Nebraska officially recognizes seventeen official athletic directors, though at least fourteen others have held the role in an interim, unofficial, or de facto capacity. NU's longest-serving athletic director was Bob Devaney, who led the department from 1967 to 1992.
History
In its earliest days, the Nebraska Department of Athletics had no central figure or "athletic director," and the history of how this position developed is unclear. The department's first leaders typically were part-time officials who held others titles and responsibilities at the university. Oftentimes this person served on the Athletic Board, a group of faculty members which governed the department. Early heads of the department were given the title "Athletics Manager" – the first was multi-sport coach and physical education professor Raymond G. Clapp, who filled the role from 1902 to 1905.[3] The first individual to hold the title "athletic director" was E. J. Stewart, who served from 1916 to 1919 and also coached football and basketball during parts of his tenure.[4] However, Nebraska does not consider Stewart its first athletic director because it was not a full-time administrative position; this designation belongs to Fred Luehring, who became AD in 1920.[5] Like Clapp and Stewart, many of Nebraska's early athletic directors simultaneously coached one of the university's major varsity teams, primarily football – six of NU's first ten athletic directors also coached football during their tenure.
Aside from Bob Devaney, NU's football coach for the first six of his twenty-six years as AD, the athletic director position has been a standalone role since 1954. Including Devaney, five members of the College Football Hall of Fame have held the position.
^Although Stiehm was never recorded to have held the title of "athletic manager" or "athletic director", in the years 1912 and 1913, the Cornhusker yearbook lists no head of the athletic department, while Stiehm, as the "all-year coach", seemed to be the de facto head of the department.
^Stewart was the first individual to hold the title "athletic director," but the university does not consider him the first athletic director because it was not a full-time administrative position
^Luehring was the first head of the Athletics Department to have a "full-time" position as designated by the Board of Regents
^Gish initially served as interim athletic director from 1925 to 1928 following Jones' departure before accepting the full-time position
^Head football coach Glenn Presnell served as interim athletic director following Jones' departure to serve in World War II
^Lewandowski served as interim athletic director following George Clark's retirement in 1953
^Dean of the College of Business Administration Charles Miller and university comptroller Joseph Soshnik served as co-interim athletic directors following Orwig's departure[8][9][10]
^Senior associate athletic director for external operations Joe Selig served as interim athletic director following Byrne's departure[11][12]
^Osborne initially served as interim athletic director following Pederson's firing before accepting the full-time position
^Dave Rimington served as interim athletic director following Eichorst's firing[15]
^Senior deputy athletic director for external relations Garrett Klassy served as interim athletic director following Moos' retirement[16]
^Dennis Leblanc, the executive associate athletic director for academics, served as interim athletic director following Alberts' departure.[18][19]