Gus Johnson has voiced some of the most memorable moments in sports. During his rise to fame as a CBS college basketball commentator, Johnson’s tenure with the network also included many NFL games, the 1998 Winter Olympics, two Champions League Finals, and the Madden 2011 video game. Currently serving as the lead play-by-play announcer for Fox Sports’ college football coverage, Johnson lends his talents to the prestigious Big Noon Saturday slot every week. Throughout it all, Johnson’s trademark propensity for excitement has made him one of the most entertaining in his field.
This past fall, Johnson traded the broadcasting booth for the classroom and took part in a Fellowship at Harvard. This endeavor is the subject of a new Fox Sports documentary titled “Back to School With Gus Johnson.” In anticipation of its premier on Saturday, the Independent spoke with Johnson about his experience in the program and at Harvard as a whole.
As the world—and sports—were put on hold during the start of the pandemic, Johnson made a promise. “I just remember saying to myself when and if things ever got back to normal, I was gonna do something to spark my mind and hopefully my spirit,” Johnson said. With the help of his longtime friend and Harvard Basketball coach Tommy Amaker, he found what he was looking for in the form of Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative. “I had to write a paper, recommendation letters, faculty interviews, all that kind of stuff. And I applied and I got in,” Johnson said. “I ended up in school, man. It was fast and furious.”
Harvard’s ALI Fellowship consists of around 50 of distinguished leaders in various fields and focuses on helping them navigate a wide range of issues facing the world today. “We had deep dives on numerous different kinds of challenges that man faces—whether it be climate change, race, human rights, gun control, gun safety, or mental health,” Johnson said. While perhaps not directly applicable to calling a football game, Johnson felt that these conversations would help his work in a more nuanced way, “It’s going to help me with my career in that my mind expanded,” he said. “ I had a chance to learn some things that really weren’t on my radar at that time.”
In addition to his Fellowship, Johnson had the opportunity to take some undergraduate courses. “Just being around the kids and seeing what they were going through… it keeps me fresh, keeps me young, keeps me motivated,” he said. One class that stood out to him in particular was Religious Dimensions in Human Experience, taught by Professor David Carassco in the Divinity School. “That class in particular was one that was really kind of groundbreaking for me to open me up into thinking about things in a different way.”
One reason Johnson cherished his time in the class was learning about collective effervescence, which was studied through the lens of a priest or rabbi bringing a congregation together. This was a concept he related to well. “I think the same thing happens in sports,” Johnson said. “And I have a chance to serve as that conductor. Watching the game, bringing everybody together for the big moment and then when it’s over, we all go back to our normal lives and look forward to doing it at the same time next week.”
In true Harvard fashion, Johnson packed his schedule outside of class. However, his extracurricular of choice might stress out even the most well-practiced in Google Calendar management. He maintained his role as Fox’s top college football voice, flying to various campuses to call games every Saturday. “I felt like I was a student-athlete again,” he said. “Having a chance to have a game on the weekend and find a balance in both school and work was really an enriching thing.”
Classes were not the only thing connecting Johnson with the undergraduates. Long nights of studying and travel led Johnson to discover the wonders of Grendel’s Den. “Those are my boys and girls in there,” he said. “I would go there and have my lunch, or sometimes go and have a little beer late at night. The kitchen was always open late.” In classic fashion, his other favorite late night spot was Pinnochio’s. “Sometimes I would go in there and get a pie, and sometimes I would go and get a sandwich with a little Greek salad.”
Johnson looks back at his time in Cambridge fondly. “[Harvard] instilled some really positive things and things that I maybe already knew in terms of going out and trying to help others. Those things were reiterated to me throughout the year.” He also considered the people he came into contact with a particular highlight. “When you get in your 50s, you don’t really meet people, you don’t really make new friends,” he said. “I went up to Harvard and had a class of close to 50 people and we became friends and would hang out after class. Those are relationships that I’m gonna have for the rest of my life.”
These experiences and more are featured in “Back to School with Gus Johnson.” The documentary looks back at Johnson’s entire life and how it shaped his decision to become an ALI fellow. It also gives viewers an inside look at both his preparation for major college football games and his day-to-day life at Harvard. Numerous friends and colleagues contribute to the documentary in addition to Johnson himself. These things all come together to provide a valuable insight into what drives Gus Johnson to succeed and what makes him one of the best in his business.
Johnson’s passion for both his career and the opportunity to better himself is abundantly clear. It will be fascinating to see how those two things work together in whatever he decides to take on next.
Declan Buckley ‘24 (declanbuckley@college.harvard.edu) encourages everyone to tune into FOX at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday