ESPN announces reshuffled on-air coverage teams for 2023 college football season
College football is nearly back, with Week 0 being just a few weeks away. As usual, ESPN will be the home of the majority of the sport’s most important games of the 2023 season. They and FOX have been at the center of recent discussions surrounding the sport but all attention will shift to their broadcasts beginning on Aug. 28.
With a new season comes reshuffled on-air coverage teams from the World Wide Leader in Sports. A few folks have moved on to different networks, meaning ESPN had to shake up which color commentators would be working with play-by-play voices.
The biggest name on the move is Greg McElroy. Previously working with PxP guy Joe Tessitore, McElroy has been bumped up to the ESPN Saturday Night Primetime matchup. The former Alabama quarterback will be replacing Todd Blackledge to work with Sean McDonough and Molly McGrath.
Blacklege left ESPN to work with NBC, covering the Big Ten.
“The Alabama National Champion quarterback has signed a long-term contract extension with ESPN and enters his eighth season calling games for ESPN and ABC,” ESPN said in a statement on McElroy. “One of the sport’s leading analysts, McElroy also has studio experience on ESPN and SEC Network, in addition to hosting ESPN and Omaha Productions’ Always College Football podcast.”
As for who will replace McElroy, Jesse Palmer will step in for McElroy. He will be Tessitore’s new color commentator after spending years in the studio. Katie George will create the trifecta, working the sidelines.
Here are some other notable crews ESPN will have this season:
Returning teams
- Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Tom Luginbill
- Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison, and Stormy Buonantony
- Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, and Cole Cubelic
- Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, and Alyssa Lang
- Tiffany Greene and Jay Walker
- Connor Onion and Craig Haubert
New teams
- Bob Wischusen and Robert Griffin III, Kris Budden
- Mark Jones, Louis Riddick, Quint Kessenich
- Dave Fleming, Brock Osweiler, Kayla Barton
- Matt Barrie, Dan Mullen, and Harry Lyles
- Wes Durham, Tim Hasselback, Taylor Tannebaum
- Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, and Paul Carcaterra
- Roy Philpott, Roddy Jones, and Taylor McGregor
- Brian Custer, Rod Gilmore, and Lauren Sisler
- John Schriffen, Rocky Boiman, and Dawn Davenport
- Jay Alter and Rene Ingoglia
- Drew Carter and Dustin Fox
- Courtney Lyle and Hutson Mason
- Eric Frede and Jack Ford
- Clay Matvick and Aaron Murray
ESPN to keep ABC Saturday Night Football crew together
One change will not be made by ESPN and it’s the Saturday Night Football crew. Some would argue the best commentators in college football — Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit — will continue to be in the booth for ABC’s primetime showdown every week. Holly Rowe will hold down the fort on the field, being the crew’s sideline reporter.
As usual, Herbstreit will be a key member of the ESPN College GameDay crew. For the most part, his role in how college football is broadcasted on ESPN will go unchanged.
Two former SEC head coaches now in the broadcasting game
As ESPN transitions to the main home of SEC football, they have brought on some of the conference’s former coaches to be part of broadcast crews. Dan Mullen has been there in the past, being a color commentator for a few games while also working in the studio. The former Florida and Mississippi State headman has really carved a role out in media.
Derek Mason made his debut recently during SEC Media Days. He was at the desk with SEC Network, providing analysis of what coaches said on the podium while giving outlooks on upcoming seasons. Now, he will have the chance to get in the broadcasting booth with SEC Network afternoon games. Mason will work with Dave Neal and Taylor Davis.