Per The Champaign Room, and a report from Ryan Baker, the University of Illinois has hired their new Athletic Director: Josh Whitman. This comes a few months after they canned Mike Thomas back in November.
Some information about Whitman per TCR, article linked above:
Whitman, 37, was a standout tight end on the Illini football team during his collegiate years while earning academic All-American honors in 1999. He went on to enjoy a four-year professional career in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers, Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins.
Whitman began his career in athletics administration while attending law school at Illinois, where he served as the Assistant to the Athletic Director from 2007-08 and Coordinator of Special Projects from 2005-07. Whitman was also involved in numerous aspects of the athletic department’s operations, including development, marketing, sports information and communications, internal operations, and student-athlete programs.