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Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN Change the Game With Creative Call During Replay Review

This might be the new way all replay reviews should be called in the broadcast booth.

Tom Dierberger

ESPN
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Kirk Herbstreit and the ESPN broadcast team got a bit creative Friday night during the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium.

Midway through the third quarter, with Texas trailing 14–7 and facing a crucial 3rd-and-10, Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers made an incredible play. Inches away from getting sacked, Ewers tossed the football to running back Quintrevion Wisner, who picked up 14 yards and moved the chains on the heads-up play.

The play was so close that it needed to be reviewed to make sure Ewers wasn't down before he released the pass—and that's where Herbstreit, Bill LeMonnier and company shined.

"Bill, you watch the ball and I'll watch the knee," Herbstreit said while viewing the replay along with the viewers at home. "You tell me when that ball is out."

"Out!" Bill exclaimed, quickly followed with a "touched!" from Herbstreit.

Sure enough, the teamwork from Herbstreit and LeMonnier paid off. The officials confirmed that Ewers indeed did get the pass off in time, and Herbstreit's new way of handling replay reviews was proven correct.

This might be the new way all replay reviews should be handled in the broadcast booth. Just don't tell CBS Sports analyst Tony Romo, because the football world needs his patented "Oh, I don't know Jim!" calls to continue.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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