By Rock Westfall
In March as spring football was preparing to begin, and the Nebraska men’s and women’s basketball teams were off to the NCAA basketball tournaments, athletic director Trev Alberts shockingly cut and ran to take over as the AD at Texas A&M. Alberts, the Nebraska favorite son, alum, and football All-American, bailed just a few months after signing a contract extension to continue working at his “dream job.”
Alberts reopened a lot of old wounds by his abrupt departure. While athletic director at Nebraska-Omaha, Alberts killed off the football and wrestling programs. In fact, just hours after the wrestling program won the national championship, he padlocked the program's doors program .
In Alberts’s defense, he successfully moved UNO to Division 1 using hockey as the moneymaker. But while his plan did turn a deficit into a profit, many people never forgot the pain along the way, irrational as that may ultimately seem in today's cutthroat bottom-line era of college sports business.
At Nebraska, while he did get Scott Frost to agree to lower his buyout significantly, Alberts could have saved millions more if he waited to fire Frost for another couple of weeks. The timing of the move made little sense unless Alberts was afraid of a highly improbable Frost rally. Yes, Frost deserved to be fired, perhaps for cause, but he certainly did not deserve the extra millions in his golden parachute because of Alberts’ illogical timing.
On Tuesday, Alberts confronted the first crisis of his Texas A&M career. After losing the deciding game of the College World Series, Aggies head coach Jim Schlossnagle pulled an Alberts and cut and ran off to the hated arch-rival Texas Longhorns.
In the eyes of many Nebraskans, it was a classic case of well-deserved karma for Alberts.
Alberts Implements His Reign of Terror
Upon taking over as the athletic director in College Station, Alberts moved fast to put his stamp on the program. After a month in office, Alberts fired at least 18 Texas A&M athletic department employees.
His statement explained the rationale for the decision:
“We are on the cusp of unprecedented change in the world of intercollegiate athletics. As a department, we have to adapt and become more efficient and effective so that we are best positioned for the changes to come. However, what will not change is this: student-athletes are our priority, and making sure their experience at Texas A&M is second to none is our goal.
This morning, we met with several individuals to inform them that, in light of the upcoming changes to our administrative structure, they will not be employees of the athletics department in the future. These changes are difficult, and let me state emphatically these people have done nothing wrong. These are good, hard-working members of the Aggie family, and their service is greatly appreciated. I can assure you this was not personal; it was a business decision and a very difficult one at that.
For Texas A&M, it was a wake-up call about how Alberts will do what it takes to get the books balanced. At a school that spends lavishly on sports, it was quite the message. And perhaps it was necessary. Still, many fans thought it was too much too soon.
Alberts Schooled and Slapped Down by CDC
In the post-game interview after Monday night’s College World Series loss, Jim Schlossnagle was asked about the rumors of his leaving Aggieland for Austin. He adamantly denied that he was about to leave and said it was selfish of the media to inquire.
Schlossnagle stated:
"I think it's pretty selfish of you to ask me that question, to be honest with you," Schlossnagle said. "But I left my family to be the coach at Texas A&M. I took the job at Texas A&M to never take another job again. And that hasn't changed in my mind. That's unfair to talk about something like that.
"I understand you've gotta ask the question. But I gave up a big part of my life to come take this job, and I've poured every ounce of my soul in this job. And I've given this job every single ounce I can possibly give it. Write that."
The next morning, it was announced that Schlossnagle was off to Texas. For an Aggie, there is no greater form of betrayal. For Alberts, it looked like a case of being caught with his pants down. For Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte , it was a major coup and the ultimate power move. He stole perhaps the hottest coaching prospect in college baseball from its arch-rival as the Longhorns prepare to join the SEC .
Alberts can spin this any way he wants, but perception is reality and the people are speaking loud and clear. CDC schooled Alberts, who came off as oblivious and unprepared. Del Conte blindsided Alberts, Texas style.
For Husker Nation, to see the Texas A&M baseball coach tell Alberts that he always wanted the Aggie job and that he would never leave, only to leave a few hours later, it was a moment of karmic schadenfreude that will be impossible to top.
The Honeymoon is Over – Is the Alberts Agenda In Danger?
Trev Alberts has no ties to Texas A&M. His hire was strictly transactional. Texas A&M needed a competent, name-brand AD, and Alberts needed an SEC stepping stone to pad his resume for his ultimate goal of becoming the commissioner of college football.
Baseball is a big deal at Texas A&M. And Aggie fans hate the University of Texas more than anything in life. Thus, losing Schlossnagle is a body blow to Alberts. His honeymoon has been obliterated.
It is undeniably true that in his career, Alberts has made many painful decisions that proved to be correct in the end. UNO hockey became a big deal and the hiring of Matt Rhule as Nebraska football coach was a masterstroke.
It is also true that Alberts has less credibility than a used car salesman. Alberts is a competent AD, but he has a lot to learn about public relations and how to present and sell his decisions to the public. Alberts remains the Eddie Haskell of college ADs. Earning public confidence and not coming off as a slickster who is a little too perfect, always saying the “right” thing a little too well, remains his Achilles Heel. This flaw played a role in his failure to close the deal on stadium renovations while at Nebraska.
Trev Alberts’ ultimate love, passion, and agenda are found each day in his mirror. Once that is understood, everything else makes sense . The rest is a means to an end. However, Alberts’ end may not be what he is scheming for.
Alberts learned this week that karma is a witch in 12-inch heels. And he got stomped by her.
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