With the release of former Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos’ new book, Crab Creek Chronicles: From the Wheat Fields to the Ball Fields and Beyond, a few behind-the-scenes stories from his tenure in Lincoln are starting to surface-and one in particular has caught plenty of attention.
In the book, Moos recounts the coaching search that followed the departure of Tim Miles from the Nebraska men’s basketball program. According to Moos, his top target at the time wasn’t Fred Hoiberg, but Dana Altman-yes, the same Dana Altman who once led Creighton and has been a staple at Oregon since 2010. Moos says he heard through a mutual connection that Altman might be open to returning to Nebraska, and he was ready to make a serious run at bringing him in.
But that pursuit, Moos claims, was quickly shut down.
According to the former AD, during a conversation with then-University of Nebraska regent Jim Pillen and then-chancellor Ronnie Green, the idea of hiring Altman was met with a flat-out rejection. Moos describes the moment in vivid detail-how a sudden quiet fell over the room, how Green looked uneasy, and how Pillen delivered a firm “No.” When Moos pressed for a reason, he says Pillen responded, “Nebraskans won’t accept him.”
That version of events got a boost of credibility on Tuesday, when now-Governor Jim Pillen posted on social media, seemingly confirming the story. Pillen shared a screenshot of the score from Nebraska’s recent 90-55 blowout win over Oregon-a not-so-subtle way of saying, “We made the right call.”
The Huskers are 17-0 following that win, and it’s been a breakout season under Hoiberg. That record is helping to shift the narrative around his tenure, which up until this point has been rocky.
Despite this year’s success, Hoiberg still holds a career losing record in Lincoln. But the turnaround is real, and fans are starting to believe this might be the version of Hoiberg they were hoping for all along.
On the flip side, Altman’s 2025-26 season has been a rough one. Oregon is struggling near the bottom of the Big Ten standings at 8-16 overall and just 1-12 in conference play.
It’s been a rare down year for a coach who’s otherwise had a stellar run with the Ducks. Since taking over in Eugene, Altman has racked up a 378-175 record, with multiple Sweet 16 appearances, an Elite Eight, and a trip to the Final Four.
His résumé speaks for itself.
So was Nebraska right to pass on Altman? That’s still up for debate.
Pillen clearly feels vindicated, especially in light of this season’s results. But coaching hires aren’t judged by one game-or even one season.
Hoiberg’s resurgence is promising, no doubt. He’s got Nebraska playing inspired basketball, and the program finally looks like it’s trending up.
But for now, the question of whether turning down Altman was the right long-term move remains unanswered.
What’s clear is that Nebraska basketball has momentum, and for a fan base that’s been waiting a long time to feel this kind of optimism, that’s worth celebrating-regardless of how the coaching search played out behind closed doors.