Moos To Retire As Nebraska’s Athletic Director

LINCOLN–(News Release June 25)– Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Moos announced today that he will retire from his position effective June 30, 2021. Moos has led the Nebraska Athletic Department since October of 2017, and will conclude a 40-year career in collegiate athletics, including more than 25 years as a Division I athletic director.

“To understand just how special Nebraska is, you need to spend time here, meet our people, visit our cities and towns and sit in Memorial Stadium in a sea of red on a Saturday afternoon in the fall,” Moos said. “I step away completely content, knowing that our athletic program is reborn and rebuilt and that it has a solid, stable foundation.”

Since being hired as the 15th athletic director in Nebraska history, Moos has served the athletic program by following his mantra of Honor the Past; Live the Present; Create the Future. While in Lincoln, Moos has built on his impressive track record of success in building outstanding programs, developing long-standing relationships and doing what is best for his schools, its fans, and most importantly, its student-athletes.

In nearly four years at Nebraska, Moos has hired 12 Husker head coaches, including high-profile hires in football, men’s basketball and baseball. Moos has also spearheaded numerous Nebraska facility projects, most notably the Go B1G project, which began construction this spring and will provide a new home for the Husker football program and resources for all Nebraska student-athletes.

“Much of our work over the last four years is hard to quantify and even harder for our passionate fans and supporters to see—reorganizing the department to ensure efficiencies; hiring incredibly talented men and women to lead our department and our sports programs; polishing and sharing our iconic brand worldwide; and, most importantly, enhancing the student-athlete experience. These necessary changes have laid the groundwork for success that will soon be evident on the scoreboards.

Moos also navigated Nebraska Athletics through an unprecedented time in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The incredible challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic were numerous and widespread, yet our staff never wavered, never shied away from our fundamental responsibilities to protect health and safety and then to ensure the long-term stability of our Department. I am grateful for our staff’s service and commitment to our work and I have no doubt that great things lie ahead for Husker Athletics.”

During Moos’ time at Nebraska, Husker Athletics continued to rank among the national leaders in attendance in numerous sports, and continued nation-leading sellout streaks in football and volleyball.

“I have been so fortunate to work as the Director of Athletics at four wonderful schools and have seen a lot but I have never witnessed and experienced the passion of fans like we have at Nebraska. The unflinching support of our programs and of our university is inspiring and unmatched. I have visited every part of our great state and engaged with thousands of Husker fans over the years, and there truly is No Place like Nebraska.”

In addition to his time at Nebraska, Moos has served as the Athletic Director at Montana (1990-95), Oregon (1995-2007) and his alma mater Washington State (2010-17). Moos began his athletic career as an athletic administrator in 1982 as assistant athletic director at Washington State. He also served as the school’s associate athletic director (1988-90). He was co-captain on the Cougars’ 1972 squad and garnered first-team All-Pac-8 Conference honors.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor Ronnie Green issued the following statement:

“I respect Bill Moos’ decision to retire and I want to thank him for his service to Husker Athletics and our university.

Under his tenure, Nebraska has gained tremendous talent with outstanding new coaches and senior administrators. I particularly appreciate his steady and capable leadership during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He and his team were able to help mitigate those impacts and ensure that Husker Athletics came through this challenging year in good shape. The positive financial position of our Athletic Department is the envy of many across the nation.

Our student athletes are among the most competitive in the nation and excel in so many ways. During his time, our national leadership with the academic success of our student athletes continued with a number of new Academic All-Americans and a graduation rate second only to Northwestern in the Big Ten.

I know that Husker Nation will join me in wishing Bill and Kendra all the very best in retirement. I hope they greatly enjoy the additional time with family this will bring.

We will be launching a national search very soon, which I hope and expect will move quickly. In the meantime, I have asked Garrett Klassy, Senior Deputy Athletic Director for External Relations, to take on the role of Interim Athletic Director. Garrett has great respect within the department and our university, and I know will provide steady leadership during this period.”

9:41am

LINCOLN–(KFOR June 25)–Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos is reportedly out of a job.

The Lincoln Journal Star is reporting they confirmed through multiple sources that Moos will no longer be the athletic director. The reason for the departure has not been made clear and it’s possible the University of Nebraska could make an announcement sometime Friday.

Moos was hired in Oct. 2017 to take over for Shawn Eichorst, who was let go from the position. The 70-year-old Moos hired head football coach Scott Frost, men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg and baseball coach Will Bolt, along with promoting a new facilities project.