Kirk Herbstreit is the face of college football, serving as an analyst for College GameDay and Saturday Night Football. In his new memoir, Out of the Pocket, Kirk takes us inside the locker room—to the practice fields, meeting rooms and stadiums. And he also opens up about the personal challenges he overcame. On this episode, we talk about what happens when your dream blows up, taking a chance to pursue your passion, and never compromising what matters most.
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Show Notes
- The highs and lows of Kirk’s college football career at Ohio State (1:42)
- How seeing a sports psychologist changed his mental approach (5:01)
- The unique pre-game routine he adopted in college (7:45)
- How his football journey helps him connect as an analyst (9:32)
- The decision to turn down a lucrative sales job to pursue sports broadcasting (12:01)
- His transition to TV (16:51)
- Managing burnout during the grind of college football season (19:58)
- The importance of prioritizing family (22:31)
- Kirk’s advice for navigating career opportunities (26:42)
- The difference between the top coaches and everyone else (30:42)
- Kirk’s thoughts on the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness policy (35:23)
- The changing landscape of college football (37:53)
- Kirk’s new book, Out of the Pocket (40:56)
- The lessons he will take with him from the pandemic (45:49)
- Kirk’s on-air message about racial injustice (48:07)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Out of the Pocket
- ESPN College GameDay
- ABC Saturday Night Football
- Ohio State football
- Jim Herbstreit
- Woody Hayes, football coach
- Leeman Bennett, retired NFL coach
- Dick Vitale, basketball broadcaster
- Ryan Day, Ohio State football coach
- Urban Meyer, football coach
- Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma football coach
- Nick Saban, Alabama football coach
- Dabo Swinney, Clemson football coach
- Pete Carroll, football coach
- Kevin Hart, actor and comedian
- The Rock, actor
- Trey Lance, NFL quarterback
- Lee Corso, College GameDay
- Kirk Herbstreit breaks down in tears during emotional message on racial injustice
- Mike Vick, football player
- Reggie Bush, football player
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Dabo Swinney on Leading from the Heart
- ESPN’s Holly Rowe on Finding Joy in Daily Moments
- Inky Johnson on Overcoming Adversity
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