Wolverine TV podcast: Chris Balas with new Michigan radio play-by-play voice Doug Karsch
TheWolverine.com’s Chris Balas is joined by new Michigan Wolverines football radio play-by-play voice Doug Karsch, who worked the sidelines and pregame show previously and is the host of ‘Karsch & Anderson on 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit.
Karsch discussed getting the job and working with new color analyst Jon Jansen, who’s long hosted the ‘In The Trenches’ podcast after returning to the Michigan program following his time in the NFL and job with the Big Ten Network. Being among the names of former Michigan play-by-play men Bob Ufer, Frank Beckmann and Jim Brandstatter … well, that hasn’t sunk in quite yet for Karsch, but he’s well-prepared and insisted nobody will work harder at bringing the best possible coverage than him.
“Completely numb to the concept [of being compared to the previous Michigan broadcasters]. It’s really surreal. Hopefully, I’ll make it past one game. I might do the spring game and that might be the end of it,” Karsch joked.
“It’s overwhelming, and it’s something I’m very much looking forward to. You know Jon Jansen — and Jon absolutely is the best. Jon left the Big Ten Network to come back. … He’s a Michigan football captain, and you can see why — the kind of person he is, the way he treats people, the stuff he says on the air, off the air, the observations he makes, the way he can read people, read a room. I see absolute strangers walk up and talk to him, and he has an amazing ability to make those people feel welcomed. You can see why he was a captain, why I was told he was one of [former Michigan coach] Lloyd Carr’s favorites.
“He’s a great storyteller on the air, and we really like working together. I got this opportunity, in large part, because Jon went to bat for me — and others. I’m really, really fired up, and it still hasn’t sunken in.”
For more Michigan talk from Chris Balas and Doug Karsch, watch or listen to the episode below.
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