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 1976-78, 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 Republican 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.» Alberts four months ago 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. 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.