Notre Dame’s game against Boston College on Nov. 21 will be an interesting day for Doug Flutie.
Flutie will be on the call as an analyst for NBC Sports Network’s telecast of the Shamrock Series from Fenway Park. He likely will come under extra scrutiny from Notre Dame fans who will be monitoring if Boston College’s favorite son is tilting toward his old school.
“Actually, it will be more of an issue for the Boston College people,” Flutie said. “They’ll be upset that I am doing all these Notre Dame games.”
Indeed, Notre Dame will be getting a full dose of Flutie this year. He will kick off his first full season as analyst for NBC’s coverage Saturday night when the Irish play host to Texas.
Flutie hardly is a stranger to South Bend. He has served as part of NBC’s pre- and postgame coverage for Notre Dame since 2011.
NBC, though, set the lineup change in motion when it elevated Flutie to the booth and sent regular analyst Mike Mayock to the sidelines for the Notre Dame-Northwestern game last November. In August, the network officially tabbed Flutie to join play-by-play man Dan Hicks.
It seemed like an easy decision. Flutie is one of the most iconic players in college football history after winning the 1984 Heisman Trophy. He also figures to be less technical than Mayock, who received criticism for using complex football lingo in the telecasts.
Naturally, Flutie, the former quarterback, says he focuses on the quarterback in his analysis.
“When I watch a game, I watch as a quarterback,” Flutie said. “I’m looking at the reads and coverage. Where are the receivers; what is the defensive formation? I watch a game that way even if I’m watching casually.”
So how will Flutie treat Notre Dame starting quarterback Malik Zaire and others at the position?
“Oh, maybe I’ll give the quarterback the benefit of the doubt,” Flutie said. “You know when that ball should have been out or when it was a total misread. There are good interceptions and bad interceptions. There are interceptions that happen (because of a poor throw) and others that are definitely on the quarterback. But you have to have some patience when you’re talking about college quarterbacks.”
Flutie is high on Notre Dame this year, saying “the sky is the limit.” He likes Zaire and Notre Dame’s receivers, and says their offensive line “is the most physical since I’ve been here.”
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“All the high expectations are valid,” Flutie said.
As for Flutie, he is well aware of the sensitivity of the Notre Dame audience. It won’t take much for him to become target practice.
Then again, it hardly will be the first time Flutie has been under fire.
“I don’t worry about that,” Flutie said. “I’m going to do the games with what comes natural. I know they are very passionate fans, but you have to call it how you see it.”
Milestone: This year marks the 25th anniversary of NBC airing Notre Dame’s home games. Back in 1991, then NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol stunned college football by securing the exclusive package. While there have been some lean years in there, for the most part, Notre Dame’s massive following delivers solid ratings, averaging 4.16 million viewers for the 149 games telecast on NBC.
The long run will continue. NBC’s current deal with Notre Dame is through 2025.
Remote patrol: Showtime will debut “A Season with Notre Dame Football” Tuesday at 8 p.m. The season-long series will provide an inside look at the Irish. … BTN will air Illinois’ opener against Kent State Friday at 8 p.m. … ESPN has the Northwestern-Stanford game Saturday at 11 a.m.
baiduhai contributor Ed Sherman writes about sports media at shermanreport.com. Follow him @Sherman_Report.