Lee corso coaching career end in 2025 after close to forty years on air leaving a legacy of one of the most treasured voices in college football. Another favorite coach-turned-TV presenter, Lee Corso, was the center of ESPN’s College GameDay through his humor, catchphrases, and his trademark mascot headgear choices.
Who Is Lee Corso?
Lee Richard Corso is an American iconic sports broadcaster and former college football coach (born August 7, 1935, Cicero, Illinois). He starred in football (quarterback and cornerback) at Florida State University where he had the school record of career interceptions at 14-which lasted more than 20 years.
Coaching Career
The coaching experience of Corso involves:
- Assistant coach at Florida State, Maryland, and Navy (1958–1968).
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Head coach at:
o University of Louisville (1969272): coached the team to the Pasadena Bowl and 2 Missouri Valley Conference championships.
o Indiana University (19731982): the first bowl win of the school in 75 years came in the 1979 Holiday Bowl.
o Northern Illinois University (1984): Incidentally, it was his final coach-coach position with the Orlando Renegades of the USFL (1985).
His overall college head coaching record: 73–85–6, and 5–13 in the USFL.
Broadcasting Legacy ESPN College GameDay.
- Employed ESPN in 1987 as a contributor in the College GameDay, and joined as a full-time analyst in 1989.
- Famous because of his signature catchphrase, Not so fast, my friend! – always holding a pencil – and because of his on-air chemistry with his co-hosts, such as Kirk Herbstreit and Rece Davis.
- Invented the iconic headgear tradition of the Ohio State beloved mascot in 1996, originally wearing the Ohio State head, the Brutus Buckeye.
Corso had 286-144 mascot selections at 69 team headgears by the close of the 2024 season.
Final Chapter & Retirement
- Corso retired in April 2025. His last time to appear in College GameDay was to be August 30, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio, prior to the kickoff between Texas and Ohio State.
- On this day it was the 431st and last headgear pick of his career, and he selected Ohio State instead of Texas by putting on the Brutus Buckeye head–a full 300 miles in a circle since he had started it so long ago.
- The departure was a heartfelt and festive one: colleagues, fans and celebrities were honoring him; ESPN even thought of retiring the headgear tradition in his honor.
Personal Life & Honors
- Corso, married to Betsy Youngblood, has four children and ten grandchildren and has been married since 1957.
- During off-season, he was served Director of Business Development in Dixon Ticonderoga, where he was the one famous enough to hold its No. 2 pencil in the air.
- In 2009 Corso suffered a stroke, which made him start using scripts rather than ad-libbing, after missing the show.
- Accolades Inclusion in various halls of fame (FSU, Indiana, Louisville, Florida Sports Hall of Fame, and others), and such awards as the NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award.
| Phase | Highlights |
| Early Life & Player | FSU standout, record-setting interceptions, roommate to Burt Reynolds |
| Coaching Career | Louisville, Indiana, NIU, Orlando Renegades; college record: 73-85-6 |
| Broadcasting Career | Beloved analyst on College GameDay from 1987–2025; mascot headgear icon |
| Retirement | Final show: August 30, 2025; iconic farewell with headgear pick |
| Personal & Legacy | Long marriage, family, business role, health journey, industry honors |
Top Headlines
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A Legendary Farewell
- Fans say goodbye: ESPN College GameDay mainstay Lee Corso has officially retired. The end of the era was to call his last appearance today.
- Season-opening send-off: Corso was last on the air when the 2025 season opened with a live broadcast in Ohio State on August 30, in a match-up between Ohio State and Texas.
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Final Moments and Tribute
- Emotional importance: The final was particularly important, since Corso returned to Ohio State- the city where his mascot headgear pick tradition originated in 1996, wearing the Brutus Buckeye head again.
- Final testaments: To conclude, he picked his legendary 431st headgear as he, again, picked Ohio State over Texas, a choice that he made virtually first on the same stage.
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Emotional Tributes from Fans and Peers
Sentimental send-off: Fans, colleagues and celebrities gave their farewells in heartfelt video and on-air messages before Corso did his final show.
- Coach Ryan Day and Ohio State fans: There were strong tributes by Ohio fans and OSU head coach Ryan Day, and this served to reflect how Corso felt a part of the program.
- Icon acclaimed as warm and humorous: One commentary observed solemnly, Corso added genuineness, beauty and joy to Saturday morning generations.
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Tearful Farewell Broadcast
- Tributes throughout sports: Tributes were shown, by Bill Belichick, Charles Barkley and longtime co-host Kirk Herbstreit among others. The emotional display had an obvious emotional impact on Corso.
Conclusion-
To sum everything up, the experience of being on the sidelines and then on the broadcast desk is what made Lee Corso not just a coach or commentator, he was the embodiment of the spirit of college football. His love, charm and memorable traditions are all that will make his legacy inspire fans even in the future.
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