for the fans to think that, like, especially in high school, I wasn't good enough. Like, I had low D1 looks, but I wasn't close to Power 5 ready. But I've really worked hard this year, and I'm going to keep worrying hard.

I don't, like, my goal right now is to just sneak my way in the rotation this season, start playing some meaningful minutes and then get more and more as my career goes on. Who were the low majors that were at? after you or at least interested. North Dakota State, Colgate. Colgate was, if COVID didn't happen, I probably would have gone there. Okay. And they're pretty good. They make the tournament. Yeah. Almost every year in the Patriot League.

Holy Cross a little bit, Abilene Christian and Boise State. Wow. Okay. So, you know, you were in the space. What is it that you have to work on to get into the rotation? What do you think in your head? What's the conversation you have with yourself? You have to get

better at this? Well, in high school it was I had to because in high school the last couple of years I was getting stronger and like I'd always been a really good three-point shooter my whole life and I was losing it a little bit I was in a slump just mentally couldn't like figure it out and then I got here and I was like I need to become a knock down three-point shooter like I have to be able to hit it whenever I'm wide open be high 30 low 40 percent and I that's what I've been working on the most is try to become that knockdown guy that you know will make if he's open. So I,

and I worked really hard. I was 41% in practice this season. And then now at this point, it's just being able to guard because I play really hard on defense. I just got to get used to guarding taller guys and being able to always stay in front of those really quick. Is it, at your size,

is it being quicker or stronger or both? Well, I think I'm strong enough. Okay. Because I worked hard in the weight room and I've always been pretty strong. So it's mainly about, quickness and just being smart on defense, not being too physical. But defense, I think, is one of my strengths in my game.

So I don't think that will be too much of an issue for me. It's just working on being able to guard those taller guys. Is it getting into the space? You get a new kind of defensive philosophy that folks are kind of looking to see what happens. That it has to be a little different just because it changed a coaching personnel. As a player, how much does that affect you? Are you ear to the wall, hey, this is what we're going to run. This is what I need to work on.

Yeah, I mean, for me, I think getting the defensive schemes isn't that difficult, just like, because we're going to put in some new principles defensively with Coach Adam coming in. But I think don't give you any way. I don't want to get in trouble today. I don't need that phone call, you know. Sam's on here giving away secrets. So let's ask you everything. Sam, we need to know what the locker room code is. we're not doing any of that for i mean seriously so especially talking to your brothers talking to

your dad is this is it big 10 defense is it is it different is that what you're finding out yeah i mean it's more like it's just guarding the better talented players like more athletic stronger that's the difference with it and then coming to the college game i realize that like these defenses that are really like structured like way more than high school basketball to take away this particular thing from this particular player at this particular point of the game and from this spot on the floor like to figure out those things that are there you get to work against last year you got to work against against the top guys right so day to day you're hitting 41% from three.

How much of that is brought into practice as a part of the approach that, hey, Kobe, you know, look, man, Sam's at 41% from three. What can we do? That's got to be a little bit reaffirming that, yeah, you can do this at this level, that you can make threes and that can be a part of your identity. Yeah, that was the biggest thing for me was being able to do it against, like, actual big-time players. And being on scout team was huge for me because I was forced to take shots that I

wouldn't normally take and now I feel comfortable enough to actually take shots like that. Yeah. Just to figure that out. And from your perspective and your advantage, you would see what works and what didn't work. Yeah. Now, how much of that was a part of the conversation at practice? Hey, Kobe, they're taking this away from it. You need to work on this. Were these players open to that? I mean, I think they were a little bit because I would try to, like, give them advice and stuff. And at the start of the season, maybe less because I didn't have as much respect. But as the season went on, I kind of, I got the respect to the guys. I played while at practice.

And they're like, okay, I see that. So I could help them out a little bit, I think. How was this year for you? I know that it was disappointing because we talked even before season. And I got the pleasure of talking to you guys before. what season start. And so I kind of knew what you guys thought this season was going to be. And I was with you right along because I thought, okay, you've got all the pieces now.

Let's see if you can put it together and do this. What was the year like from your perspective? Because your perspective is unique. Nobody else has your perspective on this thing. What was this year like for you? Team like, or like as a group, it was obviously very difficult losing that many gains, especially with what we expected. And I feel like I kind of saw it more than others did

because a lot of people expect the skill of tournament this year. And I knew that it wasn't going to happen. So I didn't expect it to be as bad as it was. So that was pretty difficult to deal with that. But I just took it as just got to work harder, do what I can do and hopefully be able to help fix it next season. So I really stuck to that. And so it wasn't too bad for me.

I just really wanted to just keep getting better and I saw myself getting better. So it was a positive year for me individually. We're talking to Sam Hoyberg and I'll ask you what your season was like because going through all of this, coach's son, being there doing the work and not necessarily getting the payoff

that other players are getting, but you know how far you went, how far you came along. What was the year like for you? Yeah, I've improved a lot. Miles better of a player since I was in high school. So that's one of the reasons I think I can hopefully get in the rotation this year. So, and I'm not going to be too, like, I mean, I'll just say I don't want to be stupid about it and be like, oh, I'm definitely playing next year.

I'm going to start or something like that. I know like if I get a, if I'm going to play, it's going to be like maybe I'll play four minutes this game and then sit the bench two games and play 15 the next or something like that. but that's fine with me. I just want to start getting those minutes, but I know that with the year I had this year, I've improved a lot to put myself in a position to at least have a chance to at least fight the other guys for minutes.

