Paul Finebaum shared early in his show on Friday that long-time lead producer Mark Kubiak would leave the show, and he even joked that Kubiak had entered the transfer portal.

Finebaum noted that Kubiak produced “The Paul Finebaum Show” on television since the first day of its airing in 2014 on the SEC Network.

“I got here earlier today and I wondered why everybody was so happy,” Finebaum joked at the start of the show. “Mark is producing the show, and this is what I respect most about Mark Kubiak, he’s in charge of the guest list. He booked himself for the show today, and he will be out here later to tell us about his future and about his favorite memories about these nearly 9 years as part of the SEC Network version of this program.”

Along with working on the Finebaum show, Kubiak, who is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is also a highlight producer for ESPN. Kubiak’s LinkedIn profile noted that he previously worked at the PGA Tour, and in an earlier role with ESPN as a production assistant.

Callers offered their appreciation for Kubiak, and some noted that Notre Dame fans could view him as an ally in SEC Country. Other callers and some guests tweeted their appreciation as well.