In 1996, a young Kirk Herbstreit sat in the ESPN office sweating as he auditioned for College GameDay. Lee Corso, who by then had established himself as a reputed broadcaster, tried to calm him down. Just a year prior, Herbstreit had been a sideline reporter for the network, his resume respectable but hardly screaming “future broadcasting legend.” But during his first rehearsal, Corso saw something special in him. “I knew, when I first met him, that he would be a star in television,” Corso recalled and he would be proven right. Over the years, Herbstreit not only became a prominent name on GameDay but branched into other roles such as a color commentator with Amazon on TNF, while voicing video games for EA. However, through all these years and the changes that came with them, one thing stood out the most—his deep bond with Corso.

Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso’s friendship goes beyond the bright lights of College GameDay. They have shared GameDay desk on Saturday mornings for nearly three decades and for many college football fans, their chemistry and charisma are the highlight of the show over analyzing the X’s and O’s. Since Corso took Herbstreit under his wing in 1996, he has been a “father figure” to him, helping him navigate the challenges of life. Now, that Corso, 89, is dealing with health issues, Herbstreit is by his side, looking out for him.

On the March 10 episode of the Built 4 More Podcast, Kirk Herbstreit reflected on the biggest lesson he’s learned from College GameDay. And surprisingly, it’s not about football. “You know what people come up to me and say? ‘Thanks for what you do with Lee Corso, and I love your dogs.’ Those are the two things, it has nothing to do with football, nothing to do with X and Os.” said Herbstreit. Despite calling national championship games since 2008, it is his connection with Corso that endears him to the fans.

Corso’s health isn’t what it used to be and being there with him, Herbstreit sees it as his duty to look out for him—not because he has to, but because it’s the right thing to do. “I was always taught to respect my elders. You take care of them when you can,” stated Herbstreit. Look, sitting next to Corso on live TV, he’s simply doing what comes naturally. Although it’s a tricky balance, making sure Lee Corso is supported without drawing attention to it, for Herbstreit, it’s not about the cameras—it’s about friendship.

When Herbstreit started out on GameDay, he was focused on the playbook, too focused perhaps. During his analysis, he would dive deep into the Xs and Os, but this was something that Corso wanted him to avoid. He would listen to his young broadcast partner and then offer advice. “He’d kind of raise his hand and say, ‘Sweetheart, sweetheart, remember: We’re in the entertainment business, and football is our vehicle.’ It was almost like Don Corleone talking,” Herbstreit said in a GQ feature two years ago. Their bond grew stronger by the day and when Herbstreit got married and became a father, their friendship changed.

“When I first started, I was 26 on College GameDay, and he was helping me. You know, I had so many questions. And I’ll tell you when it changed for us—I just knew him as a guy I worked with on TV. And then I got married. Then I had my twins. They were born at 28 weeks, and they were two pounds each. I could take my ring, [slide it] down their foot, all the way up to their hipbone when they were first born. Their skin was transparent, and you could see their organs when they were in the NICU. And I went through that for about eight weeks.

And I’ll tell you, the guy that probably got me through that as much as anyone was Lee Corso. You know, we’d be out in L.A. shooting a commercial, and I’d be in the back of a car. He and I just happened to be alone, driving, and he was one of the few people I could open my heart up to. And he would just sit and listen, you know? And then he would have—almost like Yoda or Don Corleone—he would listen and listen and listen. Then he would just have like a sentence. After I just poured out 10 or 15 minutes, he would have a sentence or two, and it gave me clarity,” said Herbstreit.

Herbstreit continued to lean on Corso for parental advice when his kids grew up adding, “So that was our relationship off of TV where… that it’s almost like having another dad.” But then came another turning point in their friendship, one that would lead to the reversal of roles.

Corso suffered a stroke in 2009 that left him partially paralyzed, and over the years, other health issues limited his appearances. He could not make the full 3-hour broadcast in the 2022 season, having missed 5 shows. There have been times when Corso, who has been on the show since 1987, occasionally stumbles over his words, but he has Herbstreit to help him through.

The man who had always been the mentor now needed someone to support him and Herbstreit was right there. “When he got older and he had a stroke, it was like our relationship switched, and I became the one that was trying to, you know, just do what I could. But yeah, he’s my guy and has been, you know, since I’ve been on the show,” Herbstreit mentioned.

Herbstreit was lauded for his patience and how he acted as a caretaker of sorts for Corso last season and continues to ensure that his long-time broadcast partner remains at ease while doing what he loves. Last year, on The Mental Game, Herbstreit dived into how Corso’s mind remains sharp as ever, despite difficulty in articulating his thoughts.

“I think a lot of people watch him and they see him tripping on his words and they think, ‘Oh that son of a b-tch, he’s so old, why is he still there?’And I’m like, ‘If you only knew, his cognitive mind is as sharp as ever. He struggles sometimes getting the words out. We’ve gone from one extreme where I’m just looking up at him like, ‘What do I do?’ And you, becoming his equal, I guess, for many years and now just trying to help him any way I can,” he said. While their roles might be reversed, Corso isn’t the one to stay back when his friend needs him.

Last year, Herbstreit had to deal with the loss of his beloved dog, Ben, a 10-year-old golden retriever, who had become popular on the show. As ESPN played a montage paying tribute to Ben, Herbstreit was overcome with emotion, finding it difficult to get words out. Just then, Corso leaned over his long-time colleague and comforted him- a moment as heartwarming as poetic.

Even as he struggles with his health, Corso continues to offer support to Herbstreit, just like he did all those years ago when he first sat down for an interview.

While they stand tall with each other, concerns continue to grow for Corso’s health and his future on the GameDay remains a topic of debate.

Lee Corso’s future addressed by ESPN president

This year, Lee Corso has been absent from several important College GameDay broadcasts, including the CFP’s first round, due to health problems. At the beginning of the CFP show, ESPN host Rece Davis revealed that Corso would miss the first half of the show’s doubleheader but would join the crew in Columbus, Ohio. Then during a short interview with Herbstreit, Corso shared an update on his health condition saying, “I’m a lot better. I’m going to make the rest of the year. I’m going to be at all the bowl games.” 

During the Rose Bowl showdown between OSU and Oregon, Lee Corso made a rare College GameDay appearance. However, his brief analysis didn’t go as smoothly as fans had hoped. Just before the College Football Playoff, Corso was absent from the show while the crew covered the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. Davis explained that Corso had undergone a “minor procedure” but reassured viewers that he was “doing great.”

Meanwhile, ESPN president Burke Magnus shed light on what’s next for Corso in 2025. During an appearance on SI’s sports media podcast in January, he laid out the network’s plan for the beloved analyst.

“I think we’re going to do what we’ve done now for a couple years running, which is we’re gonna have a conversation with him after the season and see where things are. You know, he’s a special guy. I mean, he’s one of the nicest men you or any of your listeners or anybody on Earth could ever come across. And he’s been absolutely iconic on the show. So we’re going to get through the playoff this year, let everybody decompress, and then we’ll have some time to figure out what we’re going to do for next season.”

So, the message is clear—Corso’s legacy is untouchable, and his future rests in careful hands.