College Football 2011: The 76 Most Recognizable Personalities in the Game

As the 2011 college football creeps closer and closer, fans are becoming antsy for the season to begin. One thing that makes college football what it is are the players, coaches, broadcasters, mascots and people surrounding the sport.

When looking at the people that make college football what it is, you come across people with big personalities. These personalities are either people who are outspoken, let their emotions get the best of them, are opinionated or speak loudly with their actions.

From Lane Kiffin, who is never afraid to speak his mind, to a soft spoken player like Andrew Luck, whose personality allows him to be a great leader, here are 76 people who will help make college football the best sport in the nation in 2011.

Lee Corso

When you think about college football it is hard not to think about Lee Corso and his role on College Gameday. People across the nation tune in on Saturday mornings to see what headgear the coach is going to support.

Kirk Herbstreit

Another member of the College Gameday crew is Kirk Herbstreit. Herbstreit not only helps out during the morning on ESPN but also heads up to the booth to help call the game of the week.

Desmond Howard

Desmond Howard is another member of the College Gameday crew and his personality has translated well from the field to the set. Howard is able to help fill out the crew and deliver player perspective.

Michael Dyer

The national championship game was a coming out party for Michael Dyer as he proved to be the most valuable offensive player for Auburn. Only a sophomore this year, his role looks to get larger as Cam Newton is now gone.

Jenn Brown

Slowly but surely, the role that Jenn Brown is playing with ESPN and college football is becoming larger and larger. While she has not reached the level of Erin Andrews, she is making her mark on Saturdays.

Erin Andrews

Speaking of Erin Andrews, here is college footballs first lady. Andrews has become a staple of college football and you will not hear fans asking for her removal anytime soon.

Pam Ward

Not all well known personalities are a good thing. Pam Ward has been calling college football games for a while and for years, fans have become more and more tired of her efforts.

Joe Paterno

Current or historical, Joe Paterno is one of the most well known figures in college football. Despite his age, Paterno is outspoken and at times hilarious and well worth watching.

LaMichael James

LaMichael James has been becoming more and more well known in the college football world. Despite how quiet he is off the field, James is an emotional player on the field and is hoping to lead the Ducks back to the national title game.

Bo Pelini

One of the most opinionated and fiery coaches is Bo Pelini. Pelini will be taking his sideline antics to the Big 10 this year and hoping to get Nebraska to the conference championship game.

Mike Gundy

Ever since his explosion during a post-game interview, Mike Gundy has become known around the nation. Gundy is now hoping that the play of his team on the field is why he is noticed in 2011.

Matt Barkley

Matt Barkley is back at USC in 2011 and since being a freshman for the Trojans, Barkley has never been afraid to speak his mind. Luckily for Barkley, he has had the talent to back up most of his comments but needs to win a big game for the Trojans in 2011.

Dan Mullen

Last year, Dan Mullen put himself on the map when he led Mississippi State to a good year and made even more waves in the SEC by declaring that he would never lose to rival Ole Miss.

Steve Spurrier

The old ball coach is never at a loss for words and has captivated the college football world since his days at Florida. Spurrier continues to attract attention as head coach of South Carolina.

Andrew Luck

By passing up on the NFL Draft, Andrew Luck caught the attention of the nation and has charmed them with his honest and warm personality. Luck is everything you look for in a leader and has Stanford in position for an outstanding 2011.

Mike Stoops

You never know when it will happen but throughout the college football season, Pac-12 fans will be treated to the sideline antics of Mike Stoops. Stoops has been known for his ability to blow his top at any moment and generally directs that energy at the games officials.

Jimbo Fisher

Jimbo Fisher is the new leader at Florida State and fans hope that he can be as successful as Bobby Bowden was during his time with the Seminoles. Much like other coaches, Fisher can be emotional and is not afraid to show it.

Frank Beamer

Beamer Ball has been around at Virginia Tech for a while now and he is one of the most recognizable coaches in the nation. He is another coach that is never afraid to let his opinion by heard.

Denard Robinson

Denard Robinson has caught the attention of the nation with his electric plays on the field. His scrambling ability has been seen on highlight reels across college football and has the charisma to match it.

Nick Saban

Probably one of the most recognizable coaches in the game in Nick Saban. Saban is known for always being in control of his emotions and being a tireless worker.

Bob Stoops

Bob Stoops is vocal but does not go to the level of his brother Mike Stoops. Bob does a good job controlling himself but is not afraid to make sure his opinion is heard when it is needed.

Bret Bielema

Bret Bielema does a nice job keeping people entertained from the sidelines. Bielema is easily excited and always wants the ear of an official.

Lou Holtz

Love him or hate him, Lou Holtz is a part of college football. Holtz and Mark May can be going at it all through the fall on ESPN.

Sparty

One of the most recognizable mascots in college football is Michigan State's Sparty. Mascots are known for their personalities and ability to get the crowd behind them and not many do it better then Sparty.

