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Former Indiana University coach Lee Corso, one of college football’s most beloved media personalities, will step down from his role on ESPN’s “College GameDay” after a final appearance in August, the network announced Thursday.
Corso, 89, has been a mainstay on ESPN’s Saturday college football preview show since its inception in 1987, when the program was produced at the network’s studios in Bristol, Connecticut. In the early 1990s, the show began on-location broadcasts, which it now does every week of the college football season.
“My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years,” Corso said in a statement released by ESPN. “I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.”
Corso’s final “GameDay” appearance will be Aug. 30, the first Saturday of the season. His role on the show has diminished in recent years because of health issues, with ad-libs replace by scripted material. In May 2009, he suffered a stroke, causing partial paralysis. Corso missed several shows this past season.
Still, his weekly headgear prediction, where he donned the mascot head of the team he thought would win the day’s biggest game, became something of a Saturday institution:
Corso’s predictions, which began in 1995 before a game at Ohio State, went 286-144.
“Coach Corso has had an iconic run in broadcasting, and we’re all lucky to have been around to witness it,” Kirk Herbstreit, Corso’s broadcast partner since 1996, said in a statement. “He has taught me so much throughout our time together, and he’s been like a second father to me. It has been my absolute honor to have the best seat in the house to watch Coach put on that mascot head each week.”
Corso played college football in the 1950s at Florida State University, where he was a roommate and teammate of actor Burt Reynolds. He compiled a 73-85-6 record as head coach at Louisville, Indiana and Northern Illinois from 1969 to 1984 before joining ESPN.
At IU, Corso was coach from 1973 to 1982, leading the Hoosiers to winning seasons in 1979 and 1980 and a victory over Brigham Young University in the 1979 Holiday Bowl. He compiled an overall record of 41-68-2 at Indiana.
“Lee Corso has developed a special connection to generations of fans through his entertaining style and iconic headgear picks,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. “Lee is one of the most influential and beloved figures in the history of college football and our ESPN team will celebrate his legendary career during his final College GameDay appearance this August.”
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He was not a great coach, but he is on heck of a salesman and media personality who will be missed this Fall.
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