Former QB always in motion during fall
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Kirk Herbstreit is a busy man.
Last college-football season, the Upper Arlington resident and former Ohio State quarterback already had a lot on his plate: He hosted a Columbus radio show and analyzed games for College GameDay on ESPN as well as the network?s Thursday-night game.
During the summer, he added another duty for the 2006-07 season: co-analyst for the new Saturday-night game on ABC.
"As soon as they asked me, I was all about it," said Herbstreit, who had asked to be considered if the opportunity arose.
Network officials wanted someone in the thick of college football to complement the play-by-play of Brent Musburger and the coaching perspective of Bob Davie, said Jed Drake, senior vice president and executive producer of remote production for ESPN.
"I think Kirk sees a different game than most of us see," said Drake, comparing his skill to that of baseball analyst Joe Morgan.
"He (Herbstreit) communicates so well. He?s got insightful opinions that are based on great knowledge."
During the coverage of OSU at Texas, the second ABC game of the year, Musburger marveled on-air at such a hectic life.
"Nobody works harder in college football than you," Musburger told Herbstreit. "I can?t believe your schedule."
After the deal with ABC ? which, like ESPN, is owned by Disney ? was sealed, wife Allison added another type of responsibility: She gave birth to their fourth son, Chase, on Aug. 9. (The couple also have 6-year-old twins, Jake and Tye, and a 3-yearold, Zak.)
Kirk Herbstreit doesn?t sleep much.
"I?m really not around this time of year," the 37-year-old said. "It?s like four months of nonstop.
"Then, once I get to Jan. 9, it?s the complete opposite: I?m here seven days a week and just have my radio show (on WBNS)."
Herbstreit met Allison, a former OSU cheerleader, after his playing days (the 1990 through ?92 seasons).
These days, he credits his mother and hers, both of whom live in Columbus, with helping them through each football season.
Also, he noted, Allison is incredibly understanding.
"Of the whole family, she has the most patience."
Herbstreit began his broadcasting career in 1993 at the Fan (1460 AM).
He put together a tape of his best work there and sent it to ESPN, landing a sideline-reporter job in 1995. A year later, he joined Game-Day.
This year, since Aug. 31, he has worked 12 Thursday games, from Boise, Idaho, to Boston; hit 10 GameDay sites, from Los Angeles to Gainesville, Fla. (one in Columbus); and analyzed seven of nine Saturday-night games on ABC.
Today, he?ll join Musburger and Davie at the OSU-Michigan game ? at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
GameDay has coincided with the ABC night-game location five times this season.
Twice, Herbstreit has had to travel: On Sept. 23, he hopped in a limo from the OSU-Penn State game in Columbus to get to the Notre Dame-Michigan State game in East Lansing, Mich. On Oct. 14, he flew from GameDay in Auburn, Ala., to the night game between Michigan and Penn State in State College, Pa.
So, of the past 81 days, he has been at home about 35.
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