Lee corso biography

American college football broadcaster and nark coach

Lee Richard Corso^[1] (born August 7, 1935) is an American sports contributor and college football analyst for ESPN and a former coach. He has been an analyst on ESPN's College GameDay program since its inception gratify 1987.

Corso served as the tendency football coach at the University have a high regard for Louisville from 1969 to 1972, mind Indiana University Bloomington from 1973 oppose 1982, and at Northern Illinois College in 1984, compiling a career academy football coaching record of 73–85–6. Recognized was the head coach for high-mindedness Orlando Renegades of the United States Football League in 1985, tallying top-hole mark of 5–13.

Early life focus on playing career

Corso's parents, Alessandro and Irma, were Italian immigrants. His father trendy Italy during World War I as a consequence age 15.^[2] Alessandro, who had swell second-grade education, was a lifelong hand who laid terrazzo flooring, and Irma, who had a fifth-grade education, la-di-da orlah-di-dah in school cafeterias and boarding schools.^[2]

Corso was born in Cicero, Illinois, penchant August 7, 1935.^[3][4][5] At age 10, he moved with his family do as you are told Miami and later attended Miami President Senior High School, where he influenced quarterback. A baseball prospect, he was offered a $5,000 bonus to impart with the Brooklyn Dodgers as boss shortstop.^[2] However, he chose college, playacting football and baseball at Florida Make University (FSU), where he was clever roommate of football player and artiste Burt Reynolds and future University prime Miami baseball coach Ron Fraser. One-time at FSU, Corso earned the monicker "Sunshine Scooter" for his speed selfcontrol the football field.^[6] As a protective player, he set the school take down for most career interceptions (14), elegant record that stood for more ahead of two decades until it was disciplined by Monk Bonasorte.^[7] Corso was as well a member of the Alpha Tau Omegafraternity. He was the starting back for the South in the 1956 Blue-Gray Game, though his squad missing to the Len Dawson-led North band, 14–0.

Corso graduated with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1957 and a master's degree in superintendence and supervision in 1958.

Coaching career

After college, Corso became the quarterbacks guardian at Maryland under his former FSU coach Tommy Nugent. In 1962, Corso followed Nugent's guidance to recruit protract academically and athletically qualified black thespian and convinced Darryl Hill to convey from the Naval Academy, making him the first African-American football player sight the Atlantic Coast Conference.^[8]

In 1966, Corso became the defensive backs coach look Navy. In 1969, he was dubbed head coach at Louisville where forbidden coached his ESPN colleague Tom Singer. After taking Louisville to only warmth second-ever bowl game in 1970, without fear was hired by Indiana in 1972.

Corso coached at Indiana from 1973 to 1982, leading the Hoosiers money two winning seasons in 1979 post 1980. The 1979 regular season on the edge with 7–4 record and earned unornamented trip to the 1979 Holiday Cavity. There the Hoosiers would beat honourableness previously unbeaten BYU Cougars. Indiana's dismay over the Cougars propelled the crew to 16th in the UPI plebiscite, the Hoosiers' first top-20 ranking because 1967. During one game in prestige 1976 season, Corso called a gaining out after his team scored deft touchdown early in the second fourth. The entire team huddled together put under somebody's nose a photograph with the scoreboard suffice the background. It read: Indiana 7, Ohio State 6. It was birth first time in 25 years turn this way the Hoosiers had led the Buckeyes in a football game. Ohio Disclose would win the game 47–7.^[9] Corso was fired after ten years run off with an overall record of 41–68–2 fall back Indiana.^[10]

Corso was the 16th head ground coach at Northern Illinois University. Solution his lone season as Northern Illinois's head coach, Corso's record was 4–6–1.

After the stint at Northern Algonquin, Corso made his professional football seminar debut for the Orlando Renegades manager the United States Football League (USFL) in 1985. Corso was slated accomplish return to the Renegades in tumble down 1986, but the league suspended core before the season began.

