For years, Georgia football fans wondered who someday would have the daunting task of replacing the legendary Larry Munson as the radio voice of the Bulldogs.
The answer came Friday: Scott Howard, Munson's longtime sidekick who took over the play-by-play role upon Munson's retirement early last season, will get the job on a permanent basis.
Howard's partner will be Eric Zeier, the former record-setting Georgia quarterback, who gets the color-analyst role that he has done on a fill-in basis the past two seasons.
The Howard-Zeier team was announced by Georgia athletics director Damon Evans two days after UGA agreed to an eight-year, $92.8-million marketing deal with ISP Sports that includes the radio rights.
Howard and Zeier "have sat in the seats and done a great job," Evans said from Orlando. "They are two great Bulldogs who understand the culture of Georgia."
Evans said Howard's 20 years experience broadcasting various UGA sports and Zeier's perspective as a former player make an ideal pairing.
Said Howard, a 1984 UGA graduate: "It's the job I've eventually wanted to do for a long time."
Howard, 46, served as Munson's color analyst for 15-plus seasons, starting in 1993. He took over play-by-play on road games when Munson stopped traveling in 2007 and added play-by-play duties for home games after Munson retired for health reasons Sept. 22, 2008, cutting short his 43rd season in the Georgia booth.
Asked Friday night about the perils of succeeding a legend, Howard said: "I think about it, but there's nothing I can do about it. Because this is the position I wanted to be in. I cherished, certainly, the chance to work with Larry for all those years."
Howard said the gradual handoff of the past two seasons should help.
"It wasn't as sudden," he said. "All the Georgia people had a chance to make that transition with us, and I think that is a positive."
Said Evans: "All I want Scott to do is be Scott. That's what has gotten him to where he is now. I told him, 'Don't worry about filling a legend's shoes. You can't replace a legend. All you can do is build upon the foundation the legend has laid.' And Scott, I think, will move us forward."
Howard has called play-by-play on Georgia men's basketball games since 1996 and will continue to do so. He called Georgia baseball games from 1990-96.
Zeier, who had a record-setting career as Georgia quarterback from 1991-94, joined Howard as color analyst on road football games in 2007 and 2008 and on the final four home games of 2008.
Georgia has not announced other roles on the football broadcasts, such as pre-game and post-game hosts and sideline reporter. Evans said Loran Smith, a longtime member of the broadcast team, will continue to have a role.
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