Mack Brown

Mack Brown is a larger then life icon in Texas and has only had one losing season with the Longhorns. He is an amazing recruiter and has been able to use his personality to bring in some of the top classes in the nation.

Robert Griffin III

Much like Denard Robinson, Robert Griffin has caught peoples attention with his on the field play. While he is quiet off the field, he lets his on the field performance do all the talking.

Cliff Harris

Last year, Cliff Harris was a walking soundbite off the field and a human highlight reel on the field. In 2011, you may see a different Cliff Harris as off the field issues may end up humbling him.

Luke Fickell

By the end of this season, people will know about Luke Fickell inside and out. Taking over for the Buckeyes, Fickell has come across as cool and calm but it will be interesting to see how things go come September.

Brady Hoke

Just across the border from Ohio State, Michigan has also found a new head coach to take over, Brady Hoke. Hoke is considered a Michigan Man and has shown the fire to return this program to glory.

Les Miles

When dealing with Les Miles you never know what you will get. The riverboat gambler has been known to make some questionable coaching calls but has seen them generally turn out for the best.

From playcalling to eating grass, Miles never fails to grab the nations attention.

Tank Carder

While unknown for most of 2010, Tank Carder was hard to ignore during the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin. He is a tireless player that continually gets after the ball and does not stop until the whistle blows.

Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson has packed up shop and left NC State to play for Wisconsin. This move immediately made the Badgers more then just a Big 10 contender. Wilson gives off the appearance of being well grounded and has a good head on his shoulders.

Taylor Martinez

The engine that makes the Nebraska offense go is Taylor Martinez. Martinez made highlight reels around the nation in 2010 and hopes to be able to do even more in 2011.

Darron Thomas

In 2010, everyone got to know Darron Thomas as he led the Ducks to the national championship game in his first year as starter. Thomas is a humble kid but is not afraid to speak his mind off and on the field.

Rick Neuheisel

Rick Neuheisel came to UCLA and put on the persona of being a larger then life character. His promises of bringing UCLA back to prominence have gone unfulfilled and Neuheisel may be coaching his last year at UCLA unless things get turned around dramatically.

Mark Richt

Speaking of being down to your last year, Mark Richt finds himself in that very position. Richt has been on the hotseat in Georgia and a bad start in 2011 could be all that it takes for the coach to be looking elsewhere.

Lane Kiffin

No matter where he is, Lane Kiffin always seems to find himself at the center of drama. From the way that he left Tennessee to the comments he has made at USC, Kiffin is always part of a college football storyline.

Chip Kelly

It isn't just his offense that gets the attention of the nation but also his interaction with the media. Kelly is becoming well known for his quick response and wit with the media.

Jim Tressell

Despite not being directly involved with a team in 2011, Jim Tressell is still one of the bigger personalities around the game. Throughout the year, people will be discussing what happened in Columbus and bringing up Tressell's name frequently.

Urban Meyer

While Urban Meyer is currently doing work for ESPN, people will be talking about any open job positions that could have his name on it. With all the success that Meyer had as a head coach, people will refuse to believe he is done at such a young age.

Puddles

Another mascot to make the list is from Eugene, Puddles, the Oregon Duck mascot. With the rise in success that Oregon experienced last year, Puddles received a ton of air time from ESPN and become on of the most well known mascots in the nation.

Rod Gilmore

Rod Gilmore pulls double duty on ESPN. During the week, Gilmore can be found helping out on College Football Live and during the fall, he will be helping out covering games.

Chris Spielman

Chris Spielman is mostly known for his on the field toughness but has seen himself transition into the booth nicely. Spielman will often be found covering the Big 10 games for ESPN.

Bob Griese

Bob Griese has been up in the booth for quite some time now but has had his share of bumps in the road. His personality got him in trouble recently when he tried to make a joke about Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya. The comment earned him a brief suspension.

Jesse Palmer

Another personality that can be found on ESPN is Jesse Palmer. Palmer works on the College Football Live set and also works games during the fall.

Aside from college football, Palmer was the main focus of the ABC show the Bachelor in 2004.

Mark May

Another member of the ESPN crew is Mark May. May does the majority of his work during the fall on ESPN's College Footbal Final. Often times you will find May and Lou Holtz going toe to toe.

Rece Davis

Rounding out the College Football Final crew is Rece Davis. Davis is not only the host of that show but also is the host of College Gameday's basketball show.

Brad Nessler

Brad Nessler is all over the place with ESPN and does a great job with college football. You can often see him covering some of the bigger college football matchups.

Brent Musburger

Since 1973, Brent Musburger was been calling various sports game and works for ESPN now. Musburger is one of the classic voices and covers Saturday Night Football for ESPN.

Brutus Buckeye

Breaking up the announcers is Brutus Buckeye. Brutus is another one of the great mascots in the nation and is part of one of the best programs in the nation.

