LINCOLN, Neb. -- Omaha businessman Lee Sapp Sr., once one of the Nebraska athletic department's largest benefactors, cut ties with the Cornhuskers four years ago because he didn't see eye to eye with Bill Byrne.

Now that Byrne is leaving as Nebraska's athletic director to take the same position at Texas A&M, Sapp said he would consider donating again.

"I wish him well, but I'm happy he's gone,'' Sapp said Thursday.

While University of Nebraska-Lincoln chancellor Harvey Perlman and a segment of fans and boosters expressed disappointment after Byrne's announcement Tuesday, others involved in Husker athletics welcomed the news.

Byrne has been widely praised for upgrading the athletic department in a number of areas during his 11 years on the job, particularly in the areas of fund-raising and marketing.

However, he often butted heads with fans and boosters over some of his decisions, ranging from demanding donations for most season tickets to the phasing out of Herbie Husker as the school's mascot. Byrne also offended some people with his remarks, particularly one this fall where he hinted he paid attention only to "boosters of substance and influence'' when it came to evaluating the football coaching staff.

Sapp, who was a major donor from the 1960s to the 1990s, said he was uncertain of the manner in which Byrne appropriated athletic department funds. He declined to elaborate.

"I hope and pray we get an audit before the new athletic director is hired,'' Sapp said.

Byrne, who oversaw a $45 million budget, has acknowledged a long-running disagreement with Sapp. Through sports information director Chris Anderson, Byrne declined an interview request by The Associated Press. Anderson said Byrne was not doing interviews with Nebraska media Thursday and Friday.

"He's aware of it,'' Anderson said of the criticism. "Thanks for the opportunity, but he would choose not to respond to it.''

Sapp, who owns Omaha-area car dealerships, said the next athletic director will have to mend fences with alienated boosters, a point raised by Perlman on Wednesday.

"I never liked him or trusted him,'' Sapp said. "He's leaving, so let him go. We've got to rebuild. With the right people, we'll get it done.''

Dallas businessman Dan Cook, whose family has been a Husker benefactor since the 1960s, said Byrne will be missed. He pointed to facility improvements, the hirings of 11 new coaches during Byrne's tenure and the overall modernization of an athletic department that had fallen behind the times under the previous athletic director, Bob Devaney.

"I tell people who aren't great fans of Bill that they will miss him when he's gone,'' Cook said. "Texas A&M is not famous for making dumb mistakes. It's a black day for Nebraska.''

Dan Hergert, a longtime donor who serves on the executive boards of the Husker Athletic Fund and Touchdown Club -- Nebraska athletic booster groups, credits Byrne for his work as a builder.

However, he said Byrne overspent on non-revenue sports in pursuit of the Sears Cup, the all-sports championship, and neglected to take care of the department's flagship sport, football.

"I'm tickled to death,'' Hergert said of Byrne's departure. "We're at a crossroads.''

While new restrooms and skyboxes were nice additions to Memorial Stadium, Hergert said, tangible improvements to the football program's locker area and athletic training room have been lacking. Meanwhile, Hergert said, other Big 12 Conference schools have passed the Huskers in quality of football facilities.

Hergert, owner of Hergert Oil Co. in Lincoln, said money directed toward new baseball and track facilities would have been better spent on football.

"Football is the driving force of the athletic program,'' Hergert said. "There was no stopping Bill when it came to spending on the other sports. But he let football facilities slip away, and now we're paying the price for it in recruiting.''

Irv Veitzer, a member of the Touchdown Club board, said Byrne was a fiscally responsible manager who kept Nebraska athletics on the national forefront.

"There isn't any comparison between where the program was in 1992 and how he leaves it,'' said Veitzer, owner of Omaha Bedding Co. "He brought the athletic department up to speed. I'm really impressed with what he got done.''

Hergert said the next athletic director's priority will be to address the shortcomings in the football program.

"Byrne's leaving a sinking ship,'' Hergert said, "and we're glad to see him get out of here.''