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NC State coach Dave Doeren pays tribute to iconic Lee Corso

Jacey Zembalby: Jacey Zembal08/26/25JaceyZembal
Lee Corso family upset ESPN College GameDay did not choose Florida State for final show: 'It was disappointing'
ESPN television personality Lee Corso will be doing his final College GameDay Show on Saturday. (USA Today Sports photos)

NC State coach Dave Doeren and ESPN media personality Lee Corso share one thing in common.

Doeren was the coach at Northern Illinois from 2011-12 and went 23-4 overall and 15-1 in the MAC, leading to getting hired at NC State.

Corso coached one year in DeKalb, Ill., going 4-6-1 in 1984 with the Huskies. The team struggled mightily to score points and he left to coach the Orlando Renegades in the USFL in 1985. The Renegades, were formerly the Washington Federals for two years, had a messy ownership transition and it led to Corso. He went 5-13 with a nondescript roster with quarterback Reggie Collier and that was his last year coaching football.

ESPN hired Corso in 1987 to become an analyst for its Saturday College GameDay and the rest is television history.

“The comedic element of what he does that I think some of us really appreciate,” Doeren said. “Some people are serious, serious, serious, serious and having that comedic element as a commentator. I just appreciated his energy, his enthusiasm and love for the sport.”

The 90-year-old Corso has battle health issues in recent years and had suffered a stroke in 2009, resulting in partial paralysis. The stroke took away his ability to “ad lib,” and his segments became scripted as a result.

Corso’s “not so fast, my friend” and famously putting on teams headgear when picking winners of big games became his calling card.

“I like a good comedy, so when he gets up there and does his thing, ‘Not so fast, my friend,’ I love that,” Doeren said. “I’m going to miss him a lot and I’m sure a lot of people will.”

Corso was also became an “ACC legend” in his own way. He played quarterback and cornerback at Florida State in 1953-57, and was the roommate of the late Burt Reynolds, the famous movie star. FSU wasn’t in the ACC at that time of course, but it gave him a tie-in to the league.

Corso’s first full-time position was at Maryland as the quarterbacks coach from 1959-1965 while in the ACC. 

Corso also coached at future ACC member Louisville from 1969-72 — he went 28-11-3 and the Cardinals played in the Missouri Valley Conference. Corso then spent a decade at Indiana, where he went 41-68-2 and one bowl berth in 1979.

Some figured it would be fitting if he would did his last College GameDay appearance for the Alabama at Florida State game at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on ABC, but instead he’ll be make his last headgear pick for the Texas at Ohio State game, which ironically will be carried at 12 p.m. Saturday on competing FOX.

Corso will be honored at a luncheon Friday in Columbus, Ohio.

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