Chris Petersen

Chris Petersen has allowed his playcalling to do a lot of his talking. Throughout his tenure at Boise State, Petersen has never been afraid to take a chance and go for the big play.

Gary Patterson

Gary Patterson has been at TCU for a while now and has helped that program make huge strides. Patterson has an unquestioned passion for the game and will be needed when TCU makes the move to the Big East.

Kellen Moore

While playing for one of the most polarizing teams in the nation, Kellen Moore has stood out and has found himself in the running for the Heisman trophy. During his time at Boise State, Moore has been an outstanding leader that hopes to get them to a national title game this year.

Marcus Lattimore

It has been a while since the SEC has seen a freshman dominate the way that Marcus Lattimore did in 2010. Lattimore ran wild during his first year and is poised for a dominate sophomore year.

Marc Tyler

Marc Tyler's attitude and personality has ended up getting the best of him as we enter the 2011 season. Recently, Tyler was interviewed outside of a night club where he hinted at USC players being paid. The comments have cost him the opening game of the season.

Charlie Weis

Anyone who followed Charlie Weis and his time at Notre Dame will want to keep an eye on him as the offensive coordinator of the Florida Gators. Weis had an interesting relationship with the media in South Bend and will not be given much slack in Floirda.

Kirk Cousins

One of the most likable personalities in college football is Kirk Cousins. Cousins is the leader of Michigan State and has a personality that makes it hard not to like him.

Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly has the Fighting Irish moving in the right direction for the first time in a few years. Kelly is a great fit and is not afraid of his role as the head man in South Bend.

Vontaze Burfict

Vontaze Burfict is a defender that if you do not know about, you will after 2011. Burfict borders on the edge of playing hard and going to far but is an intimidating defender to go up against.

Chief Osceola

Chief Osceola does a good job of encompassing the personality of the Florida State program. Chief Osceola coming out to the field and planting his spear into the home turf is an outstanding college football sight.

Terrelle Pryor

Much like his former head coach, Terrelle Pryor may not be directly involved with college football in 2011 but will be mentioned over and over. People will look to see how the program adjusts to his late departure and will continue to talk about the things Pryor did that led to his departure.

Jim Rome

While he doesn't deal exclusively with College Football, Jim Rome gives plenty of time for the sport on his show. Rome is outspoken and always willing to give his take on any issue that comes up during the college football season.

Steve Sarkisian

Steve Sarkisian made the move from USC to Washington and has brought his personality with him. Sarkisian is never shy around the media and is hoping to bring Washington back to respectability.

Landry Jones

Landry Jones follows the footsteps of other Oklahoma quarterbacks both on and off the field. Off the field, he is very likeable and represents the program well.

In 2011, Jones will be a candidate for the Heisman Trophy and hopes to lead Oklahoma to the national title game.

Verne Lundquist

Verne Lundquist has become the voice of the SEC as he helps cover college football games for CBS. Lundquist has been covering games since 1967 and does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

Gary Danielson

Gary Danielson is the other half of the CBS duo that covers SEC football for CBS. The difference with Danielson is he does not hide his feelings about how good he thinks the SEC is, which can be hard to listen to at times.

Chris Fowler

The last piece to the College Gameday puzzle is Chris Fowler. Fowler is the host of the Saturday morning broadcast and also handles coverage for other ESPN events.

Todd Blackledge

Todd Blackledge is another member of the ESPN family. Blackledge helps cover games and also is known for his piece called "Taste of the Town," where he goes and eats at campus hotspots.

Case Keenum

After an injury ended his season in 2010, this confident quarterback is back for his final year in 2011. Case Keenum is a true leader on and off the field and does not lack confidence.

T.J. McDonald

T.J. McDonald plays for USC and with that comes a certain swagger that may have been lost over the past couple years but not if you judged it by his attitude. Both on and off the field, McDonald is charged up and ready to go.

Trent Richardson

Now that the backfield is all his, Trent Richardson will be in the spotlight for the Alabama offense. Richardson is not short on confidence and swagger and with the way he has performed while sharing carries, he has no reason to be.

Alshon Jeffery

When you light up the SEC the way that Alshon Jeffery did in 2010, you know you are in store for good things in 2011. While playing at the wide receiver spot and in one of the toughest conferences in the nation, Jeffery is not short on personality on or off the field.

Justin Blackmon

Another outstanding wide receiver is Justin Blackmon. Blackmon is one of the most physically gifted receivers in the game and is poised to take over at any time.

Michael Floyd

Another player who has had difficulty balancing his on the field persona and off the field life is Michael Floyd. This past offseason, Floyd was arrested for DUI and may comeback a more humbled athlete.

Al Golden

When you are the head coach at Miami, even if you do not have a good personality, it is time to fake one. Al Golden has taken over at "The U" and the fanbase should enjoy his unique and honest persona.

Will Muschamp

Will Muschamp is taking over at Florida after leaving Texas. Muschamp is a fiery coach that is good at bonding with his players and should have no issue fitting in with the Gators.