By ERIC OLSON

AP College Football Writer

Parents of Big Ten football players, upset over the process that led to the postponement of the fall season, held a protest near the conference’s Chicago-area headquarters Friday while an attorney in Nebraska demanded Commissioner Kevin Warren turn over material illustrating how the decision was made.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 announced Aug. 11 that health and safety concerns over the coronavirus led them to shut down football this fall. The other three major conferences, the Atlantic Coast, Big 12 and Southeastern, are planning to play.

Groups of player parents from several Big Ten schools have complained that Warren was not forthcoming in explaining the process that led to the school presidents’ decision. A more detailed explanation Warren offered in an open letter this week was not to their satisfaction.

“We’ve got a voice. We want to use it,” said Jay Kallenberger, father of Iowa offensive lineman Mark Kallenberger. “Our kids may not be comfortable speaking out or the programs may say, ‘Hey, just sit back, there’s not a lot you can say right now.’ Transparency, that’s what we want.”

Randy Wade, father of Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade, organized the protest in suburban Rosemont. About two dozen parents representing Iowa, Illinois, Ohio State and Wisconsin showed up. A few carried “Let Them Play” signs and the group chanted, “Let us play!”

The protest started with a 17-second moment of silence to recognize the 170,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19.

“We do respect there’s a pandemic out here,” Wade said, waving off critics of the parents’ movement who say the moms and dads are willing to put their sons at risk so they can play football.

Wade called on Warren to set up a videoconference with parents and athletic directors to discuss in detail how the decision was reached. Kallenberger said the parents also want Warren to provide clarity on whether there was a vote of presidents and, if so, how each school voted.

Warren wrote in his letter this week that the presidents’ vote “was overwhelmingly in support of postponing fall sports and will not be revisited.”

However, Minnesota president Joan Gabel said last week, “We didn’t vote, per se. It’s a deliberative process where we came to a decision together.”