Mississippi State announced Tuesday Jim Ellis will fill the football and basketball play-by-play radio jobs left open by Jack Cristil’s retirement.
Ellis, who has been a color analyst on the broadcast team since 1979, will be joined in the booth by former MSU quarterback Matt Wyatt. Along with his new color analyst duties, Wyatt will continue to host the pre-game and post-game shows for football broadcasts.
Ellis said as a former quarterback, Wyatt will bring a viewpoint of the game that was not there when it was, what he considered, two play-by-play guys in the booth.
“He can understand the X’s and O’s part, so he brings that to the table, which I think is a very important thing if you’re going to do a broadcast,” Ellis said.
Bart Gregory, who has been calling women’s basketball games and is the assistant athletic director for annual giving in the Bulldog Club, will join Ellis for baseball broadcasts. MSU will continue to look for a new color analyst for basketball to fill the void from Ellis’ move to the play-by-play position.
Don Williams, general manager for Bulldog Sports Properties, which is owned by Learfield Sports, said the decision to promote Ellis was an easy one in a statement released by MSU.
“This was a no-brainer for Learfield Sports in terms of having somebody in place that is already instantly recognizable and well-liked by the fan base at Mississippi State,” Williams said. “Jim is a consummate professional and will do a great job in the play-by-play role for all three sports.”
After finishing his football career at Mississippi State in 1999, Wyatt has worked for WTVA, College Sports Southeast and hosted the morning talk radio show “First Call,” as well as his work with MSU radio broadcasts.
Talking with former coach Jackie Sherrill, Wyatt said he received what he thinks was a compliment during an interview on the post-game show.
“[Sherrill] commented and said ‘If you could’ve played as well as you’re speaking now you would have been a much better player,'” Wyatt said.
Ellis, who was alongside Cristil for 32 years of his 58-year run, said doing play-by-play was what he always wanted to do, but added that he hated to see Cristil’s run end because of health problems.
“We never had an argument … we really got along,” Ellis said. “That’s part of the thing that made it so special to work with him.”
Another former MSU quarterback, three-year letter winner John Correro (1959-1961), will maintain his role as a sideline reporter for the broadcasts.
Running a radio broadcast has changed considerably since the last time MSU hired a play-by-play guy 58 years ago. Despite college football’s increased presence on television, especially with the SEC’s TV contract with ESPN and CBS, Wyatt believes the new team will put together a broadcast MSU fans want to hear.
“If it’s on TV, that’s great; we appreciate the SEC and their money … but turn on your radio and listen to us,” Wyatt said. “I really believe we’re gonna be able to give a look they’re not giving on other broadcasts.”