Tom Osborne replaced as Nebraska AD by Miami's Shawn Eichorst

Blake James replaces Shawn Eichorst as acting Miami AD

Blake James has been named the Miami Hurricanes interim athletic director to replace Shawn Eichorst, who resigned to accept the athletic director position at the University of Nebraska. University of Miami president Donna Shalala released the following statement:

"I am deeply disappointed in Shawn's departure to the University of Nebraska as I thoroughly enjoyed working with him. We wish Shawn and his wonderful family the very best at their new post."

Eichorst's move puts the university and its athletic program in a difficult situation, considering the investigation into Miami's compliance practices, and how close Eichorst worked with the NCAA in its inquiries.

In August 2011, former booster and convicted Ponzi scheme architect Nevin Shapiro made claims of providing dozens of Miami athletes with improper benefits over an eight-year period.

Shapiro is currently serving a 20-year prison term for his role in squandering investors out of $930 million.

James is a senior associate athletic director for Miami, but will serve as Eichorst's replacement for now. The Hurricanes could be facing severe sanctions, and will have to rely on new leadership to guide them through the process.

Replacing Tom Osborne: Miami AD reportedly top candidate

Shawn Eichorst, the current athletic director at the University of Miami (Fla.), is a top candidate for the same position open at the University of Nebraska following the retirement announcement of Tom Osborne on Sept. 26, according to a report by Steven Sipple of the Lincoln Journal Star.

Sources close to the situation indicated that Elchorst, in his second year as AD for the Hurricanes, has emerged as a leader for the position that Chancellor Harvey Perlman, with the help of an executive search firm, must fill as Osborne has plans to retire at the end of the year.

Prior to landing at Miami, Elchorst, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Marquette University, served as deputy athletic director to Barry Alvarez at the University of Wisconsin for two years. He also previously served as senior associate athletic director and executive associate athletic director for the Badgers.

Tom Osborne retiring from Nebraska in Jan. 2013

Tom Osborne, the legendary former Nebraska coach, announced his retirement from his position as the school's athletic director in a press conference on Wednesday.

Osborne, a native of Hastings, was the Cornhuskers football coach from 1973-1997, where he won 13 conference championships and 3 national titles.

An enormously popular figure in the state, he went on to serve three terms as a congressman from 2000-2006 after leaving football.

However, after losing a close race for the governor's office, he returned to campus, taking over as the athletic director in 2007.

From his position in Lincoln, he helped shepherd Nebraska's move from the Big 12 to the Big 10. Osborne had long resented the influence of Texas after the Big 8 absorbed the former SWC schools in the mid-1990's, and he viewed the other Midwestern state schools in the Big 10 as a better fit with the Cornhuskers.

Osborne, who will serve as an athletic director emeritus until 2013, is already a member of the Collegiate Hall of Fame and he will go down as one of the most influential figures in the sport's history.

Tom Osborne set to retire from Nebraska, according to report

University of Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne will likely announce his retirement in a Wednesday press conference.