Keith Jackson, sportscaster with 'Whoa, Nelly! call, dies

Keith Jackson, the down-home voice of college football during more than five decades as a broadcaster, has died. He was 89.

He died Friday and no cause was given in a statement Saturday by ESPN. Jackson's longtime employer was ABC Sports.

Jackson covered many sports, but he was best known for college football. His signature phrases like ``Whoa, Nelly!'' gave his game calls a familiar feel.

Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger says Jackson ``was college football'' for generations of fans.

Jackson retired after the 2006 Rose Bowl and is a member of the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

Jackson was a longtime resident of Sherman Oaks, California, and Pender Harbor, British Columbia. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Turi Ann.