Kirk Herbstreit Was Very Close to Leaving ESPN's 'College GameDay'

ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit has been a fixture for the network's college football coverage for nearly three decades.

Herbstreit, who is ESPN's bona fide voice of college football, wears many hats these days. He is ESPN's lead college football color commentator, he still hosts College GameDay on Saturday mornings and has added NFL color commentary to his repertoire for Amazon Prime's Thursday Night Football coverage.

But with time at a premium for Herbstreit during the fall, he considered leaving College GameDay—especially after he landed the job with Amazon Prime.

"I thought when I took the Amazon deal three years ago that I would probably have to give something up, because it’s so hard to do all three of these things,” Herbstreit told the Andy & Ari podcast. "But now, man, you couldn't kick me off the set. Like I absolutely love it. We're having a blast."

Herbstreit said a key reason for sticking around with his hectic schedule was due to the additions of ex-West Virginia kicker Pat McAfee and legendary coach Nick Saban into the fold on GameDay.

"I’ve known Coach (Saban) a long, long, long time," Herbstreit added. "There’s a serious comfort there with him and me and Pat and (co-panelists Desmond Howard) and Rece (Davis). I think it comes across on air. I think people would learn that Nick Saban’s not the guy at the podium with the Coke bottle and his hands going and getting mad at the media. I think he’s shown that he’s really prepared, he’s really good at this. He’s having fun. He’s completely just put himself right in the middle of the chemistry and a lot of the unscripted moments.

“He cusses every show, which every time he does I forget that Pat changed the rules on that, so he’s allowed to say words now all the time. But I’m not exaggerating, I’ve never had more fun on the show in 29 years. I love it. I love Pat. I love what he brings, the energy that he brings, Des, just the whole thing."

Herbstreit hopes that the show can continue with the core group for years to come.

“We’re in a great spot. I love having everybody that’s on the show and hopefully we can keep it going all the way through the year and for the next few years going."

It doesn't sound like Herbstreit is giving up that hectic schedule any time soon.