Nebraska Governor, Jim Pillen, expressed his disappointment over the sudden departure of Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts, who accepted the same position at Texas A&M. Pillen called upon the University's board of regents to promptly fill the vacant leadership positions in an urgent "call for action."

In a statement released less than 24 hours after Alberts' announcement, Gov. Jim Pillen stated, "I am deeply disappointed by Trev Alberts' decision to leave so soon after restating his commitment to Nebraska and I don't fully understand or know his reasons why. I do know that the time for reflecting on the failures of University leadership, which led to his decision, must come later. Now is the time to act."

Alberts, who signed a contract extension through 2031 just four months ago, was earning an annual base salary of $1.7 million, with adjustments promised in his contract to maintain his position as one of the highest-paid Big Ten athletic directors. The terms of his contract at Texas A&M have not been disclosed, and Alberts has not commented on the matter.

The athletic director's departure has raised concerns about the university's leadership void, particularly in light of the ongoing absence of a permanent president to replace Ted Carter, who assumed the presidency at Ohio State last August. Alberts had previously expressed frustration with the regents for the delay in appointing a president. He praised Carter's leadership and credited him for successfully recruiting football coach Matt Rhule in 2022, as well as for his contributions towards the plans for a $450 million renovation of Memorial Stadium.

Gov. Pillen drew attention to the long wait for a new president, stating, "It has been 206 days since Ted Carter announced his departure as president. It is unacceptable that the University's elected leaders have failed during this time to appoint permanent leadership. It is imperative that they act urgently and decisively to end this uncertainty. Without any delay, they should support Interim President Chris Kabourek's efforts to immediately appoint a new permanent athletic director."

As the University of Nebraska faces the challenge of filling the void left by Trev Alberts' departure, the urgency to address leadership vacancies has become even more apparent. The need for swift action has been emphasized by Gov. Jim Pillen, who hopes to see the university quickly regain stability in its athletic department and overall administration.