JAMES R. BURNETT/THE WORLD-HERALD

Gary Bargen, who has been Nebraska's director of compliance, is retiring. He also coached NU basketball with Danny Nee from 1986 to 1995.

ATHLETICS

NU's Bargen found his life after coaching

Gary Bargen had reached a turning point in his professional career in the mid-'90s after nine seasons on Danny Nee's staff with the Nebraska basketball program.

He thought hard about returning to head coaching, something he had done well with a 339-124 record in 17 seasons at the junior college level.

But in his heart, he knew that his youngest son, Mike, was heading to Marquette, and Bargen's chances to see him play would be limited at best if he stayed in coaching.

So Bargen, then 53, chose to leave the bench, took up former NU Athletic Director Bill Byrne on an offer and joined Al Papik in the Huskers' compliance office in 1995.

Al said to me, You know, now that you're over here, you can go see him play,' Bargen recalled. I said, Well, I assumed that a little bit,' but he said, No, you go when you want to go.'

And I took him for his word, and we saw (Mike) play 72 times in four years.

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NU's Bargen found his life after coaching