In January, longtime Indiana football analyst Buck Suhr announced his retirement.

Now Hoosier fans know who’s taking over the role: former Indiana player and current NFL Network host Rhett Lewis be the new voice alongside Don Fischer.

From the official announcement:

“You don’t stop being a Hoosier when you take the helmet off for the last time,” Lewis said. “The passion ‘For the Glory of old IU’ always remains. I’m so thankful to Scott Dolson, Coach Allen, Mark Deal, and Jeff Keag for allowing me to connect with IU Football these last few years in a way that was so accessible and welcoming. That connection made me want to get even closer to the program in any way I could. When Buck Suhr retired after a fantastic 17-year run in this role the fit was too good to be true. Most importantly, to get to work side-by-side with the legendary Don Fischer, the best voice in the business, is an absolute dream come true.”

Fischer, who will enter his 50th season as the ‘Voice of the Hoosiers’ in 2022, is excited to team up with Lewis.

“I’m really looking forward to Rhett joining our broadcast team this fall,” Fischer said. “Rhett has been a broadcaster ever since he graduated from IU, and his excellence is proven through his eight years with the NFL Network and on SiriusXM. He will be a great addition to our team.”

Obviously this is a nice addition for Lewis, who gets to flex a few different broadcasting muscles than he usually gets to use. But moreover, it’s a huge opportunity to really connect with a fanbase. Whenever we cover team-specific broadcasters I tend to write this exact thing, but there really is something special about the bond that forms between those local booths and fans. It might be even stronger for the radio side, too, because listeners are seeing the game through their eyes and their descriptive abilities.

Lewis’s new partner, for example, is about to complete half a century behind the mic for Indiana, where he also calls men’s basketball. Growing up an Indiana fan, Fischer’s calls, style, and just overall voice are going to be with me forever. There aren’t many jobs left in broadcasting that involve that kind of longevity and bond.

The only downside: Lewis has to cover Indiana football, which while better in recent years than at any time in the past few decades, remains one of the least-accomplished power conference programs. Either way, good for Lewis, and it’s a great get for Indiana football, too.

[Indiana Athletics/image credit Indiana Athletics]

About Jay Rigdon

Jay is a columnist at Awful Announcing. He is not a strong swimmer. He is probably talking to a dog in a silly voice at this very moment.