Gov. Jim Pillen said Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts’ sudden decision to take the same job at Texas A&M was disappointing, and he implored the university’s board of regents Thursday to act quickly to fill vacant leadership positions.
Pillen, a former regent who played football for the Cornhuskers from 1976 to 1978, issued a “call for action” less than 24 hours after Alberts’ announcement.
“I am deeply disappointed by Trev Alberts’ decision to leave so soon after restating his commitment to Nebraska and I don’t fully understand or know his reasons why,” the governor said in a statement. “I do know that the time for reflecting on the failures of University leadership, which led to his decision, must come later. Now is the time to act.”
Four months ago, Alberts signed a contract extension through 2031. His annual base salary this year was $1.7 million, and a clause in his new contract promised adjustments as necessary to keep him among the top three highest-paid Big Ten athletic directors.
Terms of his contract at Texas A&M were not announced, though sources tell ESPN’s Pete Thamel that Alberts was expected to sign a five-year deal.
Alberts has not responded to requests for comment. In recent interviews, he had expressed frustration that regents had not hired a president to replace Ted Carter, who was named Ohio State’s president last August.
Alberts often praised Carter’s leadership and for helping him land Matt Rhule as football coach in 2022, as well as for work on the plan for a $450 million renovation to Memorial Stadium. Alberts reported directly to Carter rather than the campus chancellor, contrary to tradition.
“It has been 206 days since Ted Carter announced his departure as president,” Pillen said. “It is unacceptable that the University’s elected leaders have failed during this time to appoint permanent leadership. It is imperative that they act urgently and decisively to end this uncertainty. Without any delay, they should support Interim President Chris Kabourek’s efforts to immediately appoint a new permanent athletic director.”
Board of Regents chairman Rob Schafer, in response to Pillen’s criticism, pointed out the search resulting in Carter’s selection took seven months, and the search for Carter’s predecessor, Hank Bounds, lasted a year.
“We are all disappointed to see Trev leave,” Schafer said. “We had hoped he would be a Husker for many years, and at the leadership level we certainly took significant steps to make that happen. The reality in professional life is that sometimes people choose to pursue different opportunities.”
Dennis Leblanc, Nebraska’s executive athletic director for academics, was named interim athletic director on Thursday by interim president Chris Kabourek, who added he is beginning a national search for a permanent successor to Alberts.
