College Football broadcast booths are littered with former standout players. They are everywhere. CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and ESPN built up their rosters with big names and credentials that are undeniable. While most were standouts on the field, there are others that have become better known for their analysis than their play. Most of these top analysts are quarterbacks, with some linebackers, and running backs mixed in as well.
Everybody has a preseason All-American list, so I’m jumping into the fray with one of my own. To make the team, an announcer has to be currently working college football games. The announcer has to be an in-booth analyst and has to have played college football. It was tough to narrow it down to only a 5-person All-American team, but I did it and here it is in no ranking order.
Joel Klatt, Fox Sports
Media Career: Klatt’s first opportunity in broadcasting came when he filled in as an analyst on Friday night high school football games in the Denver area in the fall of 2006 for Fox Sports Rocky Mountain. Pretty soon after, he became a studio host for Fox Sports Southwest’s Saturday college football coverage from 2007-08. The next year he started calling a package of games as a color analyst for Fox Sports Net. He left the Denver area in 2013 when he joined FS1 for its launch. Klatt spent his first two seasons with FS1 as a full-time studio analyst for the network’s college football coverage, and part-time game analyst. Prior to the 2015 season, he was elevated to the network’s lead college football game analyst.
College Career: He came to the Colorado Buffaloes as a preferred walk-on in 2002 and set 44 school records as the starter from 2003-05. He became only the third player in school history to throw for more than 2,500 yards in his first season as a starter, that included 21 touchdowns. Klatt finished his Colorado career as the school’s all-time leader in 44 categories including, passing yards (7,375) and touchdowns (44).
Why he’s an All-American Analyst: Klatt is one of those top flight athletes that can articulate the intricacies of the college game in a straight forward manner. He has an easy-going style that is pleasant to listen to, but at the same time, he’s very authoritative in his delivery. He sees the game very clearly and is able to translate those visions to the casual fan with ease. That’s a big compliment because it’s not easy to do. Especially after playing the sport at such a high level. He sounds very natural in the booth. Klatt also shares opinions, not in an outlandish way, but in a matter-of-fact manner. He works well with Gus Johnson, matching his partner’s enthusiasm, in his own way.
Did you know: Klatt has been a professional in two major sports. His college football career was delayed after he tried professional baseball. Klatt was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 11th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. He played two seasons in the minor leagues before retiring from the sport to pursue his football career at Colorado. Following his graduation from Colorado, he was invited to the Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints rookie mini-camps in 2006, and was signed as a free agent by the Saints.
Todd Blackledge, NBC
Media Career: Blackledge worked for ABC from 1994-98 working as a college football analyst. In 1999 he joined CBS Sports as the lead analyst for college football telecasts. In 2006 Blackledge moved on to ESPN where he was again the lead college football analyst. Just this season, he left for NBC Sports, which acquired the television rights to the Big Ten Saturday Night package. He’ll join Noah Eagle as the top team analyst.
College/NFL Career: Blackledge was a three-year starter at Penn State as a quarterback. He led the Nittany Lions to a National Championship in 1982. Following the season, he won the Davey O’Brien Award, which is given to the best quarterback in the country.
Blackledge was taken in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft, by the Kansas City Chiefs at pick number seven. He was selected after John Elway and before Dan Marino in the draft. In his 7-year NFL career he was mainly a backup. He did start 29 games in the league, going 15-14, throwing for just over 5200 yards, 29 touchdowns and 38 interceptions.
Why he’s an All-American Analyst: Blackledge may not be as popular as some of the names on my list, but he’s really solid. Less flash and more information are the mottos he goes by. Blackledge has an uncanny way of breaking down a game, without using too many complicated statements. He’s able to make salient points without flowery descriptions.He’s been partnered with Verne Lundquist, Brad Nessler and other broadcasting icons over the years.
Did you know: Todd Blackledge is the son of Ron, a former NFL assistant coach. Blackledge was hired as the head varsity basketball coach at Hoover High School in North Canton, OH in 2014.
Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN, Amazon Prime
Media Career: Herbstreit has been doing this for a long time. He’s worked at ESPN since 1996 and has worked his way into the top college football booth at the network. In 2020, Herbstreit announced the first game of the Monday Night Football Kickoff Week doubleheader along with his college partner Chris Fowler. They joined forces to call a game on MNF in 2021 as well. Last year Herbstreit’s schedule got a lot busier. He added Thursday Night Football with Al Michaels on Amazon Prime.
