It's been a rough stretch for cherished college football broadcasters remaining in college football.
Brent Musburger and Verne Lundquist retired, despite our protests. Sean McDonough (Monday Night Football), Chris Spielman (FOX), Charles Davis (ditto), Heather Cox (NBC) and Tracy Wolfson (NFL on CBS) have left college football to work NFL broadcasts, and it appears one more name is about to join them.
According to author James Andrew Miller, ESPN will replace the outgoing Chris Berman's multiple roles in parts. Trey Wingo will host the first-round coverage of the NFL Draft, Suzy Kolber will take over Berman's Monday Night Football duties, and Samantha Ponder will slide into the captain's chair for Sunday NFL Countdown.
Miller notes that nothing is set in stone at this point but, considering Miller wrote the oral histories of ESPN and talent agency CAA and Ponder is a CAA client, the sourcing on this one is as good as gold.
The daughter of a high school football coach, Ponder joined Fox Sports in 2010, joined ESPN as part of Longhorn Network's launch roster in 2011 by 2012 earned a role on College GameDay. She worked on ABC's top crew alongside Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit in 2016. The former Samantha Steele married Christian Ponder in 2012, and Ponder rose the broadcasting latter while bringing the couple's daughter Scout, named after Bobby Bowden, with her on the road.
The couple's second child is due this spring, so a job that anchors her in Bristol each weekend would likely be a welcome change from a life of airports and hotels.
Ponder will be missed on the college football beat but would be a natural in the host's chair on ESPN's biggest studio show.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.