Verne Lundquist is stepping away from his longtime home as the voice of the SEC on CBS following the 2016 season. He will, however, continue calling regular-season college basketball, the NCAA Tournament and golf, including the Masters and the PGA Championship for the network. The company has tapped Brad Nessler to succeed Lundquist as the lead play-by-play announcer for the franchise, where he will join Gary Danielson and reporter Allie LaForce beginning with the 2017 season. Additionally, Nessler will begin calling select SEC games this season in the weeks that CBS Sports broadcasts two SEC football games, as well as the 2016 Hyundai Sun Bowl and select college basketball games.
“Verne has set the standard for college football broadcasting,” said Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports. “Together with Gary Danielson he has played a key role in making the SEC on CBS the highest-rated college football package in America. After an incredible 17 years, he will be handing the reigns off to Brad, who in his own right is highly acclaimed and respected as one of the premier play-by-play broadcasters in the business.”