COLLEGE STATION -- Former Texas A&M Head Football Coach Dennis Franchione may not be coaching football this fall, but he won't be far from the sidelines.

Coach Fran confirming Wednesday that he's been hired by ESPN Radio to serve as a color analysts, and will team up with veteran play-by-play announcer Dave Barnett.

Franchione's first game on the air will be August 30th when Alabama takes on Clemson at the Georgia Dome. He joked that he might want to find a side entrance since the 'Bama faithful seem to still be holding a grudge dating back to his quick departure in 2002, when he left Alabama for Texas A&M.

Other games that Coach Fran said he has already been scheduled for included Texas and Texas El Paso September 6th, Ohio State and Southern Cal September 13th, Florida State and Colorado September 27th.

So far, his lone Big 12 Conference game will be the Baylor Bears league opener against Oklahoma on October 4th. He's also got Boston College and Wake Forest on the docket November 22nd, and Florida - Florida State on November 29th.

Back in January when things didn't look promising for Franchione to return to the sidelines as college football coach, he thought about trying his hand at broadcasting.

He said he flew out to audition as a television analyst for ESPN in May and was told the T.V. crews were set, but that they could use him as a fill-in.

Two weeks ago Coach Fran said ESPN approached him about teaming up with Barnett and doing college football on the radio and he said that seemed a better fit than T.V.

Coach Fran laughed when kidded about "having a face for radio". He said, "I'm just glad to get an opportunity to stay close to college football and am looking forward to being a member of the working media."