Trev Alberts to A&M: Who Saw This One Coming?
Surprised, Eddie? If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn't be more surprised than I am now.
A line Clark Griswold said to his cousin in a scene from the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Let me get this straight. Both Husker basketball programs are headed for the NCAA tournaments next week. The men's team is playing for the B1G championship this week. The women's team almost won the B1G tournament championship last Sunday. The men's team might actually win its first ever Big Dance game in school history.
John Cook's volleyball team, which is loaded with talent, will be vying for another national title this year. The Husker baseball team is off to a 10-5 start. And Matt Rhule's football program looks to have a breakout season this fall. The south endzone expansion project is scheduled to begin after the '24 football season.
Despite all that, the shocking news came out that Husker AD Trev Alberts, who has been at Nebraska less than three years, is leaving to take a similar position with Texas A&M.
What in the name of Bob Devaney is going on?
Didn't Alberts just sign a long extension to his contract that will pay him about $1.7 million a year? Didn't Trev say just a couple of months ago that the AD job at Nebraska was the best one in the country?
So why is he leaving? People who have known him a long time don't have the answer, but no one thinks It's about money.
I interviewed Trev several years ago. One thing that stands out is that he has a high set of standards by which he lives his life. There must be a very good reason for his decision to leave.
Power base is gone
Maybe his leaving is due partly because the power base that was in place when Trev and Matt Rhule were hired no longer exists. First to leave was Chancellor Ronnie Green who served from 2016 to June 30th of 2023. Then it was UNL President Ted Carter who assumed a similar position at Ohio State University effective January 1, 2024.
Now a strange situation gets even weirder.
Interim has to hire an interim
So who replaced Trev's boss, Ted Carter? Chris Kabourek from David City, Nebraska was hired to serve as interim president. So now, we have an interim president having to hire an interim athletic director.
Huh?
Meanwhile in College Station, Texas, A&M's AD, Ross Bjork left his job with the Aggies to take the AD job at Ohio State. Remember, that's where former NU President Ted Carter serves.
Near the end of the '23 football season, A&M fired its head football coach, Jimbo Fisher. The cost of that firing? About $75 million. Fisher's replacement is Mike Elko, from Duke team.
Former Aggie head coach R.C. Slocum is serving as the interim AD for the Aggies.
I don't care who you are, this is strange.
The easy one to blame for leaving is Trev Alberts himself. I've already heard from fans who say they feel betrayed that he would bolt so soon from the job he often said was the best in the nation.
Perhaps more details will emerge in the coming weeks. Right now, I'm in favor of giving Trev the benefit of the doubt. He's earned that.
