It’s official. Bill Moos’ time at Nebraska has come to an end.
News broke early Friday that Moos’ time as the Huskers’ athletic director was coming to an end imminently. Moos announced shortly after that he will retire from his position effective June 30, 2021.
“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 in a statement. “I step away completely content, knowing that our athletic program is reborn and rebuilt and that it has a solid, stable foundation.”
Moos has been in his role as Nebraska’s athletic director since October 2017. Moos is three-and-a-half years into his contract, which originally ran until Dec. 31, 2022. He had previously said he had every intention of fulfilling his contract, speaking on the subject just last December.
“We’re going to move the dial here and I don’t want to be looking at that success from afar,” Moos said. “I have every intention of fulfilling the contract.
“Each stop had a little bit different scenarios but I couldn’t come back (home) and sit and leave the department on anything but solid footing and in a winning position. It’d drive me crazy.”
Moos, who was hired in October 2017, is Nebraska 15th athletic director in school history. During his time in Lincoln, he hired 12 Husker head coaches. That included football coach Scott Frost, men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg and baseball coach Will Bolt.
Through three seasons Frost is 12-20 as head coach, and Hoiberg is 14-45 after two seasons. Bolt got out of the gates quickly, however. After going 7-8 before the 2020 season was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Nebraska baseball, picked to finish sixth in the Big Ten, went 34-14 and won the regular-season conference title.
Moos was also a leader on the Huskers’ $155 million Go B1G facility project, which is currently in progress. The athletic department, under Moos’ direction, also left its partnership with longtime partner Learfield IMG College and is bringing its multimedia rights in house.
Moos navigated Nebraska Athletics through an unprecedented time in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“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.
“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.”
In addition to his time at Nebraska, Moos has also served as the athletic director at Montana (1990-95), Oregon (1995-2007) and his alma mater Washington State (2010-17). He began his athletic career as an athletic administrator in 1982 as assistant athletic director at Washington State and served as the school’s associate athletic director (1988-90).
“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,” Moos said. “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.”
UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green, who released a statement following the announcement, said senior Associate AD Garrett Klassy will serve as interim athletic director .
“I respect Bill Moos’ decision to retire and I want to thank him for his service to Husker Athletics and our university,” Green said. “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.”
Update (1:32 p.m. CT): Frost released a statement through Nebraska on Moos’ retirement.
”We will miss Bill and Kendra but wish them all the best in the future. I am grateful to Bill for all the work he has done and laying the groundwork for our future in Athletics.
“I have tremendous confidence in Chancellor Ronnie Green, his leadership, and ability to select our next Athletic Director. I know the leader he chooses will be able to help not only our football program, but all of athletic programs at this great University, be successful.”
Update (3:10 p.m. CT): Hoiberg released a statement.
“I am appreciative of Bill and the leadership and support he has provided to our basketball program and in the Athletic Department over the last two-plus years since I came to Lincoln. His work has laid the foundation for future success for not only our program, but all of our sports on campus. We will miss Bill and Kendra and wish Bill the best in his retirement. I am confident in the leadership of this University, and that Chancellor Ronnie Green will find the right person to lead Nebraska Athletics to further success.”
Erin is the Deputy Editor and Digital Marketing Strategist for Hail Varsity. She has covered Nebraska athletics since 2012, which has included stops at Bleacher Report, Cox Media Group’s Land of 10, and even Hail Varsity (previously from 2012-2017). She has also been featured on the Big Ten Network, NET’s Big Red Wrap-Up, and a varsity of radio shows nationwide. When not covering the Huskers, Erin is probably at Chipotle.