College Career: Herbstreit was a four-year letter winner at Ohio State as a quarterback. After backing up Greg Frey and Kent Graham, Herbstreit led the Buckeyes as a senior in 1992. He threw for just over 19-hundred yards that season. Ohio State lost to Georgia in the Florida Citrus Bowl. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration.
Why he’s an All-American Analyst: Hebrstreit is a guy that fans either seem to like, or really not like. While he may come across a little cocky at times, he doesn’t really act like the all-knowing analyst he’s accused of being by some. Herbstreit is a great teacher of the game. He does an excellent job expanding on what happened during the game and why. He doesn’t shy away from speaking his mind, which is the reason for the polarizing thoughts about him. I like it when the analyst gives a genuine reaction rather than cookie-cutter answers like some of the others in the game. He and Chris Fowler are a great team, each gets the best out of the other.
Did you know: Herbstreit was featured prominently is How We Lookin’? a documentary about the life and career of longtime Reds’ broadcaster Marty Brennaman.
Greg McElroy, ESPN
Media Career: McElroy is a newcomer to the media business. Three days after announcing his retirement from the NFL in 2014, McElroy was hired as a college football analyst for ESPN’s SEC Network. He began calling games from all conferences on ESPN in 2016. McElroy also served as an analyst for ABC and ESPN’s coverage of the XFL. This year, with Todd Blackledge now at NBC, ESPN named McElroy to replace him in the booth, working alongside play-by-play man Sean McDonough on Saturday Night Primetime.
College/NFL Career: McElroy was an Alabama quarterback from 2007 to 2011 during which time he lead the team to win the 2009 BCS National Championship. He had previously ushered the Crimson Tide to an SEC Football Championship title and was named MVP (2009). He was named 2010 ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year and first-team Academic All-American. He finished his college career with a 24-3 record. The New York Jets drafted McElroy in 2011 and he retired from the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013.
Why he’s an All-American Analyst: There is an ease about McElroy when he’s on camera and when he’s breaking down a play. He, of course, can really dissect the play of a quarterback. McElroy does that though in an easy-to-understand manner. Using the video and graphic support to further illustrate what he’s talking about. Like when he was leading the Crimson Tide, McElroy has a good sense of timing too. He picks his spots to either expand on a point or simplify something with a quick-hitter. I noticed this early in his bowl game last year, when there was some hurry up offense employed. McElroy didn’t get in the play-by-play announcer’s way at all. I can see why McElroy is a quick rising star in the industry.
Did you know: He graduated from University of Alabama in three years with a degree in business marketing and went on to earn a Master of Science degree in sports management in 2010, with a 4.0 GPA.
Spencer Tillman, Fox Sports
Media Career:Broadcast partners Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman enter their ninth year together for FOX Sports. The duo’s partnership dates back to 1999 when they worked together at CBS. In fact, the partnership was so important to Brando, that he began advocating for FOX to hire Tillman almost immediately after he accepted a job at the network himself.
College/NFL Career: Tillman was an All-American running back for the Oklahoma Sooners from 1983-86. He was the captain of the 1985 National Championship team when it beat Penn State in the Orange Bowl. Tillman received several awards during his playing career, including UPI Player of the Year in the Big 8 in 1982. He was inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame in 2012.
Tillman was taken in the 5th round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. The running back played for the Oilers for two seasons. In the 1989 off-season, he was traded to the 49ers where he stayed for 3 seasons. Tillman was co-captain with Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott on the 49ers team that beat the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV. In 1992, Tillman was traded back to Houston, where he finished up his career after the 1994 season.
Why he’s an All-American Analyst: Experience is Tillman’s friend. He has the opportunity to see so many things in his playing career and now in his broadcasting career. Steady and solid in his delivery and making his points. There is very little hesitation in making his points, his sense of timing is great, especially when working with Brando. Tillman is very smooth in his delivery. By smooth, I don’t mean boring at all. He has some, what I like to call, “controlled excitement” in his voice. The energy level is there, because you can tell he loves the game, but it never reaches a point where he gets outside himself. No yelling, no screaming, just extremely good analysis.
Did you know: Before an Oilers home game in October 1987, Tillman was riding in a Houston taxi cab when the driver became unconscious. Tillman, who was sitting in the front seat, was able to stop the vehicle and administer CPR; after the driver was taken to the hospital for recovery, Tillman played in a 37-33 comeback win against the Atlanta Falcons.
Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.
