Nebraska administrators publicly push back on reports AD Trev Alberts is leaving for Texas A&M

Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts left plenty of people surprised with reports coming out on Wednesday that he was headed for the same job at Texas A&M. But according to at least one Nebraska administrator, it’s not a done deal.

Doug Ewald, Nebraska associate athletic director and chief financial officer, said that a decision has not been made by Alberts on his future. That was as of around 2:30 p.m. ET, according to KETV’s Andy Kendeigh.

Ewald also told KETV that he and coworkers in the Cornhuskers athletic office were shocked by the news that Alberts could be leaving.

Texas A&M and Nebraska have yet to make any official statements about the reports.

Hiring Alberts would cost a pretty penny right now

Texas A&M is going to foot a rather hefty bill to bring in Alberts to the same position in College Station, if that ultimately comes to pass. A $4.12 million bill, per the most recent employment agreement between Alberts and the Cornhuskers.

Alberts was recently given a contract extension by Nebraska, in November of 2023, which was set to keep him in Lincoln through the end of 2031. By leaving so soon, Alberts has incurred the maximum amount owed to Nebraska under the terms of his updated deal: $4.12 million.

“The parties have bargained for and agreed to this liquidated damages provision, giving consideration to the special talents that Mr. Alberts brings to Athletics that cannot be easily replaced, the critical importance of stability to the success of the Department, the substantial disruption to the Department that will result from Mr. Alberts’s resignation, and the significant costs incurred by the University in conducting a search for another Athletic Director, all of which result in damages the amount, nature and extent of which are difficult to determine and cannot be estimated with certainty. Accordingly, the Parties acknowledge and agree that the amount of liquidated damages payable to the University under this provision is fair and reasonable.”

The damages must be paid out within 60 days of Alberts informing his bosses of his resignation.

Alberts, a Nebraska alum, is reportedly replacing outgoing Aggies athletic director Ross Bjork, who took the open job at Ohio State.

Once the hire becomes official, it will mark the fourth athletic director Texas A&M has had over the last decade — Eric Hyman, Scott Woodward, and Bjork.

Alberts will now lead the Aggies into a new era in college athletics, mainly on the football side.

Alberts will also inherit a brand new football head coach. Bjork conducted a coaching search and landed on Duke‘s Mike Elko. There has been excitement over Elko following the Jimbo Fisher era, believing he can bring some stability and back good on-field results to Texas A&M.