Kirk Herbstreit feels 'special' from College GameDay that fills him with pride

Following another brilliant edition of College GameDay, Kirk Herbstreit shared two special moments that made him proud of the pregame show. He noted these two moments were brilliantly orchestrated, which made him grateful for being part of the show.

Herbstreit's first proud moment on College GameDay was featuring Steve Dwyer Jr., who unfortunately died in the line of duty. Dwyer died in the Mediterranean Sea during a Blackhawk aerial refueling training operation with four other soldiers.

His father, Steve Dwyer Sr., shared heartfelt reflections on his son's life on the show, highlighting what made him special and expressing the profound difficulty the sudden loss of the brave soldier has brought to their family. Dwyer is survived by his wife Allie, and their three sons.

“We had a feature on Steve Dwyer Jr who died on a Blackhawk training exercise with 4 other soldiers. His Dad Steve Sr talked about his son-his life-what made him special and how difficult his loss has been for he and his family, Kirk Herbstreit tweeted”

Kirk Herbstreit also commended Jen Lada’s brilliant effort in the heartfelt feature and how it was adequately conducted with remarkable sensitivity. It concluded with a poignant moment as a soldier played taps live, creating a moving and powerful experience for all who watched.

The other moment Kirk Herbstreit was proud of on the show on Saturday was the conclusion of the show. College GameDay had New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick as the celebrity guest picker, and he was able to bring some special moments on the show.

Belichick engaged in a historical discussion on the pregame show with long-term contributor Lee Corso about Navy football, reflecting on the profound impact those years had on him as a youngster, especially with his father Steve serving as an assistant during that time.

“Then at the end of the show we had Bill Belichick on as our celebrity picker-to watch he and LC talk Navy football and to hear how impactful those years were on BB as a youngster w/ his Dad Steve as an assistant during those years so incredible to see.”

The surreal highlight for Herbstreit came when Belichick, in a surprising and unique move, channeled his inner Lee Corso. He made his pick by donning an old Navy helmet, ultimately choosing the Midshipmen to win. This unexpected gesture revealed a side of Belichick rarely seen elsewhere.

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How long has Kirk Herbstreit been part of College GameDay?

Kirk Herbstreit has been part of College GameDay since he joined ESPN in 1996 following his college football playing career at Ohio State. The former quarterback currently boasts as the second-longest serving member of the popular pregame show, behind only Lee Corso.

While Herbstreit has been part of a couple of other shows on ESPN over the years, being an analyst on GameDay is the hallmark of his career. He is expected to be part of the show for many more years to come, showcasing the consistency of the pregame show regarding its crew members.