The Griffin Bulldog Club held its annual banquet Thursday evening at the University of Georgia-Griffin Campus and the keynote speaker was someone used to talking in front of people: Bulldogs radio play-by-play announcer Scott Howard.

Howard’s voice has definitely become synonymous with Georgia athletics. The sports director for Athens radio stations WNGC and WGAU, Howard returns for his 17th season behind the microphone for both UGA football and basketball games. Howard has a long-standing relationship with UGA football, beginning as a color analyst alongside the late Larry Munson in the 1994 season. In 2007 he broadcasted play-by-play action in all of Georgia’s road football games when the traveling became too much for Munson and by the third game of the 2008 season, he became the program’s primary radio voice along with color analyst Eric Zeier, a former UGA and NFL quarterback.

Howard has served as the Georgia basketball team’s primary play-by-play announcer since the 1997 season. The 1984 UGA graduate also announced Georgia baseball games from 1990-96.

Howard had no problem talking about Georgia football in 2012 to the Griffin Bulldog Club.

“I’m very appreciative to have been invited by the Griffin Bulldog Club. It’s always good to speak to Bulldogs fans anywhere in the state, but the excitement is amped up even more in small towns like Griffin,” said Howard. “I live in a small town, Watkinsville, and they love the Bulldogs. It means a lot when someone in UGA athletics shows up and speaks to the people.”

Howard said he puts in plenty of time preparing for their 10-hour broadcast each weekend, spending as many as 20 hours per week getting game-day information.

“We have probably the longest-running show in college sports — a four-hour pregame show, the three-hour game itself and a nearly three-hour postgame show,” he said. “There’s more to it than just sitting in a booth and speaking. I’ve got to read up on the opponents, prepare game charts and then I have on-air reads from sponsors and advertisers to do as well.”

Howard said he attends football practice about once a week and talks with the UGA Sports Information staff and head football coach Mark Richt about what the radio team can speak about on Saturdays. Sometimes it’s not always the easiest task to get info from Richt.

“When it’s a tight situation, he’s not as forthcoming with information,” Howard said, laughing. “But coach Richt is usually good about telling me things so we won’t be taken by surprise on game days.”

Despite some high-profile player suspensions and dismissals, Howard said right now he expects the Bulldogs to be a pretty good team in 2012. He feels they can contend for the SEC East crown and can play for the SEC championship if things go well.

“You can never predict injuries, misbehavior or things of that nature,” he said. “But as of today — July 19 — UGA should be a contender in the SEC.”