Jeff Verbin didn't know his buddy was up for the job. But Verbin was sure happy when Kevin Warren landed it.
Warren is the Big Ten commissioner-in waiting and will replace retiring Jim Delany. Warren takes over Sept. 16, though Delany won't officially step away until Jan. 1, 2020.
Verbin, a Chicago- and Phoenix-based attorney who is a 1971 Illinois graduate, has been friends with Warren for 30 years.
"When I first heard about it, I was surprised," Verbin said. "Then, when I thought about it, I said 'Boy, that was a great choice.' I didn't envision he would leave the NFL.