As reported here earlier today, former Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti is leaving the school as athletic director to get into television. ESPN has now confirmed Bellotti will be joining the network as a college football analyst.

Bellotti’s first broadcast assignment will be on ESPNU-TV as an analyst for the Auburn spring game on April 17. He will officially cease his duties as Oregon AD on April 5.

During his presser to make the announcement today, Bellotti said he had been talking to ESPN for months about a role at the network and he was offered a contract on Monday.  He said he would’ve preferred to stay on as Oregon AD and do a limited number of ESPN games, but the network thought that would present a conflict of interest.

With that in mind, it’s clear just how much Bellotti wanted to get into television.

Perhaps the Oregon football team’s off-field issues the past four months, including the year-long suspension of starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, also pushed Bellotti to speed up his departure from the school. Read more…