So this was a really positive year for me individually. It's funny that when we talked previously, we talked about looking at the roster and looking at the talent coming in, and you said a thing about, well, here's how I look at this. I'm looking at guys that can help us win. how much is winning a part of the conversation within the program?

As of right now, it's more focused on doing the things that are going to help us win and not necessarily we need to win. So I think that's a better way to do it versus just putting all the pressure on us for the, like, we need to win games. Like, it's more about doing the stuff that will help us win. And what are those things in your mind, just to your mind, what can you do to make sure that the things that lead to winning happen for you? Yeah, I mean, we've really made a note this spring is to establish a better culture.

So I've been trying to help with that. Like, hold guys accountable and try to get everyone closer as a group. We've hung out more times as a team already than we did all of last year. So I think trying to get everyone closer and just build a culture where people want to see each succeed and not get jealous of other people's successes that that's a part of it like that's a huge part of it especially with nil now folks you know there are folks who are getting a little bit more than others um a lot of the concerns that fans have is that well it's going to create a divide in the locker room but is that true in your mind or do or really do players pay attention or not pay

attention i think this year it's not going to be too much of an issue i think i won't name any but last year it definitely could have been there could have been some jealousy with that but uh this year i don't i don't see it as much so i don't think that'll be too much of an issue for us what's the thing that each player can do better between now and october i think just everyone needs to get bought into this culture and they can do that by you know taking accountability being able to take coaching. You have to take coaching. That's what they're here to help.

And I think that just listening to them is going to help them so much. So just doing that and obviously just working hard, getting an extra work. How do you, each player has their own preference for how they're coached. Some need the pat on the back. Some need the foot in the pants. Some need the psychological connection. Some need the emotional. What is it for you that most?

I'd say it's kind of a mix for me. Like there can be times where like pat on the back helps me a lot because I grow off with confidence just as everybody does. But like if I have a coach that's telling me like you have to like shoot, keep shooting, you will make this shot. Like that helps me a lot. But if it's something else like I'm not playing hard enough, I want a coach that will get on me and make sure I keep doing that.

But I don't think I have to be pushed very hard to do. do that. So I don't think necessarily like a super like coach that will get pissed off of you and really like have to push you as my type. I think a little bit more like my dad would be do you know

when you're working hard enough and I put that in air quote hard enough because everybody there are people do the fake hustle where they make it look like they're working hard or they work hard enough to say they're working hard but not really getting better. Do you know when

you're maxed out? Yeah, I mean, one of your max, you have to be coach, take me out. Like, that's, that's the sign that you're playing hard enough. Like that you're, and you're not ashamed of it. Yeah, definitely not. Right? Like, I know the difference of when, you know what? I need break because the tank is empty. And I think that's a valuable part. Most people will think that at the back end of a roster, those players have to be players who work harder than everybody on the floor, everybody in the space. Will that remain true if you were moved up into the rotation?

Yeah, I mean, something I've talked about with all the coaches, because we made goals for this season, and one of my goals was if I am playing, I want to be looked at as the guy that is playing, like, super hard, and is the guy that everyone, like, looks and be like that guy.

Like, he plays so hard, and that's how you should play every game. So that's what I want to be because I've always tried to be that guy, dive on the floor, play hard on defense. So that's going to be even more this year, just with the, you know, the extra juice of being on a college floor. I already know that I'm going to be playing that hard. So it's going to be fun. Is this system that you're playing in? Is this an IQ system? Is this a talent system, a skill system? What is it? How would you describe it?

I don't think it's necessarily a certain system. I think IQ definitely in talent, we'll play and do it for sure. But I don't think you have to be one type of player to be able to play in it. I think you just have to, you know, do the right things and then you'll be able to play well in it. You just have to run it, honestly. I would love to. A couple of practices are the right.

Run it seems to be the thing that when things are going the right way, run it is kind of the acknowledgement that everybody knows what they should be doing. now they just have to execute. How important is this, that word, execute? Like there's a pass beyond talking and drills and everything, but as Jay Foreman likes to say, at some point the players have to play. How important is that in the grand pie of Nebraska basketball is execution, simply taking what you do at practice and getting it into games?

Huge. I mean, it's literally the biggest thing for us. that we can do this season is just execute what the coaches are telling us. Because they've all been in winning programs before they know how to win. And not a lot of our players have. Derek was made the tournament. Juan has made the tournament, but that's it. So we, we have to, or I think Sam did too.

But yeah, so we don't have a lot of guys that have been on a winning program. So we just need to listen and execute what the coaches who have won have told us. and that will help us so much if we can do that. A huge part of winning and successful programs is the standard set because the players accept coaching. It's just, it's such a big part of it. At this level, everybody's got talent. At this level, everybody seems to work hard.

The difference is have you bought in to the idea that the coaches are putting across because that's where the holes happen? Can you hang out for one more segment? I want to get your take on to playoffs. If I just talk to basketball with Rico, we go in circles. So I need somebody else to add to this thing. That's how it works.

Sam Horberg is with us here on 101. We'll be right back. Download our app by searching 93.7, the ticket in your app store. You're listening to One-on-One with DP on 937 the Ticket and The Ticketfm.com.