ESPN has announced a number of changes to its pro and college football broadcast teams, the most notable of which is the hiring of former #2 pick Ryan Leaf.
ESPN announced Tuesday that it has hired Leaf as a college football analyst. The news was first reported by the Associated Press on Sunday. Leaf, who for many years was best known for his on-and-off-field struggles, will primarily serve as a game analyst on ESPN2 and ESPNU. He will also make appearances on College Football Live.
Leaf joins ESPN from Pac-12 Network, where he served as a game analyst last year.
Also new to ESPN’s college football team this season are NFL analysts Matt Hasselbeck and Louis Riddick. Hasselbeck, as first reported by The Big Lead last month, will serve as a game analyst on ESPN’s Thursday night college games. Riddick will call Friday night games in a rotation with Gene Chizik and Jim Mora.
On the NFL side, Charles Woodson‘s departure from ESPN has resulted in two new additions to the network’s studio shows. Tedy Bruschi, who is said to be recovering well from a stroke suffered July 4, will replace Woodson on Sunday NFL Countdown. That news was first reported by the New York Post in March. Riddick will replace Woodson on Monday Night Countdown. The studio teams are otherwise intact, except Hasselbeck will work Sundays only.
In addition to the changes, ESPN has also reached contract extensions with NFL analyst Randy Moss and college analysts Dusty Dvoracek, Tom Luginbill and Dan Orlovsky.
