Husker Dan: A Home-Run Hire

Trev Alberts was the logical choice for Nebraska's A.D. post.

Photo: Nebraska Athletic Communications

Back in the mid-'90s when my daughter was going to college at Iowa State, I secretly had someone in mind who I wanted her to marry. I thought the man would be a perfect fit for her. The man had great integrity, honesty, character and intelligence. He was someone who had a great work ethic. He was a man of faith and was loved and respected by the man himself, Tom Osborne. And as an extra bonus, the guy was good looking. The man was the perfect package.

So, who was this "perfect" man, you ask?

Trev Alberts.

Of course my plan didn't materialize. To be sure, the two of them never even met. And thankfully despite my wishes, both have gone on to have great lives.

So obviously when I heard the news Wednesday morning that Trev Alberts was going to be introduced as the new athletic director at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, I was extremely excited. And proud.

As every Husker fan knows, Alberts ('93 UNL grad) was a Husker All-America outside linebacker, Butkus Award winner, Academic All-American, NFL linebacker, ESPN broadcaster and University of Nebraska at Omaha athletic director (2009-2021). Trev succeeds Bill Moos, who (ahem) decided to take advantage of an early-retirement package that shortened his stay at Nebraska by 1½ years.

Nebraska Athletics Communications

Alberts was the logical choice. Why? Why would Nebraska hire an A.D. who has had zero experience at a Power Five school? Isn't he going to be in over his head with his new position at Nebraska?

I don't think so. Alberts, who turns 51 next month (all great people have August birthdays), will bring new blood, new ideas and a new energy to the job. Alberts' strong foundation will guide him through the difficult times he will surely encounter. Bill Moos, whom Alberts is replacing, is 70 and wants to spend more time on his Special K Ranch in eastern Washington. No problem. So by offering Moos an early-retirement package and hiring Alberts, the university got someone who can inject new blood immediately into the Husker athletic program.

And that's exactly what Trev brings. He can (and will) hit the ground running. He'll have a steep learning curve, but I think he'll handle those challenges with the same tenacity he used to sack quarterbacks and challenge Mark May. (May once was Alberts' partner at ESPN.)

Why did Trev take the offer this time instead of back in 2013 when Shawn Eichorst was hired? Timing is everything in life. In 2013. Trev's three kids (Chase, Ashtynne and Breanna) were all in school in Omaha. And last year, Chase, the oldest child, graduated from the West Point Military Academy. And the older of Trev's two daughters, Ashtynne, graduated this spring from Clemson University, where she played volleyball for the Tigers. Breanna (17) is the only Alberts child still in school.

Trev said this week that the only A.D. position that could get him to leave UNO was the job at Nebraska. It's probably a good bet that UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green and university President Ted Carter knew that Trev might be ready to make a move. The two of them were keenly aware of Trev's leadership skills and may have thought if they didn't act quickly, the university and the athletic department might lose out on a chance to hire him. We may never know, but it's hard to imagine Green and Carter not having Alberts in their back pocket before they offered Moos an early-retirement package.

Does Trev have a magic wand he can wave at the Husker football program and turn them into winning 10 plus games a season? Probably not. Will he make mistakes? Heck yeah. But whatever Trev lacks in experience, he'll more than make up with his work ethic.

Know this: Nebraska is a football state. The University of Nebraska is a football school and Trev Alberts is a football man. That makes Trev Alberts (I believe) the perfect hire for the Huskers. He's a Tom Osborne protégé who will lead with hard work, honesty, character and integrity and will use his great love for the state of Nebraska to guide him.

In my opinion, the Huskers just hit a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to win the game for all of Huskerland.