Kirk Herbstreit is reinvigorated by ESPN’s new “College GameDay” crew.
During an interview with On3 this week, the longtime football broadcaster admitted that he believed when he struck a deal with Amazon “three years ago that [he] would probably have to give something up.”
Herbstreit, who appears on “Thursday Night Football” alongside Al Michaels for Prime Video, has appeared on “College GameDay” in addition to calling college football games on Saturdays for ESPN.
“It’s so hard to do all three of these things,” Herbstreit continued. “But now, man, you couldn’t kick me off the set. Like I absolutely love it. We’re having a blast.”
Over the past two years, Herbstreit, Rece Davis, Desmond Howard and Lee Corso were joined by Pat McAfee and Nick Saban on the “GameDay” panel, which has garnered rave reviews this season.
“I’ve known coach [Saban] a long, long, long time. There’s a serious comfort there with him and me and Pat and Des and Rece. I think it comes across on air,” Herbstreit said.
He even gave a shoutout to some of the people behind the scenes who make the show tick.
“Even Stanford Steve, man, he’s been such a pleasure, honestly, like just as a guy. That role, you know, it’s the betting stuff. But behind the scenes… those behind the scenes people, when it comes to just the meetings and the grind that you get into and the lack of sleep, those positive energy people that just bring goodness to the show, I am indebted to those people like Stanford Steve and so many others.
“I hope it’ll last a long time, having that group together that we have,” Herbstreit said. “…We’re in a great spot. I love having everybody that’s on the show and hopefully we can keep it going all the way through the year and for the next few years going.”
Herbstreit, 55, is in the midst of his 29th season on “GameDay.”