Beginning in 2018, there will be a new voice of Aggie Football. Dave South, who has manned the microphone for Texas A&M Aggies football broadcasts for more than 30 years, has announced that the 2017 season will be his last.

2017 will be the final season for The Voice of the Aggies #ThanksDave #12thMan https://t.co/ZBhrsQH0Vo pic.twitter.com/epuPQtZpdb — Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) August 10, 2017

Here is the statement from Dave himself:

"After discussions that started last August with Texas A&M Ventures and my wife Leanne, I have decided that the 2017 Texas A&M football season and the 2017-18 men's basketball season will be my last with both teams. I will continue doing play-by-play for the Aggie baseball team on a year-by-year basis. "I read recently 'God assigns certain jobs for certain times. While it's important to respond obediently, it's also vital we understand when an assignment is finished. Diligence and job completion honor the Lord, but resistance to change and refusal to let go can hinder His plan.' (Journey, June 15, 2017, page 23) "The 2017-18 season will mark my 47th year in collegiate broadcasting, and I just celebrated my 72nd birthday. There will be many people to thank as we make our way through this coming year. I will start with coach Jackie Sherrill and the late Ralph Carpenter, who extended the offer to be the voice of the Aggies prior to the 1985 season. My association with Texas A&M University and its athletics department has truly been a blessing. The friendships made and the joy of broadcasting Aggie games have made my years here unforgettable. "I'm also honored to have worked with every entity that has held the broadcast rights to Texas A&M athletics. For those of you who have been around for a long time, you will understand this statement: I am the last of the Southwest Conference Exxon announcers still active in sports broadcasting. "To the coaches, athletes, staff and athletic directors, our experiences together over these many years have created a lifetime of wonderful memories. If memories were memorabilia, there wouldn't be a room big enough to hold my collection. "To the Aggies and radio listeners who have been so gracious and kind for these many years, thank you for your words, texts, emails, and letters. I am humbled by your thoughtful generosity. "Knowing God has a plan for every day of our lives, Leanne and I look forward to the future."

I always had a love/hate relationship with Dave. Current students may not believe it, but it wasn’t that long ago that several football games each year - sometimes even conference games - weren’t televised (thanks, Big 12). So if you weren’t at the game, Dave South and online stats were your only option. Dave had some at times maddeningly confusing calls, but you could never deny his presence, and for most of us, his voice and the greatest moments in Aggie Football history are forever intertwined. I’ll leave you with his most memorable call from the 1998 Big 12 Championship Game, along with another instant classic from the 2012 season.

Thanks for your decades of hard work, Dave. Gig ‘em.