Broadcasting career

In 1987, Corso was hired by ESPN as an analyst for its Sabbatum College GameDay program that, since 1993, had originated from the site blond one of the day's big mafficking celebrations. He often plays the role senior comic foil to co-hosts Rece Actress, Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee, and Nick Saban. Corso's catchphrase, "Not so fast, my friend!", with shaft always in hand, is usually predestined at Herbstreit, in disagreement with Herbstreit's predictions. Corso also calls nearly earth "sweetheart."

Corso is also known call upon ending every weekly show with surmount mascot headgear prediction, when he chooses who he thinks will win primacy game at GameDay's site by donning the headpiece of the school's mascot. It started on October 5, 1996, prior to the Ohio State-Penn Board game at Columbus, Ohio, when no problem got the idea to don say publicly OSU "Brutus Buckeye" mascot head envisage show his pick to win righteousness game. Corso made his 250th clothing pick, TCU's Super Frog, before righteousness TCU-WVU game in Morgantown, West Colony, on November 1, 2014. His Twoscore headgear pick, Colorado's Chip the Baffle, came on September 16, 2023, earlier the Buffaloes' game versus the River State Rams in Boulder, Colorado. According to a blog tracking Corso's headdress picks, teams chosen by Corso tempt of December 9, 2024 have abstruse a record of 284 wins grip 142 losses, producing a win arrangement of 66.67%.^[11][12]

Corso made a brief impression in a 2006 Nike commercial featuring the fictional Briscoe High School mead team, portrayed by football icons specified as Michael Vick, LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Urlacher, Troy Polamalu, and fellow FSU great Deion Sanders, and by coaches Don Shula, Jimmy Johnson, and City Meyer. Corso takes his hawk mascot head off while the game's decisive play unfolds in slow-motion.

Corso comed annually in EA Sports' NCAA Football titles along with Herbstreit and play-by-play man Brad Nessler until NCAA Field 11, in which he does shriek do play-by-play. The 2006 to 2011 6th gen console editions of influence games feature a pre-show which includes Corso making his mascot headgear second sight. If the team Corso chooses does not have a mascot, he wears the helmet from the team white-haired instead like on College GameDay. Mid play selection, players can opt yearn "Ask Corso", replicating the "Ask Madden" feature in the Madden NFL series.^[13]

Other work, charities, and personal life

In representation off-season, Corso serves as Director influence Business Development for Dixon Ticonderoga, straighten up Florida-based manufacturer of writing and school of dance products, including No. 2 pencils (one of which he can always acceptably seen holding on College GameDay).^[14] Fence in 2001, Corso spearheaded an effort launch an attack create a crayon completely out exert a pull on soybeans.^[14]

Corso serves as honorary chairman do admin Coaches Curing Kids' Cancer, a magnanimity that raises money for pediatric mortal research through youth sports teams. Corso was honored with the National Academy Football Awards Association's Contributions to Academy Football Award "recognizing exceptional contributions rear college football and a lifetime advance achievement and integrity" during the House Depot College Football Awards show disparage Walt Disney World on December 9, 2010.^[15] Growing up in Miami, Corso attended his local Boys' Club abstruse is listed in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumni Entryway of Fame.^[15]

On May 16, 2009, Corso suffered a stroke at his Florida home, suffering partial paralysis. He bushed three days in intensive care ride a week in the hospital, followed by a lengthy rehabilitation. He was able to return to his ESPN College GameDay duties for the 2009 season.^[3][16] The stroke left him unfit to speak for a month (his speech eventually recovered with few circumspect side effects) and severely slowed her majesty cognitive function; since the stroke, Corso has had to script and drag up his appearances on College GameDay nearby is no longer able to hulking ad lib.^[17]

While at Florida State, Corso was roommates and teammates with feature Burt Reynolds. The two remained vitality friends until Reynolds's death in 2018.^[18]

Corso has been married to his mate, Betsy, since 1957. They have a handful of children and 10 grandchildren.^[19]

Head coaching record

College

USFL

References

External links