Since Trev Alberts departed the Nebraska Cornhuskers earlier this week, the biggest question has obviously been “why.” It’s possible we got a hint at the answer on Friday night.
At the same time that Fred Hoiberg and his crew were routing the Indiana Hoosiers, the Lincoln Journal Star’s Chris Dunker was reporting on a significant development inside the university. On Wednesday, March 20 the Board of Regents is set to meet.
After the public portion of the meeting concludes, the BoR will go into a closed session. There is a number of reasons why this closed session could be taking place. Is it possible that Trev Alberts' replacement is the topic of discussion?
More than that, is it possible that this meeting is taking place so soon after his running out to the door to Texas A&M a sign that the Board of Regents are closer to naming Ted Carter’s replacement than we realized?
Most importantly, is the reason Trev left the Nebraska Cornhuskers so abruptly that he knew who would have been his next boss and was unnerved by the name? There are already some other reasons to be nervous about who the Board of Regents is targeting.
Governor Jim Pillen, a former regent and someone actively involved in getting several current members of the board their positions made it clear what he wants to see in the next president.
Nebraska Cornhuskers could be moving closer to new president
Pillen told the Nebraska Examiner that he doesn’t want someone who is a “shiny star” but rather someone who “understands Nebraskans.” He also wants someone who isn’t looking to move up but is willing to stick around for 10 years.
Pillen said he also told people that he wanted someone who “understands what our Nebraska values are and what Nebraskans expect.”
Is it possible that Pillen and his supporters on the Nebraska Cornhuskers Board of Regents have found the person they believe aligns with their values? Is it possible that Trev Alberts doesn’t believe they align with what’s best for the university? Or at least that they don’t align with Alberts’ vision for the athletic department?
We may be finding out soon. Should this Wednesday meeting be about naming their choice, a 30-day public vetting period will unfold before the regents vote on their appointee. We’ll get to know the choice, but that doesn’t mean we’ll have an actual say on whether they’re the next president.
The uncertainty around the Nebraska Cornhuskers could get worse before it gets better. But this meeting, so soon after Trev Alberts left, might be a big sign of why he left.