Nick Saban retired from coaching in 2023 and has since become a regular character on ESPN’s “College GameDay” pregame show on Saturday mornings. While Saban is just in his second year in the role, veteran Lee Corso is rounding up his own career.
After 38 seasons on the panel, Corso will retire after the August 30 show. In this wake, Saban rejects the notion of him being the new “Lee Corso” and instead gives the legend his flowers.
Nick Saban Explains Why He’s Not the Right Fit To Replace Lee Corso’s Signature GameDay Role
Since the show’s early days, ex-coach-turned-analyst Lee Corso has a tradition of wearing mascot heads when selecting the winner of the week’s premier game. Now that he’s retiring, who will step into that role?
Nick Saban was approached about the idea at the recent Regions Tradition Celebrity Pro-Am in Birmingham, but he immediately made it clear he was not interested.
“Lee Corso’s a phenomenal person, he’s a real professional, has been a part of the show and the tradition of the show for 20-something years. And we’re all going to miss him,” Saban said.
When asked by host Rick Burgess if he’d take up Corso’s role of donning the headgear, Saban replied, “Well, I hope not,” Burgess also added that he doesn’t see Saban fitting into that particular role on the show. “I don’t either. But it’s probably not my decision.”
Corso turns 90 in August and has been on College Gameday for the past 38 years.
“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 press release. “I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories, and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.”
KEEP READING: Where Did Nick Saban Go to College?
Corso made a weekly tradition of putting on headgear for whatever team he picked to win the marquee game of the day, and has since made over 430 headgear predictions since first wearing Ohio State’s Brutus Buckeye mascot head nearly three decades ago.
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