An excerpt from my latest Chicago Tribune column:

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Notre Dame’s game against Boston College on Nov. 21 will be an interesting day for Doug Flutie.

Flutie will be on the call as an analyst for NBC Sports Network’s telecast of the Shamrock Series from Fenway Park. He likely will come under extra scrutiny from Notre Dame fans who will be monitoring if Boston College’s favorite son is tilting toward his old school.

“Actually, it will be more of an issue for the Boston College people,” Flutie said. “They’ll be upset that I am doing all these Notre Dame games.”

Indeed, Notre Dame will be getting a full dose of Flutie this year. He will kick off his first full season as analyst for NBC’s coverage Saturday night when the Fighting Irish host Texas.

Flutie hardly is a stranger to South Bend. He has served as part of NBC’s pre- and postgame coverage for Notre Dame since 2011.

NBC, though, set the lineup change in motion when it elevated Flutie to the booth and sent regular analyst Mike Mayock to the sidelines for the Notre Dame-Northwestern game last November. In August, the network officially tabbed Flutie to join Dan Hicks on calling games.

It seemed like an easy decision. Flutie is one of the most iconic players in college football history after winning the 1984 Heisman Trophy. He also figures to be less technical than Mayock, who received criticism for using complex football lingo in the telecasts.