By early September, die-hard college football fans have been eagerly counting down the days until kickoff for weeks. As murmurs of preseason predictions and rankings start to make headlines, cravings for the start of the 2015 – 2016 college football season can be intense.
But as ready as you might be to throw on your jersey and watch the season begin, being ready to take a seat behind the College GameDay desk requires a whole ‘nother level of preparation (a suit and tie or dress instead of a jersey and face paint, for one).
In anticipation for the season, we sat down with the stars of College GameDay Built by The Home Depot to hear how they’re getting ready for the season:
What do you do to get ready for each new season?
David Pollack: I watch tape – as much as I can from the previous season – and make sure I know all the rosters. I make sure I’m aware of coaching changes and coordinator changes. It’s key to know who left, who got drafted and how many returning starters are on each team. I get to know the new faces as well, those freshman coming in that will make an impact.
Sounds like an intense process, and there are a ton of teams and players to know. How do you go about learning all of those names and facts?
Desmond Howard: It’s a tremendous amount of work. It’s a lot of research and a lot of conversations, but you’ve got to get it right. I talk with coaches, coordinators, local beat reporters and people who follow individual teams or do local play by play. There is a lot of research and a lot of homework involved, but it makes you knowledgeable about the playing field and excited for the season ahead.
What excites you the most as we start the 2015 – 2016 season?
Samantha Ponder: I’m most excited about seeing how some of the teams that lost big name people are going to do. There are some big names that are gone this year that will present some pretty cool opportunities for new guys to step up. We may not even know these guys’ names right now. The excitement of the unknown is the most fun for me.
Lee Corso: You know, I’ve been in the sport for more than 60 years. Played high school football, college football, coached college football, coached pro football, been on television nearly 30 years… I’m bound to love the sport and the competitiveness on Saturday afternoons. But right now, for this season, I’m just most excited about getting started.
Tune into College GameDay Built by The Home Depot every Saturday this season, and share your tailgate tales with #LetsDoGameDay.
