Nebraska Hires New Coach

Barry Collier, whose Butler team nearly upset NCAA tournament runner-up Florida in the first round, was hired Wednesday as basketball coach of Nebraska.

"This was easy, this was a layup," Collier said of his decision.

He replaces Danny Nee, who was fired March 13 after 14 seasons at Nebraska. The Huskers went 11-19 this season, matching the school's worst loss total. Nebraska has made the NCAA tournament six times but has never gotten past the first round.

Collier agreed on Tuesday to a 5-year contract with a base annual salary of $200,000, then flew back to Indianapolis to meet with his players and tell them he had accepted the Nebraska job.

He met with his new team for about an hour before Wednesday's announcement.

"This is a particularly good fit," Collier said. "We really have to establish from day one that we are going to make our players better. We are in this for the long haul."

Guard Cary Cochran, who will be a junior next season, said the Huskers were pleased with the choice. He said Collier spoke of winning, not rebuilding.

"The way he spoke and the way he presented himself was total class," Cochran said. "I really believe he is the type of man everybody in this state and this university and program want."

Collier planned to start assembling his staff immediately. He recommended Butler assistant Thad Matta as his successor, but added there is a spot for Matta in Lincoln if he doesn't get the Butler job.

Nebraska's interest in Collier increased Friday when Bill Self chose to remain with Tulsa. Collier met with athletic director Bill Byrne during the Final Four, then toured the Nebraska campus and Lincoln on Monday and Tuesday.

Collier coached Butler for 11 seasons, compiling a 196-132 record. The Indianapolis school has been to the NCAA tournament three of the last four years and won at least 20 games in each of the last four seasons.

This season, Butler almost advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament but a last-second layup in overtime gave Florida a 69-68 victory.

Collier worked with Byrne at Oregon in the 1980s. Collier was an assistant coach with the Ducks from 1983 to 1986 while Byrne was associate athletic director.

Collier also was an assistant at Idaho and Stanford. He returned to Butler, his alma mater, in 1989. The school, with an enrollment of just 3,800, had three winning seasons in the 15 years before his return.

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