Kennesaw State Announces Football Broadcasters for 2015 Season

Release from Kennesaw State Athletics:

The Kennesaw State Department of Athletics on Monday (Jan. 19) announced the broadcast team for its inaugural football season that will kick off in September. Brian Giffin will provide the play-by-play, while Tutan Reyes will handle analysis and Art Eckman will report from the sideline.

“This year marks a historic time for Kennesaw State University and we are extremely fortunate to be able to put together such an experienced and talented broadcast team that will tell the story of Owls football,” Al Barba, director of athletics communications, said. “Kennesaw State fans will really enjoy the enthusiasm, professionalism and excitement that this team will bring to our broadcasts.”

Giffin will be the play-by-play voice of the Owls and his experience includes working in Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, the NFL and 11 years handling the play-by-play responsibilities of Butler football, an NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program. He also spent time doing play-by-play for the Indianapolis Indians (1993-2003) and Butler baseball as well as being a part of the Atlanta Falcons broadcast crew in 2005.

In addition to his play-by-play roles, Giffin has significant experience as a producer and engineer, including serving as the current executive producer and chief engineer for the Atlanta Braves Radio Network, a position he has held since 2009.

“This is a thrilling opportunity. To have the chance to narrate the beginning chapters of what promises to be a great program is a tremendous honor,” Giffin said. “Tutan’s on-field experiences at the highest levels of both college and pro football will give Owl fans great insight, and Art’s resume and experiences speak for themselves.

“I very much look forward to working with both of them and I know we’re going to have a lot of fun,” Giffin added. “Our mission will be to give KSU fans a dynamic, and entertaining broadcast week in and week out.”

Reyes is a familiar name to Greater Atlanta Area football fans as he has served as a sports analyst and on-air personality at 790 The Zone where, among his many roles, included working as a pre-game analyst on the Falcons radio network. The 1999 Ole Miss graduate brings credibility to the booth, having earned All-Southeastern Conference honors as an offensive tackle his senior year and helping the Rebels to an Independence Bowl victory over Oklahoma.

Reyes was a fifth round draft pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2000 and went on to play 10 years in the NFL with the Saints (2000-01), Carolina Panthers (2002-05), Buffalo Bills (2006), Jacksonville Jaguars (2007-08) and parts of the 2009 season with the New York Giants and Houston Texans. He reached the playoffs four times in his career, including a berth in Super Bowl XXXVIII with the Panthers in 2003.

“I’ve been a resident of Kennesaw for 13 years and I’m excited to see how far KSU has come,” Reyes said. “When I initially learned that football would be coming to Kennesaw State University, I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the program.  I love what A.D. Vaughn Williams, Coach (Brian) Bohannon, and his staff represent; integrity, hard work, dedication, and commitment to the process.

“They’re creating a recipe for success on and off the field for student-athletes and I’m just as ready for week one to be here as if I were still playing,” Reyes added. “I’ll bring that same passion for the game to the booth and represent Kennesaw State University with honor and spirit.”

After beginning his career as a sports anchor and sports director in Portland, Ore., Eckman’s career flourished as a play-by-play announcer, color analyst, studio host and reporter. A fixture at the national level during a 20-year career at ESPN, Eckman became a local household name during 13 years as sports director at Atlanta’s WXIA-TV.

Eckman’s play-by-play roles included tenures with the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Dream, Houston Rockets, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco Giants, where he worked both radio and television. In his two years with the Giants, Eckman teamed with Al Michaels, who since has moved on to become one of the country’s most recognizable voices.

Following his retirement from broadcasting, Eckman joined the Kennesaw State Department of Athletics in 2009 when he assumed the role of assistant athletics director for athletics communications before transitioning into a special assistant’s role.

Kennesaw State is the fourth collegiate program Eckman has worked for, as he previously spent time at Georgia Tech, Oregon State and Stanford.

“I have been blessed throughout my career to work with outstanding broadcast partners, and being able to join Tutan and Brian for the premier season of Kennesaw State University football couldn’t be more exciting,” Eckman said. “The crew will be blending outstanding broadcast experience with immediate credibility. It is truly a thrill to be a contributor to such a pioneer effort.”

Kennesaw State’s inaugural 2015 season will be broadcast live on the Internet at www.KSUOwls.com. KSU will play its first game on Sept. 3 when it takes on East Tennessee State in Johnson City, Tenn., and will make its home debut at Fifth Third Bank Stadium on Sept. 12 when it hosts Edward Waters.