In a long-anticipated move, Northwestern announced on Thursday that Dr. Derrick Gragg is leaving his role as athletic director.

Gragg, who was AD for three years, is not leaving the university entirely. Per a university release, Gragg will remain with Northwestern in another role, Vice President for Athletic Strategy, and continue to advise the athletic department on matters like NIL, revenue sharing and the search for his replacement.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg first reported the news.

Northwestern's athletic director-to-be will manage the department and staffs, while Gragg will report directly to university president Dr. Michael Schill, rather than the new AD, in his newly created role.

Gragg’s title is ambiguous and not often seen within athletic departments at other schools. In the release, the university said Gragg will help the university navigate the rapidly changing world of college athletics in his new role.

"What began with Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights and conference realignment has accelerated with the House v. NCAA settlement, which for the first time creates a pathway for direct revenue sharing with collegiate student-athletes," the release states. "In his new role, Dr. Gragg will focus on advising the president and athletic director about how Northwestern can be a leader in how it approaches this new landscape while addressing the new challenges it presents."

Several sources in the Northwestern community have expected this move for quite some time. The Athletic reported that Gragg was pushed out of the job, which wouldn't surprise many observers.

The school and athletic department are both still dealing with the fallout from last summer, when head football coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired after an embarrassing hazing scandal rocked the program. His dismissal came just three days after the school initially suspended him for two weeks.

Fitzgerald has since filed a $130 million wrongful termination suit against the university, and more than 20 athletes in multiple programs have sued the school for hazing-related incidents.

Shortly after Fitzgerald was dismissed, Northwestern fired baseball coach Jim Foster in response to allegations of bullying and abusing players. Foster was Gragg's first hire as AD, and he was allowed to coach while the human resources department was investigating the allegations.

Gragg was assumed to be on the hot seat throughout the school year and has taken a low profile. He rarely spoke to the media, or even at alumni events. He was greeted by a tepid response before the Las Vegas Bowl in December and attended but did not address the pair of NCAA Tournament pep rallies in March.

Still, to his credit, Gragg was able to spearhead two major facilities initiatives in the last year. Northwestern gained approval from the City of Evanston for the $800 million renovation of Ryan Field, and work has already begun. He also was instrumental in the planned construction of a temporary lakefront stadium where the Wildcats' football, soccer and women's lacrosse teams will play while the new stadium is being built over the next two years.

Gragg also extended the contract of basketball coach Chris Collins, who led the Wildcats to two consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, and permanently hired football coach David Braun, who wound up as the Big Ten Coach of the Year last season.

Gragg will remain athletic director until his replacement is hired, when he will then transition to the VP role.

Per the release, the search for a replacement has already begun and Gragg will have an advisory role in the selection process.