Greg Byrne, far right, celebrates the Arizona Wildcats’ College World Series title this summer. Harry How – Getty Images

Shawn Eichorst has stepped down as Athletic Director at the University of Miami and is heading to the University of Nebraska to fill the spot vacated by the retiring Tom Osborne.

Eichorst, whose tenure as AD for the Hurricanes lasted a mere 18 months, has big shoes to fill. Osborne is nothing short of a legend in Lincoln, having won three national titles as Husker football coach — a distinction that eventual got him elected to Congress.

For University of Arizona fans, this is great news and effectively ends the Greg Byrne-to-Nebraska rumors. Byrne apparently isn’t interested in replacing a legacy. And by legacy, we don’t mean Osborne, rather, Byrne’s own father Bill Byrne.

As Cornhusker AD, the elder Byrne’s programs won eight national titles and 82 Big  8/12 titles between 1992 and 2003. Among those national championships were Osborne’s three football triumphs. Bill Byrne jumped to Texas A&M before retiring in August.

Such is the price of success. And Arizona has witnessed it firsthand.

(more…)