NBC Sports booth honors Dan Hicks during Notre Dame broadcast: 'Wish I wasn't here'

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Hearts remain heavy in South Bend and across the sports world following the death of longtime NBC Sports broadcaster Dan Hicks following an acute illness.

Jason Benetti and Jason Garrett spent several minutes during Saturday's Notre Dame-Boston College broadcast remembering Hicks, who served as NBC's lead voice for Fighting Irish football from 2013-16 before returning to the role in 2024.

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"Our broadcast booth feels very hollow at NBC Sports. Our colleague of 35 years, Dan Hicks, passed away on Wednesday and I wish I wasn't here right now," said Benetti, who replaced Hicks on the broadcast crew to handle play-by-play duties. " ... I wish Dan was here right now. I know everyone does."

More: Mike Tirico mourns death of Dan Hicks: 'He nailed every big moment'

Hicks' death was announced by the network and his wife, ESPN sportscaster Hannah Storm, on Thursday, Nov. 12. The longtime NBC Sports golf play-by-play broadcaster, who was also known for his work on the network's Olympics coverage, was 64 years old.

Garrett, who spent the last three seasons as a color analyst on NBC's Notre Dame crew, said what he loved the most about his former broadcast partner was how Hicks always embraced the moment and highlighted the people involved in the game and never made it about himself.

MORE: 5 memorable calls that defined Dan Hicks' extraordinary broadcasting career

"That's how he lived his life," Garrett said. "As legendary a broadcaster as he was, he was a better guy. Devoted husband, father and friend and he was always so generous to me in the booth. I cannot tell you the number of times that he would look over to me and say, 'How you doing? Do you need anything ? Can I tee you up? That was his line.

"He had an amazing spirit. He brightened every room that he went into, and he was so funny. We had so much fun together."

Garrett mentioned that the entire NBC Sports crew working Saturday's game in South Bend went over to Notre Dame's Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on Friday to light a candle and say a prayer for Hicks and his family.

On Saturday, Notre Dame sent out a memorial in the press box at Notre Dame Stadium in Hicks honor with a bouquet of flowers, a card and a photo of him and his wife.

Hicks called iconic moments in golf, college football, and the Olympics during his career, including the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, when the U.S. men’s 4x100-meter freestyle relay swimming team, led by Michael Phelps, made one of the greatest comebacks in Olympic history to set a world record and take home the gold medal.

The Fighting Irish at the time of this writing are currently leading Boston College 14-0 in the second quarter following a 10-yard rushing touchdown from Nolan James Jr. and a 26-yard touchdown pass from CJ Carr to Micah Gilbert.

NBC has yet to announce who will replace Hicks for the network's final Notre Dame telecast on Saturday, Nov. 21 when the Fighting Irish host SMU at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Contributing: Scooby Axson

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBC Sports booth honors Dan Hicks during Notre Dame broadcast: 'Wish I wasn't here'

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