College Sports Information Directors of America

Jake Wade Award
Presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution in the media to the field of intercollegiate athletics. Voted on by the Special Awards Committee. Nominee must be a member of the media.

Craig Silver — CBS Sports Coordinating Producer

Craig Silver is not a recognizable face you see on TV sports broadcasts, yet has been an integral part of CBS Sports broadcasts for more than 40 years.

As CBS Coordinating Producer, Craig Silver has served as one of the nation's leading college, amateur and professional TV sports producers, winning 10 Emmys and countless other recognitions for his tremendous work in bringing to life through our TV screens so many memorable athletics moments. While his body of work includes Olympic Games, the Masters, the U.S. Open (tennis), the NBA and other major sporting events, Craig's signature work has been within intercollegiate athletics.

As the longtime producer of the CBS College Football Game of the Week, he has also made his mark on the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and the NCAA Men's and Women's Track and Field Championships. Silver has been recognized for his commitment to college football by the National Football Foundation and the Sun Bowl for his contributions to that historic postseason game. While his professional accomplishments and accolades alone would be worthy of recognition, they do not reflect the entirety of Craig's impact on the athletic communications profession.

Silver has been supportive of College Sports Communicators, its members, and the mission of the organization, attending CSC conventions and assisting in whatever way requested.

Silver's professional roles include serving as CBS Sports production assistant in 1981, CBS Sports associate director from 1982-85, CBS Sports producer/director in 1986, Turner Network Television (TNT) NBA coordinating producer NBA from 1989-90, and CBS coordinating producer for college football (1996-present).

In addition to his 10 Emmy Awards, Silver received an award for Outstanding Live Sports Special for the Army-Navy game in 2017 and earned the 2012 National Football Foundation Legacy Award for contributions to college football. In 2022, he received a UGA Chapter Contributions to Amateur Football Award.

Herb Vincent, SEC Associate Commissioner / Communications, CSC Past President (2020), CSC Hall of Fame (202), CSC President’s Award (2021), CSC Arch Ward Award (2019), CSC 25-Year Award (2012): "Craig Silver is one of those individuals whose profound influence on college sports, though highly decorated with numerous awards, will never be fully recognized because he works behind the scenes. However, his four decades of shaping the narrative of sports — especially college sports — are deeply respected and valued by those of us who have witnessed his exceptional work, talent, and dedication firsthand. We are all lucky to have had Craig as a friend and colleague who shares our passion for college athletics." 

Shelly Poe, Auburn University Associate AD / Communications - Football, CSC Past President (2014), CSC Hall of Fame (2006), CSC Arch Ward Award (2013), CSC Mary Jo Haverbeck Trailblazer Award (2012), CSC President’s Award (2016), CSC Lifetime Achievement Award (2025): "I’ve been fortunate to have worked with Craig since the 1990s and fortunate to call him a friend for just as long. Nobody is more detailed and focused on his work and no product on the air is more lush or complete. We often joke about how Craig can be quirky and his legions of helpers can be demanding at times. Yet it’s well documented that Pope Julius was repeatedly more than annoyed with Michaelangelo, his methods and his madness on numerous occasions, but when tempers cooled and the dust settled, they looked up and there was the Sistine Chapel. Some people have a gift for seeing beyond the everyday to picture the extraordinary. We’re all so very fortunate that Craig has shared his distinctive gift with us in college sports all these years."

Kevin Trainor, University of Arkansas Senior Associate AD for Public Relations & Former Student-Athlete Engagement, Current 2024-25 CSC President, CSC 25-Year Award (2020): "For more than four decades, CBS Coordinating Producer Craig Silver has served as one of the nation’s leading producers, winning 10 Emmys and countless other recognitions for his tremendous work in bringing to life through our TV screens so many memorable athletics moments… While his professional accomplishments and accolades alone would be worthy of recognition, they do not reflect the entirety of Craig’s impact on our profession. Simply put, Craig is one of the sincerest and most engaged colleagues I have worked with in my career. I respect his professional acumen, but truly value his friendship and investment in others. Like many other individuals, I have utilized Craig as a confidant, mentor and a trusted source of sage advice both personally and professionally. Craig has also been supportive of College Sports Communicators, its members, and the mission of our organization. He has been a cheerleader for CSC and our role within intercollegiate athletics and has supported us with words and action, by attending our convention and stepping forward to assist in whatever way requested."

Kenny Klein, University of Louisville Senior Associate Athletic Director (retired), CSC Hall of Fame (2015), CSC 25-Year Award (2008): "Craig has been fantastic in leading CBS Sports production crews which have brought amazing stories and action to collegiate sports fans across the nation for over four decades. He truly cares about his work, is passionate about college sports, listens and relies on storylines that College Sports Communicators bring to his attention, and he uncovers additional narratives through his own creative efforts. You always know that when Craig is on an event, he's going to enter it highly organized and ready to deliver a terrific telecast for viewers."

Steve Kirschner, University of North Carolina Senior Associate Athletic Director / Sports Information & Media Relations, CSC 25-Year Award: "It is always fun to work a game that Craig produced because just his presence alone meant it was a big game — whether it was a Final Four, a prestigious in-season event or a rivalry game. And you knew his crew, from the truck to the talent and everyone who put the game on the air, was going to be prepared to tell our story. Our coaches always enjoyed interacting with him and they knew the broadcast would be first-rate with him running the show."

John Paquette, Big East Conference Senior Associate Commissioner, Sports Media Relations, CSC Past President (2023-24), CSC Hall of Fame (2019), CSC Bill Esposito Backbone Award (2014), CSC Arch Ward Award (2007), CSC 25-Year Award (2004): "Any time you worked with Craig, you got the best of all worlds — an elite production and complete professionalism from Craig and his crew. The bonus was being able to have the personal relationship that Craig embraced. He has a genuine passion for college sports and for the people in the game."

Silver on receiving the 2025 Jake Wade Award…
"I am overwhelmed and honored to join the incredible list of luminaries to have been recognized with the Jake Wade Award. The list of honorees — Lindsay Nelson, Keith Jackson, Blackie Sherrod, Furman Bishop, Dan Jenkins, Dick Enberg and so many more — is a virtual “who’s who” in the sports media business. I have been privileged to work with 15 of the distinguished recipients…including those who spent so much of their careers as part of the CBS Sports family: Steve Scheer, Tim Brando, Billy Packer and Gus Johnson. And, most importantly of all are three colleagues and friends who have been by my side for almost the entirety of my professional life — Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery and Verne Lundquist! 

I am humbled to receive this incredible award and am forever grateful to be included into this prestigious community of Jake Wade Award recipients!"