Trev Alberts explains challenge of leaving Nebraska

There have been several high-profile athletic directors who have moved from one school to another in recent months. The most recent was Trev Alberts of Nebraska leaving for the same role at Texas A&M.

Now, Alberts has explained the challenge he had in leaving Nebraska.

“Very difficult and emotional, frankly,” Trev Alberts said. “That was a difficult part of this whole transition. I wasn’t looking to leave. [I’ve] been associated with that university for a long, long time, and as I said in the previous press conference, that’s a place that changed my life. Other than my faith and my family, most everything I have today, I owe to the University of Nebraska.”

Trev Alberts has, as he noted, had a long connection with Nebraska. He played for the football team’s Blackshirt defense under legendary head coach Tom Osborne where he was an All-American who had his number retired by the program. Following his playing career, he entered an administrative role, becoming the school’s athletic director in 2021.

“So, very challenging, emotional, and difficult. But at 54 years old, you see opportunities, and Texas A&M is a pretty remarkable place with a remarkable trajectory with remarkable leadership. So, as you think about the future and you think about some of these evolving changes, much of which is yet undefined, right? We don’t know where this is going,” Alberts said.

“But part of what is really intriguing to me is, I think, this is a place under General [Mark] Welsh’s leadership that’s going to help to define what the future looks like. And that’s really exciting to me.”

The Texas A&M job opened up after the school’s previous athletic director, Ross Bjork, left for Ohio State.

Matt Rhule was surprised by Trev Alberts leaving Nebraska

Trev Alberts made a massive hire when he brought in Matt Rhule to run the football program. However, even Rhule was surprised by Alberts’ decision to leave the school.

“Oh, definitely. Yeah. I thought, like, I knew it was reality. I was probably caught off [guard] a little bit, like, ‘Oh wow, this actually happened.’ And obviously, I was sad,” Rhule said.

“He called me. My son and I, we did our first ever father-son trip. He had his spring break at the same time as spring break [at Nebraska]. My daughter’s spring break was different. My son and I were actually playing golf when Trev called me. But he talked to me leading up to this. Trev is a good athletic director. He’s had many come after him. So one thing was that he was pretty transparent with me. I wanted him to stay.”