LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Nebraska athletic director Bill Byrne announced Tuesday night that he will leave the university to take the same position at Texas A&M.

"I thought I could try my hand one more time at building a program,'' said Byrne, who came to Nebraska in 1992 from Oregon. "It's going to be extremely hard to leave, but I look forward to the challenges.''

The announcement came during a news conference that punctuated an already tumultuous week at Nebraska following the firing of three assistant football coaches after the team fell to 7-6 on the season.

Byrne, 57, replaces Wally Groff with the Aggies.

Harvey Perlman, chancellor of NU's Lincoln campus, said a search for Byrne's replacement would begin immediately and include some internal candidates. He declined to list any names.

Among Byrne's first duties at A&M will be to hire a new football coach to replace R.C. Slocum, who was fired Monday.

Benton Cocanougher, head of A&M's search committee, said Byrne has a "distinguished record of leadership'' and that Byrne wasn't involved in A&M President Robert Gates' decision to fire Slocum.

Last week on his weekly radio show, Byrne characterized his Nov. 26 meeting with A&M officials in College Station as a "get-acquainted'' session.

Byrne was reportedly the only person interviewed for the job.

He said he did not get a job offer until Tuesday afternoon and accepted immediately.

He said he did not give Nebraska a chance to make a counter-offer.

"I wasn't interested in getting in a bidding contest,'' Byrne said.

His salary at A&M was not immediately available.

His salary this year at Nebraska was $229,472. He also received a bonus of $74,798.

Byrne's tenure in Lincoln has been noted for improvements in fund-raising and facilities.

Nebraska won two national titles in football and shared a third during Byrne's time in Lincoln. The Huskers also won two NCAA volleyball championships.

The Cornhuskers also made it to the College World Series in 2001 and 2002, the university's first trips to college baseball's national championship in school history.

During his tenure, Nebraska has balanced the athletic department's budget while increasing the number of men's and women's teams to 23.

He spearheaded a $36 million improvement project for NU's Memorial Stadium, which included 42 skyboxes and a press facility.

He also helped the school sign a deal with the city of Lincoln and a professional baseball team to share a new $30 million baseball/softball complex, which opened in 2000.

Byrne replaced legendary coach and athletic director Bob Devaney at NU.

"I have loved the years I have spent here at Nebraska,'' Byrne said. "It's a place like no other.''