Nebraska football’s new play-by-play announcer Kyle Crooks is excited to start calling games for the Huskers in August, and he shared why recently on Hurrdat Sports Live.
Athletic director Troy Dannen announced the hiring of Crooks on Monday. Before coming to Nebraska, Crooks spent eight years as the play-by-play announcer at the University of Florida. While with the Gators, he broadcasted for the team’s soccer, softball, men’s basketball, baseball and football teams. He also worked for the SEC Network’s broadcasting crew in addition to helping the team’s other radio departments.
Born and raised in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, Crooks also made Division I broadcasting stops at Fairleigh Dickinson and USC Upstate and has experience working on minor league baseball broadcasts.
While on the show, Crooks said that broadcasting for Nebraska was his dream job, along with seeing how important Nebraska sports are to the Husker fans.
“That’s the thing that draws me to a place like Nebraska,” Crooks told Damon Benning and Ravi Lulla. “Every single sport matters. People show up, people listen.”
Cooks will call football games alongside Benning as analyst and Jessica Coody as sideline reporter. As Director of Broadcasting for the Huskers Radio Network, he will also host Sports Nightly with Coody.
“The radio and multi-media network at Nebraska is the standard bearer in the industry,” said Andrew Waters, vice president of Playfly Sports, Nebraska’s multimedia partner. “Kyle’s experience and dedication will be an excellent match with one of the most passionate fan bases in the country. We are extremely excited to have Kyle represent the Huskers for many years to come.”
With Crooks coming to Nebraska, he will have big shoes to fill after taking over for the late Greg Sharpe, who died from pancreatic cancer in February. Sharpe was the voice of the Huskers for many years and was a legend and beloved by everyone in the community. Crooks spoke very fondly of Sharpe for all that he did for the program.
“I know this, Greg’s going to be the voice of the Huskers forever,” Crooks said. “His name is on that booth forever. For a reason. Not because he was the best at what he did, but because he was the best human being he possibly could be.”
The Nebraska fan base is a group that is very supportive of not only the team, but also the broadcasting crew and radio personnel that come along with it. Crooks said that while talking to those in and around the program, he has found that the radio is a pivotal part of Husker sports to fans, which he’s very excited about.
“When this job popped open, a few months ago, it’s one that you say, ‘OK, this is a place that I can spend the rest of my life,’ hopefully if Nebraska will have me,” Cooks said.
The family-like bond and team camaraderie at Nebraska appealed to Crooks. Add the fan interest and Cooks said his new role is a job he’ll enjoy for a long time.
“It’s a job that I know, for a fact, I’ll be passionate about for a very, very long time, for however long Nebraska will have me, but that I’ve trained for my entire life,” Crooks said.
Nebraska football’s first home game isn’t until Sept. 6, but Crooks said that he’s already looking forward to it. Some things that he’s excited to see include the tailgates and everything around the stadium.
“I can’t wait to just see everything outside the stadium,” Crooks said. “The players, what that daily routine is like for the fans to me is probably the most exciting part of what I’m going to get to experience.”
The Huskers’ first game of the 2025 season will take place on Thursday, Aug. 28, against Cincinnati at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium with an 8 p.m. CT kickoff. Crooks said that he’s looking forward to the start of the season.
“I’ve been training and at this for a long time, waiting for an opportunity like this,” Crooks said. “I can’t be any more excited about it.”
