Bill Speltz
MISSOULA — Missoula native Jordan Tripp, an All-American linebacker for the Montana Grizzlies who went on to play in the NFL, will serve as TV analyst for Griz football games this fall for Scripps Sports.
Calling the play-by-play will be Trey Bender. Kyle Hansen will once again report from the sidelines.
Tripp was a letterman for the Grizzlies from 2009-13 who wore the presitigious No. 37 in his final season. He had a four-year career in the pro ranks, playing special teams mostly, after being selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
Tripp was a two-time first team FCS All-American and remains seventh in Montana history in tackles with 335, with 29.5 tackles for loss. He holds the school record for career fumble recoveries with 10 and is second all-time in fumble recoveries with 10.
People are also reading…
Tripp is a graduate of Big Sky High School.
The on-air coverage update follows a five-year renewal for the Big Sky Conference and Scripps Sports announced earlier this year, extending their relationship through at least the 2029-30 academic year. It comes as the company’s sports portfolio continues to grow, with a multi-year media rights extension with the WNBA announced in June.
Bender has called both college and professional sports for more than two decades, primarily on ESPN platforms, the Pac-12 Networks and FOX Sports. He has also called NCAA events in football, basketball, baseball, softball, water polo, soccer, swimming, diving and beach volleyball.
Past work includes the NBA Summer League, WNBA contests and Arena Football as well. No stranger to Montana, Bender has called several football games for ESPN in Missoula, most recently the 2019 FCS Playoff win over SE Louisiana and the frigid 2013 playoff game against Costal Carolina.
Scripps Sports currently airs Big Sky games throughout the league’s footprint, with markets in Montana, Idaho, Arizona, California, Colorado and Utah. This fall, Scripps Sports will televise 13 Big Sky Conference football games and six non-conference games featuring 10 games for the University of Montana. The season will once again culminate with the 124th Brawl of the Wild, which drew nearly 130K viewers across Scripps stations last year.
Bill Speltz is Missoulian sports editor. Contact him at bill.speltz@406mtsports.com or on Twitter @billspeltz
0 Comments
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!