Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Moos says he’s ‘not going to change’ in wake of rumors

Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Moos says he’s ‘not going to change’ in wake of rumors
World-Herald News Service

LINCOLN — Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Moos reiterated Wednesday on his monthly radio show that he’s not changing his public-friendly persona in the wake of false Internet rumors that spread quickly on Monday.

“I’m going to be Bill Moos,” he said on Sports Nightly. “I was hired because I’m Bill Moos.”

Moos received a statement of full support from University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds and UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green Tuesday before telling The World-Herald in an interview that he denied all rumors of alcohol misuse.

On his radio show, Moos said “not one bit” when asked if he’d cut down on public appearances. He’ll get a “cold beer here or there, a cup of coffee or a piece of pie” with fans throughout the state when he can.

“It’s worked for me for 36 years in the profession — 26 years as an athletic director in Division I,” Moos said. “It’s how I operate. I’m not going to change. Frankly, these (fans) don’t want me to. They’ve been starved for this … it’s how I operate and I think that’s why the president and chancellor were interested in me — among hopefully other reasons — because I can relate to the people and promote our program.”

Moos said Nebraska athletics doesn’t need people “casting stones.” The majority of fans, he said, do not.

“For every 100 have the right approach and the right attitude, there’s one or two that don’t It’s unfortunate when they get the attention and we wanted to take the attention away from them as fast as we could,” Moos said.

Moos doesn’t intend to spend much time trying to figure out who started the rumors, though he suspects “it’s people who’d rather stir the pot and start a controversy.”

If a staff member is a source of rumors, Moos said, it’d be “very disappointing.”

“If that’s the case and it’s identified, they won’t be on my staff anymore,” Moos said. “I can’t command respect. Respect goes both ways. I need to earn the respect of my 350 employees and they need to earn my respect. And by and large that’s all happening and most of it has happened.

“The one thing I can demand is loyalty, and not necessarily loyalty to me. Loyalty to our brand, to our university and to our mission. And if I have people within my program who are not loyal to the University of Nebraska, and are not passionate like most of them are, then it’s just like having somebody in the locker room that’s not part of the team and not wanting to win games. We’ll sort all that out. It’s not like there’s a witch hunt or anything. I say it usually it rises, or it lowers itself or illuminates itself along the way.”

More notes from Moos’ chat with fans:

» Moos reiterated his support for Nebraska basketball coach Tim Miles, whose team has lost four straight basketball games.

“I want to win every game from here on out,” Moos said. “I think we’re capable of that.”

Moos said he won’t “disrupt” the season with any decisions regarding Miles’ future as the coach.

» Nebraska’s athletic teams, Moos said, largely has what it needs to be “on par” with the rest of the Big Ten — and by extension the nation — in all sports, but “it doesn’t happen overnight.”

“I’ve made four coaching changes since I’ve been here,” Moos said. “I’m not saying there’s going to be more because I love our coaches, but they know what’s expected of them, and it’s realistic. I want our program to be judged in another 18 to 24 months, because there are no quick fixes, where, if we do stub our toe, it’s not a house of cards and everything falls to pieces.”

» Moos said he likes to think “outside the box” when it comes to facilities. Moos said in a previous interview with The World-Herald that NU is exploring football facility changes.

» There’s a list of names for potential men’s basketball coaches, Moos said, because he always has names ready for all major sports, including when Oregon football finished No. 2 in 2001. Moos had to have one, he said, because Oregon’s coach at the time, Mike Bellotti, was offered several coaching jobs.

» Runzas are no longer sold at Pinnacle Bank Arena. A caller asked why. Moos didn’t know, saying it was the decision of PBA’s staff.

“I miss them as much as you do,” Moos said.

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