Texas A&M owes Nebraska $4.12 million buyout for hiring Trev Alberts as new AD

Texas A&M is going to foot a rather hefty bill to bring in Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts to the same position in College Station. 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 replacing outgoing Aggies athletic director Ross Bjork, who took the open job at Ohio State.

More on Alberts’s move to College Station

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.

Alberts was a player at Nebraska and was one of the best linebackers in the country during his time at Nebraska. He won the Butkus Award following the 1993 season and was a consensus All-American. The Huskers even retired his No. 34 number.

After a short professional career and a stint in media, Alberts got into administration and was hired by Omaha in 2009. He stayed for over a decade until he earned the Nebraska job, joining the Huskers in 2021.

Nebraska had recently given Alberts a contract extension as well, with On3’s Pete Nakos saying Texas A&M is facing a buyout of around $4.1 million.

Just as Texas A&M had football moves to make recently, Alberts had the massive decision of firing Scott Frost after the 2021 season. He was able to bring in Matt Rhule and seemingly, the football program is finally back on the right track.

Alberts will now have to watch from afar while working alongside Elko and others inside of the Texas A&M athletic department.