Why isn’t Brad Nessler calling the NCAA Tournament?

When CBS Sports unveiled its announcer lineup for the 2017 NCAA Tournament, there was one pretty glaring omission: Brad Nessler.

Nessler came to CBS last year to replace Verne Lundquist as the voice of the network’s SEC football coverage, and since then he has also called some college basketball. But on the list of NCAA Tournament play-by-play men (Lundquist, Jim Nantz, Kevin Harlan, Brian Anderson, Ian Eagle, Spero Dedes, Carter Blackburn, Andrew Catalan), Nessler was nowhere to be found.

“We had our lineup set from last year as far as play by play and we felt it was fair to the current teams for them to come back,” McManus said. “It wasn’t an anti-Brad thing at all. Everybody had earned the right to come back again. We are definitely open and flexible for the future and he has a great resume. I can certainly see him involved in the future.”

It makes some sense that CBS wouldn’t want to tinker too much with its broadcast teams, but you’d think the network would make room for its new star. If CBS wants Nessler to be one of its most recognizable voices, shouldn’t they want him front and center during their marquee event?

And it’s not like Nessler hasn’t been at CBS long enough to find his bearings. He’s been there almost a year and called an entire college football season. He’s had plenty of time to settle into his new role, and CBS has had plenty of time to determine how they want to use him.

It sounds like Nessler will be part of NCAA Tournament coverage in the future, as well he should be.