Ryan Leaf to join USA Network as lead Pac-12 college football analyst

Ryan Leaf will be USA Network’s lead Pac-12 college football analyst and will do a select number of games as a college basketball analyst, a source with direct knowledge of the deal told The Athletic.

USA Network begins its Pac-12 coverage for the first time this fall. Leaf’s main job will be calling college football games, and USA will air 22 of them featuring the rejiggered Pac-12. Oregon State will be featured six times on the network.

On the college hoops side, Leaf will only work a limited schedule, but it is an interesting twist on his new job. He was an All-State basketball player in high school in Montana.

Leaf was third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1997 during his standout career at Washington State. He was the second pick in the 1998 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, but he had a disappointing NFL career that was plagued by off-field issues.

Leaf has been in broadcasting for a while, with stints at ESPN, The CW Network and the Pac-12 Network. He will continue on SiriusXM’s “The Opening Drive” with co-host Solomon Wilcots. He has also called NFL and college games on the radio for Westwood One.

The Pac-12’s football lineup currently includes Oregon State and Washington State, plus newcomers Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State and Utah State. Basketball power Gonzaga, which does not field a football team, will compete as a Pac-12 member in the sports it plays.