On Wednesday, March 13, Trev Alberts, the Athletic Director for the University of Nebraska, announced that he was leaving Nebraska to take a job as the Athletic Director for Texas A&M. After 15 years of working in Nebraska, Alberts decided to leave his alma mater, taking many by surprise.

“I truly want to express my gratitude to the University of Nebraska — the school and its fans have been and always will be immensely important to me,” Alberts said in a statement. “Nebraska changed my life, and I’m thankful for the incredible 15 years I spent (in the state).”

According to the Nebraska athletic department, there was no suspicion that Alberts would be leaving anytime soon. Alberts had recently agreed to a contract extension through 2031, which raised his salary to $1.7 million, with another increase in 2026 to $2.1 million. However, with Texas A&M, Alberts is expected to be near the top 10 athletic directors in the nation in terms of salary, making at least $2 million annually.

Alberts declared his resignation via email to the athletic department during the afternoon of March 13. However, he has not provided the public with specific reasons for leaving. The contract non-disparagement clause was activated when Alberts resigned, meaning that he could not say anything negative about Nebraska. There are speculations as to why he left, relating to the lack of a president for the University. One thing for sure is that his swift exit has left many Nebraskans feeling confused and frustrated.

“I feel like many Nebraskans feel–used,” Robb Shull, Lincoln East graduate, said. “It appears Trev Alberts’ strongest attributes, loyalty and legacy, were just part of his sales pitch. He spent 12 years at UNO waiting for the chance for his ‘dream job’, and then after just 3 years he made a lateral career move into the same job at another University for which he has absolutely no ties. For someone who appeared to take pride in his image, it didn’t take much for him to burn bridges, tarnish his legacy, and smear his name. It will be a long-time before he is welcomed back to his alma mater, where he earned All-American status.”

The high tensions across Nebraska increased even more so when it was announced that both the men’s and women’s basketball teams would be playing against Texas A&M in the NCAA tournament. The men’s team lost in a tough game, while the women took the victory, only to lose a couple nights later against Oregon State.

As for the future of Nebraska, it was announced on Wednesday, March 20, that Troy Dannen has been appointed as the new Athletic Director. Dannen is Nebraska’s 15th athletic director, and the state is excited to see how he fills Alberts’ position.