During his 13-year NFL career, quarterback Colt McCoy garnered a reputation for being a serviceable backup who could get the job done when called upon.
Two games into his college football broadcasting career with NBC Sports, McCoy has been more like the unstable rookie who seems overwhelmed by the job’s magnitude.
NBC announced in August that McCoy would appear on the Big Ten College Countdown studio show and also work as a game analyst for Big Ten college football games. In his debut last week calling Colorado-Nebraska, the 37-year-old’s lack of energy and experience came through for many viewers.
Saturday, he had a chance to redeem himself while calling the Apple Cup between Washington and Washington State alongside Paul Burmeister on Peacock.
Unfortunately, he failed to wow many viewers once more.
During the game intro, McCoy swayed back and forth nervously while speaking with a repetitious tik that distracted from the information he was attempting to convey.
Drink every time Colt McCoy says “Right.” pic.twitter.com/EN7P7OVMAI
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 15, 2024
Former Seattle Times sportswriter and Seattle sports radio host Danny O’Neil started charting moments during the broadcast when McCoy appeared unclear on the rules or what was happening on the field.
The @ColtMcCoy experience, a thread:
1Q
— Blamed WSU QB John Mateer for not snapping the ball to catch the #Huskies with 12 men on the field on 4th-and-1.Except the ref was standing over the ball to make sure UW had time to substitute.
— Danny O’Neil (@dannyoneil) September 14, 2024
4Q
Colt McCoy: “The hard part for me on this is the ball originally hits his arm and then kind of bounces into his hands about the same time it touches the ground.”
Huh?
— Danny O’Neil (@dannyoneil) September 14, 2024
I’m slightly amused by the disconnect between his deadpan delivering and heavy use of adjectives.
“That’s a big-time play,” he says in a tone of voice usually reserved for ordering Uber Eats.
— Danny O’Neil (@dannyoneil) September 14, 2024
In one instance, McCoy took a closer look to make sure a Washington receiver got both feet inbounds on a touchdown catch, even though college football only requires a receiver to have one foot inbounds on any reception.
“Let’s check the feet on this touchdown. Make sure he’s in. There’s one… Oh yeah, he gets both in. That’s big time.” – Colt McCoy
In college football, receivers only need one foot in bounds when making a catch. 😬 pic.twitter.com/ii288SNI2K
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 15, 2024
Unfortunately for McCoy, the reviews weren’t much kinder from many other viewers as well.
Incomplete is the right call. This Peacock announce team is for the birds.
If I never again have to hear Colt McCoy doing a game – it will be too soon.
— Mitch Levy (@Mitch_Seattle) September 14, 2024
Colt McCoy talks like he’s reading out loud in class and isn’t a strong enough reader to risk vocal inflection
— Casey McLain (@TheCaseyMcLain) September 14, 2024
Apparently Colt McCoy wants UW to keep running it from the ten yard line 😂😂
— Aaron Levine (@AaronLevine_) September 14, 2024
It’s not as though McCoy doesn’t have media talent. He has excelled in breaking down film, which he did for each of the top quarterback prospects in the NFL Draft for Underdog Fantasy this past year. For the time being, he may simply be better suited for that role and a studio spot where he has more time to work out his analysis.
Frankly, it feels like NBC is letting McCoy down by throwing him out there as a game broadcaster too soon before he’s had a chance to get the necessary reps. Perhaps he’ll improve over time, but there’s only so much time that broadcasters get these days, especially at NBC.
In the meantime, credit due to Burmeister, who is doing the lord’s work keeping these broadcasts on the tracks. Working alongside the veteran play-by-play announcer will hopefully pay dividends for McCoy.
[Peacock]
