As an array of Bowl games commence within the college football landscape, ESPN platforms are delivering 33 games including coverage of the 12-team College Football Playoff. The company has presented three games within Bowl season thus far, and starting at 5:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, a first-of-its-kind broadcast team will take the air on ESPN Radio to call the Boca Raton Bowl between Western Kentucky and James Madison. The three hosts summoned for duty, weekday hosts: Evan Cohen, Chris Carlin, and Freddie Coleman.
Chris Carlin serves as the play-by-play announcer, working alongside Freddie Coleman on analysis, with Evan Cohen reporting from the sidelines. ESPN Radio revamped its lineup in 2023, pairing Cohen with Chris Canty and Michelle Smallmon on its morning show UnSportsmanLike. Coleman meanwhile partners with Harry Douglas in afternoon drive, and Carlin shares middays from Noon to 3 p.m. EST with Joe Fortenbaugh. When asked to take part in calling the game, Cohen, Carlin, and Coleman didn’t hesitate.
“It’s kind of cool to have three of our shows represented as part of the same broadcast, and I said, ‘Absolutely, 1000%, I’m in,’” Cohen said. “I just thought it was a really smart idea by [management].”
Cohen emphasized that there is camaraderie across the ESPN Radio lineup, evidenced by the rapport between hosts and frequent guest appearances in other parts of the lineup. Being able to promote the game throughout the week through different on-air segments and draw awareness towards the unique endeavor. Although the broadcasting team has not had a chance to work together in this capacity, they have listened to each other in sports talk radio and are familiar with their programs.
“It’s just a new adventure that all three of us are combining to do,” Coleman said. “I don’t recall in all my years in ESPN Radio having not just air talents who do a regular show on a day-by-day basis on ESPN Radio, but from the morning show, then also afternoon drive with me, and then you have the midday show, having all of us come together where we’ve done stuff like this before and doing it together, representing ESPN Radio is going to be really, really cool.”
Coleman has previous experience working as a color analyst on collegiate broadcasts for football, basketball and hockey for several institutions. During his time with ESPN, he has also forayed into play-by-play announcing and has an understanding of how to effectively serve multiple roles. The versatility within his skillset will be exhibited on the radio call Wednesday night as he provides his insights and perspectives on the action.
“You have to allow your eyes to tell you the truth, and be the eyes for people out there, whether they’re watching on TV or listening on radio,” Coleman said. “I’m always going to do everything I can to paint a picture with my words – and you can definitely do that as a play-by-play broadcaster – but as a color analyst, especially on radio, you have to be very vivid in your descriptions.”
Cohen will be situated on the field level gathering stories and enhancing the overall broadcast, working at a game that he has attended for the last decade. Throughout the week, he has been preparing for the action by studying the rosters of both teams, researching information and thinking about potential storylines. The assignment takes place just after the morning radio program with Cohen and co-hosts Michelle Smallmon and Chris Canty celebrated one year on the air together.
“I truly believe what we have done is create a unit that is really going in the same direction, and we like being around each other and we look forward to it,” Cohen said. “I think the No. 1 thing that a listener or a viewer can tell that it’s no B.S., we make fun of each other constantly. You don’t make fun of people that you’re not comfortable with. If you listen to our show, you will hear all of us making fun of each other in a healthy, loving way, and that did not happen a year-plus ago because we did not know each other.”
Coleman is grateful to managers at ESPN Radio, including Justin Craig, Liam Chapman and Pete Ciccone, for recognizing the abilities within the radio lineup and implementing them into the game broadcast. Working with Douglas on the afternoon drive program has given Coleman someone to bounce ideas off of and gain firsthand knowledge and intel about what happens on the field. This new assignment, which begins on Wednesday night, is something he hopes is the “beginning of something special,” but he does not want to put any pressure on the unit with this opportunity.
“I don’t have any doubt,” Coleman said. “That’s why they put us all together, because we’ve had extensive experience doing this, and it’s a chance to only bring that kind of expertise to the broadcast, but also further what we do on a day-by-day on ESPN Radio with our shows.”
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