Chris Del Conte details what Trev Alberts brings to the SEC
The landscape of SEC athletic directors in Texas has recently changed, with the Longhorns coming into the conference led by Chris Del Conte while Texas A&M recently hired Trev Alberts to take over as athletic director moving forward.
With that in mind, Del Conte shared that he expects Alberts to bring plenty of new perspectives to the SEC. In particular, he’ll bring insight into the approach from the Big Ten.
“What I think Trev has brought to the conversation is really what’s going on in the Big Ten,” Chris Del Conte said. “Not for collusion but just thought process. He’s been an AD in the Big Ten. When I came as an AD from TCU to Texas, what did you bring, just a different kind of what are you guys thinking about and how does it work.”
Prior to becoming the athletic director at Texas A&M, Trev Alberts held the same role at Nebraska. His move caught a lot of people by surprise at the time, especially given that he played football for the Cornhuskers.
“He’s a capable administrator and a great guy,” Del Conte said. “He’s a football guy that played the game. So, a lot of times it’s perspective. Brilliant, smart guy. Only been in a couple of meetings… Only been a week ago, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
Already, Chris Del Conte and Trev Alberts have needed to work together on several key decisions. That includes potentially moving their game against one another to Thanksgiving at some point in the future.
“I would love for that to happen sooner than later,” Del Conte said. “Yes, I like the game being played on Thanksgiving. It just used to be the (Dallas) Cowboys and us. Now, they have three NFL games. So, maybe it’s Friday. But as long as we’re playing, strap it on.”
Trev Alberts believes he has a great relationship with Chris Del Conte
Trev Alberts and Chris Del Conte may not have worked together for a long stretch, but Alberts still feels they have a good relationship.
“I have a great relationship with Chris. Chris is a great guy. There will be things along the way here, like state law. There’s going to be things that have to be adjusted and looked at. There will be no acrimony between us in those areas,” Alberts said.
“Obviously, we want to do well against each other but this is what makes college sports. It’s regional rivalries, it’s what builds the excitement. When you have programs like Texas and Texas A&M in the same state, so close together, it’s going to be fantastic. We’re thrilled about it and Chris will be a great partner. We’re looking forward to the rivalry.”