Former OSU linebacker Joshua Perry leads the next wave of college football broadcasters
Joshua Perry isn't going to let a little thing like no longer being eligible to play keep him from participating in the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry.
When the former Buckeyes linebacker turned broadcaster discusses the co-host on his latest venture, for instance, he's quick to have a laugh at the ex-tight end's expense.
"Jake Butt, great central Ohioan and Michigan Wolverine," Perry said before adding the punchline. "Only made one bad decision in his life."
Their show, "Red Corner Blue Corner," airs on Stadium Mondays through Thursdays from 2-2:30 p.m.
"Not necessarily a full-scale debate show," Perry said, "but 30 minutes of Big Ten football-focused topics, and we like to present the different sides of the arguments."
It's part of a very full schedule for Perry, who also is on the panel of "Stadium Clubhouse," which has game show elements and analyzes the intersection between culture and athletics.
"It's basically as fun as we can be talking about sports," Perry said.
He has a role as well on Bally Sports' "The Rally." And that's before even mentioning the position he's perhaps best known for.
"The one with NBC," Perry said, "I am a part of the Big Ten College Countdown group; we're pregames, we're halftimes. I've enjoyed it. I came in with high expectations for what we were going to do and the type of people I was going to be working with, and they have only exceeded my expectations."
It's a heavy workload, Perry admits, especially given that he and wife, Madison, are just looking to start a family. It's also a workload that Perry feels may rival what he experienced as a student-athlete and comes with even more pressure.
"Coaches are never going to kick you off scholarship," he said. "Where I'm at right now, the worst thing that happens is you get fired, you don't get to do the work anymore."
During the 2014 season, Perry led Ohio State with 124 tackles. On Jan. 12, 2015, against Oregon, he made six stops to help deliver the Buckeyes the first-ever College Football Playoff title. It was enough to catch the eye of the San Diego Chargers, who selected Perry in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft.
In addition to teaching him how to be part of a team and work in a demanding environment, Perry said the experience was valuable in another way.
"You are so used to having a microphone in front of your damn face," he said. "You learn how to address fans, how to address media. You learn how be real without being a jerk."
His new platform allows him to be real in a way he didn't believe he could be before.
"When I was in college I had a lot of feelings about a lot of different things, and I feel like being a collegiate athlete even 10 years ago was not a very expressive place to be," he said. "You know, fall in line and do what you need to do. And I think there is a time and a place for that. In media, your whole job is to express yourself. So now I get to be outspoken on the topics that I wish I had been a little bit louder about when I was a player."
Not far removed from his playing days, Perry thinks his age is an advantage.
"I played during the College Football Playoff era," he said, "and I relate to the young people now probably more than anyone else in this space. I'm still 29 years old."
That makes him part of the next generation of Buckeye broadcasters. He counts ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit and CBS' Clark Kellogg among his mentors. He says they are generous with their time and advice, which is something he wants to emulate. Perry also hopes to mirror their impact in the broadcasting world.
"My long-term goal," he said, "is to be one of the most notable and recognizable voices in college football, and in particular when it comes to Big Ten football."
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Where are they now: Former Ohio State football linebacker Joshua Perry
