Atlanta artist Steve Penley has painted U.S. presidents, civil rights leaders, Coca-Cola bottles, and technicolor florals that look like ice cream refusing to melt. His subjects are always familiar, but Penley’s treatment—bold, saturated, alive with energy—renders them new again. This summer, he added another American icon to his collection: ESPN broadcaster and retired football coach Lee Corso.
The portrait, now installed at the College Football Hall of Fame in Downtown Atlanta, captures Corso’s signature grin, headset in place, set against a riot of colors meant to evoke the fandom he helped fuel.
“I think my typical style made for a perfect match to Coach Corso’s incredibly vibrant personality,” Penley said.
Corso, who signed off ESPN’s “College GameDay” in 2024 at age 90, changed the nature of sports broadcasting when he first donned a mascot head in 1996. That irreverent move made him as much a part of the college football experience as the games themselves. Fans came to expect his showmanship each Saturday morning, chanting his name, waving signs, and waiting for the big reveal of which team he would pick.
“It’s difficult to translate all of that into paint,” Penley admitted. “Sometimes I feel like it might happen by accident, but I think the brush strokes and colors of this painting really help liven the subject and showcase the traits that have helped make Coach Corso such a notable figure.”
The background explodes with every shade of the stadium, a kaleidoscope of hues designed with intention. “This was the perfect way for me to make sure all the teams were covered and that nobody could come to me later on and say, ‘Hey, you forgot about my Hilltoppers,’” Penley said.
“ … this piece speaks to Atlanta being a sports hotbed, and I think it fits the cultural component as well. … Coach Corso though … he definitely fits both areas, as the epitome of college football in America, and a cultural figure that everyone has come to know and love.”
Artist Steve henley
From Athens to Atlanta’s Hall of Fame
Born in Chattanooga in 1964 and raised in Athens and Macon, Penley studied at the University of Georgia and later at the School of Visual Arts in New York. His rise began when Atlanta attorney Bob Steed championed his work, introducing his energetic brushwork and historical portraits to collectors across the city. Today, Penley is recognized nationally for his interpretations of American history and icons, including paintings of Washington, Lincoln, Churchill, and Martin Luther King Jr. that are displayed in homes, boardrooms, and museums.
“Coach Corso fits into this collection perfectly, though he is a little more recent than some of my other works,” Penley said. “Most of the people I paint are long past, but I think he will go down in history as an American icon. Coach Corso became just as big a part of college football as the game itself, and he absolutely left his mark on this world.”
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An Atlanta Moment
For Penley, the commission carried extra weight. “It can be a little scary to have your work displayed in your hometown, where people know you, because maybe people love the piece and others might not like it,” he said. “But regardless, I’m honored to have my work permanently displayed in my hometown, and especially at the College Football Hall of Fame.”
That homecoming is fitting. Atlanta has long billed itself as both a sports town and a cultural capital. The Corso portrait embodies that intersection, a reminder of how art can capture the essence of a game and the personality of a man who made millions of fans feel like part of the show.
“Obviously, this piece speaks to Atlanta being a sports hotbed, and I think it fits the cultural component as well,” Penley said. “Now, Coach Corso though … he definitely fits both areas, as the epitome of college football in America, and a cultural figure that everyone has come to know and love. I think Coach Corso creates that bridge.
