Lee Corso has kept a low profile since stepping away, and the clearest picture of his condition has come from the people who know him best at ESPN.
Kirk Herbstreit, Corso’s longtime College GameDay partner, said in September that the 91-year-old is dealing with “a lot of physical ailments that he’s been dealing with, but his mind is incredible.”
Herbstreit flew into Orlando on Aug. 13 for a Citrus Bowl appearance - an event Corso worked for 25 years - and said the Lake Mary resident drove through a thunderstorm to meet him at the airport. “When he cried, it made me cry,” Herbstreit said. “Because he’s my guy.”
He didn’t point to any one diagnosis, but he was clear that the physical issues haven’t touched Corso’s football instincts. “We’d all be lucky to have such cognitive thinking at 91,” Herbstreit said.
“His eyes are sharp. He’s dialed in.
He’s just going through some stuff that makes it tough on him.”
Corso’s recent absence is part of a longer health story. He suffered a stroke at his Florida home in May 2009, leaving him partially paralyzed and unable to speak for a month. Even so, he made it back to the desk and remained on GameDay through the 2025 season opener in Columbus, Ohio.
In the final stretch of that run, his absences became more frequent. He missed back-to-back shows in October 2024, and host Rece Davis told viewers, “He’s doing better. He’s been a little bit under the weather for the last couple of weeks.”
Two months later, during conference championship weekend, Davis said Corso “had a procedure this week” and added, “He’s doing great.”
Now in its 40th season, GameDay is operating without Corso on an episode for the first time.
Corso did make a trip back to Florida State, his alma mater, in October 2025 for a reunion of former Seminoles who played under Tom Nugent. That same weekend, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis presented him with the Governor’s Medal of Freedom.
At an Orlando event with Lou Holtz in November 2025, Corso was candid about retirement. Told it had been “Lousy.
I hate it.” He added, “It sucks.”
He also skipped the national championship game in Miami in January, watching from home as Indiana beat the Hurricanes. ESPN reporter Jen Lada said Corso was “obviously THRILLED” about the Hoosiers’ trip.
On Feb. 17, ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale posted a photo with Corso from a celebration of life for former NBA coach Richie Adubato and wrote that Corso “looks fab.”
Then came the August airport reunion with Herbstreit, who later posted that Corso “looks and sounds amazing.”
In Other News...
Ohio State May Already Be Losing Grip On Top 2027 QB Options
Ohio States quarterback planning for 2027 is already getting complicated, and the Buckeyes may not have the clean runway they hoped for in that cycle. With uncertainty swirling around both the current room and future options, the staff is reportedly weighing veteran transfer possibilities as it keeps an eye on the broader market and how it might fit the offense.
One name that makes sense in that mix is Drake Lindsey of Minnesota, a potential target whose skill set appears to line up with what Ohio State wants to do. The problem is that the picture around the top quarterback options is getting murkier by the day, with Braden Atkinson expected to stay at Oregon State and rumors tying Arch Manning to a possible move from Texas to Ole Miss, leaving the Buckeyes to navigate a changing board. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Just Got Another Reminder About The Future At Receiver
Ohio States bye week has given the program a little breathing room on the field, but it has also offered another chance to watch the future take shape. Five-star receiver Jamier Brown, already committed to the Buckeyes in the 2027 class, put together a standout high school performance with multiple touchdowns, the kind of reminder that recruiting wins can be just as important as anything happening on Saturdays in Columbus.
Browns outing fits the larger picture around Ohio State, where the receiver room keeps producing and the recruiting pipeline keeps humming even through coaching changes. For Buckeyes fans, it is another look at a position group that has long been a program strength, and another sign that the talent coming next could keep that standard intact. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Took A Frustrating Recruiting Hit At Running Back
Ohio States 2027 class is still sitting in a strong spot with 20 commitments, ranked sixth nationally and second in the Big Ten, but the Buckeyes just absorbed an irritating loss at a position that always draws extra attention in Columbus. Three-star running back Jordan Hall, who had originally been committed to Miami (OH), opened things back up and eventually landed with Penn State, leaving Ohio State on the outside looking in.
The miss is not crippling for a class that remains loaded, but it does underline a familiar concern for the Buckeyes when it comes to in-state running backs. Ohio State has built enough recruiting momentum elsewhere to keep the class moving, yet this is the kind of outcome that can push a program even more toward the transfer portal when it needs help in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]