LINCOLN -- In a surprise move, Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Byrne said today that his family will taking over cheerleading chores.

Byrne had recently pulled the plug on the NU yell squad’s stunting and tumbling routines, including pyramids, basket tosses, handsprings and flips.

In an exclusive Bugmunch interview, Byrne said he felt bad Husker fans would be missing out on high-energy stunts.

“So Marilyn and our boys have decided to do it ourselves,” he said. “We’ve been practicing in our backyard, which is kept green by ChemLawn and trimmed by Bob’s Mowers & More. I think we’re ready to give fans the kind of excitement they deserve.”

Byrne said that current NU yell squad members will lose their $500 stipend starting next semester, but suggested the former cheerleaders apply for work at the student union.

“Amigos has a great tuition assistance plan,” he said. “I also enjoy their crisp meat burritos. Tasty.”

Byrne and his wife, the dean of graduate studies in education leadership at Doane Collge and a part-time waitress at a Denny’s location near the Lincoln Airport - “she just loves it there,” Byrne said, “and the tip money is great” - have two sons.

Their older son, Bill, works for Visa in San Mateo, Calif. (“Credit Card Bill, we call him,” his dad chuckled).

The Byrnes’ younger son, Greg, is associate athletic director at Oregon State, where he is planning to change the mascot from Beavers to Beavs (“fewer letters on uniforms,” his dad said, nodding with approval) and runs a chain of coin-operated Laundromats. Greg Byrne and his wife, Regina, have two sons, Nicholas, 6, and Davis, 4.

The boys could be seen selling Pepsi products at a slight mark-up in front of Byrne’s Lincoln home, as well as washing cars.

“Hurry up,” their grandpa shouted, “you have to practice your roundoff back hand springs.”

Little Davis began sobbing.

“Isn’t he cute?” Byrne aaked. “Here, lad, have a Kleenex tissue with aloe.”

“You know,” he continued, rubbing one against his cheek, “you can really feel the difference.”

Asked if he was worried about his wife, sons and grandsons potentially being hurt, say, building a pyramid, Byrne rolled his eyes.

“Oh please,” he said, elbowing the reporter. “That’s not really a concern.

“Besides, I have friends at Robbins Chiropractic. They do great work. When (former NU basketball coach Danny) Nee was around, I used to get these shooting pains in my neck. The good folks at Robbins fixed me right up -- I feel like a 1.25 million bucks.”

Byrne also took time to show off his new home, pointing out the Black and Decker workroom, the Midas garage, four Serta mattress bedrooms with bathrooms jointly underwritten by Crest toothpaste and Zest soap, and a spacious Ikea living room with a wet bar donated by the Devaney family.

Playing with his dog, Runza, in the light of a Pepsi machine, Byrne said he had thought about the border collie participating in his family’s new cheerleading routines. He decided against it for fear of damaging Memorial Stadium’s FieldTurf.

He brushed his hand across the carpet and smiled.

“This new Stainmaster carpet sure is plush,” he said. “We can maybe move our cheerleading practices in here during the winter. Hey, can I get you a cold Pepsi? Mountain Dew, maybe? They’re only a dollar.”