Behind the Mic: ESPN Coaches Film Room Returns for CFP Semifinals; Mike Mayock Leaves NFL Network for Oakland Raiders GM Job

Behind the Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week’s edition, ESPN brought back the Coaches Film Room for the College Football Playoff Semifinals, Mike Mayock departs NFL Network for Oakland Raiders, and Yahoo Sports MLB Insider Jeff Passan will also be departing for ESPN.

For the second consecutive year, ESPN offered fans up to 12 presentations for its MegaCast production of the College Football Playoff Semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 29, including the return of the popular Coaches Film Room. This year’s Coaches Film Room was available on ESPNEWS and the ESPN App from ESPN studios in Bristol, Conn., featuring a live feed as top head coaches watched the game and offered a strategic breakdown of the action in real time. Mack Brown (North Carolina), Dave Clawson (Wake Forest), Paul Johnson (Georgia Tech), and Mike Norvell (Memphis) broke down the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at 4p.m. ET featuring No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Notre Dame while Steve Addazio (Boston College), Herm Edwards (Arizona State), Bryan Harsin (Boise State), and Gary Patterson (TCU) covered the Capital One Orange Bowl at 8 p.m. between No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Oklahoma.

Good Year Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Notre Dame

• A veteran head coach with more than 25 years of experience, Brown was recently hired as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels after serving as an ESPN college football analyst since 2014.
• Clawson just completed his fifth season as Wake Forest head coach. He has previously served as head coach of Bowling Green, Richmond, and Fordham.
• After more than 40 years of coaching, Johnson recently stepped down as head coach after 11 seasons at Georgia Tech. He is ranked fourth among FBS coaches with 189 career wins.
• After three years as the head coach for Memphis, Norvell has tied the number of wins by a first-year head coach (8), set a school record for wins in the regular season (10) and led the Tigers to two AAC West Championships (2017, 2018)

Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Oklahoma

• Named Boston College’s 35th head coach in 2012, Addazio is the first head coach in school history to lead the Eagles to five bowl games in the first six seasons as head coach.
• A veteran coach of both college football and the NFL, Edwards returned to coaching as head coach for Arizona State in 2017 after serving as a pro football analyst for ESPN since 2009.
• A former Boise State quarterback, assistant coach, and offensive coordinator, Harsin just completed his fifth season as head coach for the Broncos.
• Gary Patterson: Named TCU head coach in 2000, Patterson is the winningest coach in school history and has led the Horned Frogs to six conference championships and nine bowl game victories…

…According to the Associated Press, NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock is leaving his position to become the new general manager of the Oakland Raiders.

“For the last 15 years, I think I’ve tried to be the GM for all 32 teams,” he said. “I’ve been in all 32 buildings for the last 15 years. I know what it looks like, I know what it smells like. I just need a little help with the mechanics”…

…Lastly, Yahoo Sports MLB Insider Jeff Passan will be leaving the company for ESPN. “Some personal news: After 13 amazing years at Yahoo Sports, I’m joining ESPN starting New Year’s Day,” he said in a tweet. Passan will be contributing to ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, and make TV appearances as well.