Bob Devaney, the godfather of Husker athletics, and Tom Osborne wanted assistant Al Papik to succeed Devaney as athletic director after his retirement in 1993. Graham Spanier won the power struggle, setting off 29 years of unrest in the Nebraska athletic department.
Graham Spanier left for Penn State in 1995, two months after the first national championship, but tensions persisted between Bill Byrne and Tom Osborne — in the midst of the best run in school history.
Bill Byrne helped erase $2.5 million in athletic department debt and more than doubled the budget. But according to his critics, “Dollar Bill” squeezed ordinary fans for cash while forgetting where his corn was buttered — the football program.
Steve Pederson fired Frank Solich, the coach who personified loyalty, continuity and physical football. After a disastrous 40-day coaching search, Pederson settled on West Coast Offense disciple Bill Callahan.
Bill Byrne left Nebraska for Texas A&M in 2002. His successor? The man recommended by Byrne and Tom Osborne. The man who dreamed up the Tunnel Walk during his days as an NU administrator. Steve Pederson.
Bill Moos made solid coaching hires. But behind the scenes, he lacked credibility. Like multiple predecessors, the Husker A.D. could only fend off his critics for so long.
Bill Moos (2017-present): Hired to replace Shawn Eichorst, who was fired about a month earlier. Fired Mike Riley after a 4-8 Husker football season in 2017. Hired former Husker Scott Frost as NU's football coach. Fired men's basketball coach Tim Miles after seven season with the Huskers and hired Fred Hoiberg to replace him. Hired Will Bolt as Nebraska baseball coach after Darin Erstad stepped down. Led Nebraska Athletics through the COVID-19 pandemic.
CHRIS MACHIAN, THE WORLD-HERALD
Shawn Eichorst
Shawn Eichorst (2012-17): Hired by then-UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman to replace Tom Osborne after Eichorst had served about 18 months as Miami's athletic director. Fired Bo Pelini after a 9-3 regular season in 2014. Acting as a one-man search committee, hired Mike Riley from Oregon State — seen as an out-of-the-box hire by many given Riley's record — to replace Pelini. Fired by UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green in 2017 five days after Riley's Huskers were upset at home by Northern Illinois.
MATT MILLER, THE WORLD-HERALD
Tom Osborne
Tom Osborne (2007-12): Returned to NU a decade after his retirement as football coach to serve as interim A.D. when Steve Pederson was fired, eventually accepting the job full-time. Fired coach Bill Callahan after a 5-7 season in 2007, hiring Pelini as the replacement. Along with Perlman, oversaw the Huskers' departure from the Big 12 Conference and transition to the Big Ten.
JEFF BUNDY, THE WORLD-HERALD
Steve Pederson
Steve Pederson (2002-07): Oversaw a $50 million construction project that expanded Memorial Stadium and added an indoor practice facility and the Osborne Athletic Complex. But angered many by firing football coach Frank Solich after a 9-3 regular season in 2003, then launching a secretive one-man search for a successor that lasted 40 days and included flirtations with coaches such as Houston Nutt of Arkansas.
LAURA INNS, THE WORLD-HERALD
Bill Byrne
Bill Byrne (1992-2002): Nearly tripled the size of NU’s athletic budget and erased $2.5 million in inherited debt. Oversaw $82 million in facility development, including new skyboxes and the Haymarket Park baseball and softball complex. But deferred to Tom Osborne when Osborne wanted longtime assistant Frank Solich to succeed him as coach in 1998.
JEFFREY Z. CARNEY, THE WORLD-HERALD
Bob Devaney
Bob Devaney (1967-92): Nebraska’s legendary football coach also posted some big victories as A.D. — handpicking Tom Osborne as his successor and persuading the State Legislature to approve a cigarette tax that paid for the construction of a basketball arena named after Devaney.
PHIL JOHNSON, THE WORLD-HERALD
Tippy Dye
Tippy Dye (1962-67): Dye, pictured left, came to NU in 1962 after serving as Wichita State A.D. for three years. Hired Devaney from Wyoming, jump-starting the Huskers' football success in the modern era. Left Nebraska in 1967 to become A.D. at Northwestern, where he retired in 1974.
THE WORLD-HERALD
Bill Orwig
Bill Orwig (1954-60): Hired Pete Elliott (1956) and Bill Jennings (1957-61), neither of which posted a winning season as football coach. Left NU to become A.D. at Indiana in 1960.
THE WORLD-HERALD
George Potsy Clark
George (Potsy) Clark (1948-53): The only NU football coach to serve two separate stints (1945 and 1948). Served as A.D. while coaching the 1948 season, hiring Bill Glassford as his own coaching replacement. Previously served as athletic director and football coach at Butler.
THE WORLD-HERALD
Trev Alberts
Trev Alberts (2021-present): Hired to replace Bill Moos, who retired. Alberts previously was the athletic director of UNO for 12 years. “I may have the title of the athletic director, but I’m not necessarily the athletic director — I’ve got to earn that," Alberts said at his introductory press conference.
Bob Devaney, the godfather of Husker athletics, and Tom Osborne wanted assistant Al Papik to succeed Devaney as athletic director after his retirement in 1993. Graham Spanier won the power struggle, setting off 29 years of unrest in the Nebraska athletic department.
Graham Spanier left for Penn State in 1995, two months after the first national championship, but tensions persisted between Bill Byrne and Tom Osborne — in the midst of the best run in school history.
Bill Byrne helped erase $2.5 million in athletic department debt and more than doubled the budget. But according to his critics, “Dollar Bill” squeezed ordinary fans for cash while forgetting where his corn was buttered — the football program.
Bill Byrne left Nebraska for Texas A&M in 2002. His successor? The man recommended by Byrne and Tom Osborne. The man who dreamed up the Tunnel Walk during his days as an NU administrator. Steve Pederson.
Bill Moos made solid coaching hires. But behind the scenes, he lacked credibility. Like multiple predecessors, the Husker A.D. could only fend off his critics for so long.
Steve Pederson fired Frank Solich, the coach who personified loyalty, continuity and physical football. After a disastrous 40-day coaching search, Pederson settled on West Coast Offense disciple Bill Callahan.
