Dierdorf Joins Brandstatter for Wolverines Football

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, April 17, 2014

The University of Michigan Athletic Department and IMG College tap NFL Hall of Famer and veteran broadcaster Dan Dierdorf to join Jim Brandstatter in the radio booth for Wolverines football broadcasts on the Michigan IMG Radio Network beginning this fall. Brandstatter, who has handled color commentatory on flagship WWJ-AM/Detroit for the past 34 years, will shift to play-by-play duties, and Dierdorf will provide color commentary.

"Jim and Dan are hall of fame broadcasters and great Michigan men," said Brady Hoke, the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach. "They will provide a unique perspective to the broadcasting booth that I'm sure our fans will enjoy on football Saturdays, and you can guarantee they will have a keen analysis of Michigan Football on each broadcast."

"I'm so excited to be able to come back to my alma mater and contribute in this manner," added Dierdorf. "This is the only broadcasting job that I would have considered after retiring from network television. It's a chance to return to the city where Bump (Elliott) gave me an opportunity to play for the greatest program in the world and Bo (Schembechler) made me a man.

"I was always jealous of Jim calling games at Michigan and often said that one of my goals was to come back and call a couple of series with him," said Dierdorf. "To work with one of my best friends, someone that I've known my entire adult life, is really special, and I'm looking forward to getting in the booth with Jim this fall."

"I'm really excited about the challenge of moving to play-by-play," commented Brandstatter. "I have huge shoes to fill, but I have learned so much from the great ones I've worked with and I can't wait to get started. And, it's Michigan Football... it doesn't get any better than that!

Brandstatter and Dierdorf were teammates at Michigan during the 1969 and 1970 seasons, with Brandstatter being Dierdorf's backup for those two seasons at the strong tackle position. Brandstatter joined Dierdorf (2001) as a member of the state of Michigan Sports Hall of Fame this winter (2014).