SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Thursday at the Fiesta Bowl Media Day, Clemson twins Tye and Jake Herbstreit told The Clemson Insider they dealt with a lot of trash talk from their younger brothers over the holiday break.
The third-ranked Tigers take on No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday for the College Football Playoff Semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl. The twins’ dad, ESPN analyst and former Buckeye quarterback, Kirk Herbstreit will call the game on national television, which is an 8 p.m. start.
Kirk spoke to members of the media at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Friday and has heard all the smack talk from his youngest son Chase directed at his older brothers.
“My youngest is the most devout Ohio State fan because he goes to school every day and gets peppered with SEC stuff,” Kirk said. “His brothers play for Clemson and he crushes them with ‘you haven’t played anybody, and you’ll see’.
“So if Ohio State loses their players will be sad but nobody will take it harder than Chase.”
Kirk is proud of Tye and Jake for charting their own path as preferred walk-ons at Clemson and when he steps back from his duties at home, he thinks its surreal his sons will play his alma mater in the CFP Semifinal this weekend.
Tye and Jake chose to walk on at Clemson instead of taking a shot at playing for a smaller Group of Five or FCS school. Kirk applauded their decision and continues to support them in whatever they choose to do in live going forward.
“We joked when they started that maybe one day they would play Ohio State and here they are as redshirt-freshmen playing Ohio State, it’s somewhat surreal for them and for us as a family,” Kirk said. “I try to do a pretty good job everyday of stepping back and I had dinner with them last night as a family it’s pretty cool.”
As a father of two Clemson players and an alumnus of Ohio State it could be difficult to keep from being swayed as a neutral broadcaster. But Kirk’s focus remains on giving the viewers the best possible experience not on his personal feelings.
Before and after the game Kirk will soak in the moment and the thought of his kids playing the Buckeyes but on camera it’s all business.
“When you’re doing your job and the ball is in the air, I am not talented enough to be thinking about Ohio State and my kids,” he said. “It takes every ounce of energy I have to analyze a game to watch the play and say what happened.
“It’s my job to help the viewer understand the hows and whys of the game. Before the game it’s fun to talk about it and after the game definitely but during the game I have to lock in and analyze the game.”
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