The new Voice of the Huskers has been announced.
Playfly Sports and Nebraska Athletics announced Monday that Kyle Crooks will take the reins of football broadcasts on the Huskers Radio Network as the play-by-play announcer. He will also host the daily show Sports Nightly, heard from 6-8 p.m. CT on radio affiliates across the state.
“I am incredibly excited for this opportunity! It’s a dream come true to broadcast the great moments ahead for the Cornhuskers,” Crooks said. “I can’t wait to get to Lincoln and meet Husker Nation. It will be an honor to work alongside a talented team in the Greg Sharpe Radio Booth. Greg is a legend in the broadcast industry and beyond, and I will work passionately to continue his elite standard of excellence both in the booth and in the community.”
“Kyle Crooks is a rising star in the broadcast world, and we are thrilled to have him join the Huskers Radio Network and our Nebraska family,” Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “Kyle’s play-by-play abilities and voice speak for themselves, and I was equally impressed with his dedication to his craft and his energy.
“I would like to credit Playfly Sports for leading a successful search with many excellent candidates. Kyle will be a great lead voice on one of the nation’s best football broadcasts, and we are so fortunate to have him join our impressive group of play-by-play voices across all sports.”
Ben McLaughlin, who lead the Huskers Radio Network broadcasts of baseball this past spring and has been with the network since 2008, will remain the lead going forward. Nick Handley and David Gustafson are also expected to continue to round of the broadcast team.
Jessica Coody will continue as the co-host of Sports Nightly, as well as hosting and producing a number of game day shows and other features. Kent Pavelka (men’s basketball), John Baylor (volleyball), and Matt Coatney (women’s basketball) will all continue in their roles.
“The radio and multi-media network at Nebraska is the standard bearer in the industry,” Playfly Vice President Andrew Waters said. “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.”
Crooks comes to Nebraska with more than a decade of experience in the industry. Since 2017, he has worked with both the SEC Network and the Florida Gators.
With the SEC Network, Crooks has done play-by-play for Florida men’s and women’s basketball, soccer and softball broadcasts on SEC Network+. With the Gators, he did radio play-by-play for women’s basketball, softball, and soccer, while filling-in for men’s basketball and baseball, as well as the football pregame show.
With Florida, Crooks also hosted various segments on Gator Programming, which aired on Bally Sports Florida and social platforms.
According to his résumé, Crooks last did football play-by-play in 2022. That role was for the College Football “Game of the Week” on National Sports Network. Prior to that, his other football play-by-play experience is from 2016 for Misericordia University, a Division III school, as well as Delaware Valley High School.
Crooks replaces the legendary Greg Sharpe, who passed away on February 24, 2025, after his battle with pancreatic cancer. first served as Nebraska football’s play-by-play voice for the final three games of the 2007 season, then took over in a permanent role beginning with the 2008 season. He was honored as the 2024 Nebraska Sportscaster of the Year, the second time he has won the prestigious honor.
The first football broadcast for Crooks will be Aug. 28 in Kansas City, where Nebraska is set to play Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium.
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