When it comes to Notre Dame’s radio booth on football gamedays, it’ll apparently be out with the old and in with the new.
Earlier this offseason, it was announced that JMI Sports had taken over as Notre Dame’s multimedia partner. As part of that partnership, JMI Sports would have control over, among other entities, the football program’s national radio broadcasts.
Since 2006, there’s been a two-man radio booth consisting of play-by-play voice Don Criqui and color analyst Allen Pinkett. Come the 2018 football season, the latter confirmed, there will be a complete makeover of the Fighting Irish’s radio broadcasts.
“Their plan is they want someone more local — like ‘live in South Bend’ local — because they want to do some packages during the week, and they wanted somebody who was there,” Pinkett told the South Bend Tribune. “So it was a good run. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to do it since 2001, but this thing comes to an end, so I just wish whoever’s going to do it next the best of luck.”
The “whoever” Pinkett mentioned is still in question as the radio replacements have yet to be announced.
The 54-year-old Pinkett was a star running back at Notre Dame in the eighties, twice earning All-American honors. He was the first Fighting Irish player to ever rush for 1,000-plus yards in three straight seasons.
The 78-year-old Criqui is a Notre Dame graduate as well. Prior to this 2006-17 stint, he was also the play-by-play voice of the Fighting Irish from 1974-76.