Todd Blackledge is headed to what will be his third network. The college football analyst is leaving ESPN to team with Noah Eagle at NBC. The duo will call the network’s newly acquired package of Big Ten games.
As a result, Bristol has a hole to fill in its number 2 college football booth. There has been plenty of speculation about who will partner with Sean McDonough next season. Andrew Marchand of The New York Post reports that the decision will come down to Robert Griffin III or Greg McElroy.
Both former quarterbacks have quickly established themselves as potential stars of college football coverage at ESPN and each one brings a unique pedigree. Griffin won the Heisman Trophy in 2011 while at Baylor. McElroy was under center for Nick Saban’s first national championship-winning team at Alabama.
Dan Orlovsky is also expected to be considered, but Marchand reports that his commitments to Monday Night Football would make it tough to elevate him in the college football hierarchy. This past season, Orlovsky was partnered with Bob Wischusen to call an afternoon game each week on either ESPN or ABC.
McElroy and Griffin are already well-established at the network. McElroy was partnered with Joe Tessitore in calling games this season. RGIII became something of a fan favorite calling games alongside Mark Jones.
A move into the number 2 booth comes with a playoff assignment. McDonough and Blackledge called the Fiesta Bowl semi-final this year between TCU and Michigan.
Marchand writes that it is unclear what sort of advantage McElroy’s SEC background could create. ESPN will take over the entire television slate for the conference in 2024, replacing CBS as the conference’s primary media rights holder for football.
