Cornhuskers name Bill Moos new athletic director

— -- Nebraska has named Washington State's Bill Moos as its new athletic director.

Moos, who has led Washington State's athletic department since 2010 and served as Oregon's athletic director from 1995 to 2007, agreed to a five-year contract with Nebraska that will pay him $1 million annually. The 66-year-old Moos will begin working at Nebraska on Oct. 23.

He replaces Shawn Eichorst, fired last month because of the poor on-field performance of several Cornhuskers teams, including the football program. Former Cornhuskers star football player Dave Rimington has been serving as the school's interim athletic director.

Nebraska will introduce Moos at a news conference scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m. ET in Lincoln. Chancellor Ronnie Green called Moos "a proven winner" with "ability to lead programs to greatness."

"To lead one of the most storied and successful athletic programs in the nation is a true honor," Moos said in a prepared statement. "Nebraska is a very special place, known far and wide for its phenomenal fans, for doing things the right way, for supporting its students, honoring its athletic legacy and maintaining excellence in athletics success across the board. I am proud to help build upon these Husker traditions."

Green said the school considered "very competitive, tremendously gifted pool of candidates." TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte and Mississippi athletic director Ross Bjork both denied that they were candidates for the Nebraska vacancy.

Moos' last football coaching hire came in 2011, when he tapped former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach to lead Washington State. He oversaw an Oregon football program that rose to national prominence under coach Mike Bellotti and more than doubled its annual budget.