ESPN “”College GameDay”” was the main attraction in Tucson on Saturday, but what was it like on the other side of the screen? The Arizona Daily Wildcat caught up with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard about coming to the UA, the Rose Bowl and hosting “”GameDay”” together.
Chris Fowler
Daily Wildcat: So what do you think of Tucson?
Chris Fowler: I’ve been to Tucson over the years lots of times. I was here for the Ducks’ last visit [Fowler was the play-by-play announcer for the ESPN broadcast] when Arizona pulled the upset. We love Arizona, we come out here and the sun is shining, and the enthusiasm of the people is pretty obvious. We weren’t sure what to expect never having been here before and with the team coming off a loss (to California).
DW: What was the decision process to come to UA like?
CF: We thought that maybe the loss at Cal had spoiled our plans but then when we looked at it and it was still a huge Rose Bowl game and both teams controlled their destinies and there’s a lot to play for. The fact that is was a primetime game on ABC helped too. (Arizona) was clearly the place to go before they lost (to Cal), but typically we don’t go to a place where the home team is coming off of a loss. It has to be pretty special circumstances to do that and I think the circumstances were pretty unique.
Kirk Herbstreit
DW: What does it mean for you that the game (had) such high Rose Bowl implications?
Kirk Herbstreit: It’s very cool for me, I’m a Big-10 guy, so the Rose Bowl to me is very special even though the BCS seems to be the headline all the time. For me, who’s going to the Rose Bowl is a big deal and to see that the Big-10 is already decided, I can’t wait to see who comes out of this Pac-10 race.
DW: Who would you rather see play Ohio State, your alma mater?
KH: I think anybody that comes out of the Pac-10, considering the skill that you have in the Pac-10 offensively, will be a great matchup. I think as a fan (and former quarterback of Ohio State) I wouldn’t care to see any of them. I think that they all bring something a little bit different. I think Arizona, for their program, I think it’d be cool to see them go to the Rose Bowl for the first time, but I’d love to see Oregon because that’s my favorite offense in the country. When Masoli’s clicking, that’s a lot of fun.
Desmond Howard
DW: What have you seen on film that impresses you about Arizona?
Desmond Howard: I like their defense. I like Ricky Elmore, I think that he’s a fantastic pass rusher, I like Trevin Wade, he’s a very good cover guy. I think he anticipates very well. I think he reads the quarterback very well. He seems fluid out there on the corner and he catches the ball like a wide out.
DW: You had such a prolific college career. What’s it like now, being involved with the game from the other side?
DH: I enjoy it because it keeps me involved. I’m with arguably, I think, the best college show in the country with three of the best guys. You look at Chris Fowler and that guy is just so impressive. He’s as sharp as they come. Herbstreit is as good as it gets. And then you have (Lee) Corso, he’s kind of the wise old jester of the group and he ties everything together. These guys have been doing it for a long time and it shows. They’re seasoned, they’re sharp, they’re great to work with, our meetings are the best part of the whole job. It’s nonstop laughter and pokes at each other, but it’s a lot of fun.
DW: You’re a Michigan guy, and Herbstreit is a Buckeye. You guys ever give each other a hard time?
DH: No, no, we don’t do that. Listen, not just Herbstreit but everybody that comes up to me to talk Ohio State and Michigan, you have to understand who you’re talking to. I never lost to the Buckeyes, so if you want to have a conversation with me that’s where we start.
