ORLANDO, Florida — By day, he's an Orlando Police detective, but by weekend, Rene Ingoglia travels the country to call college football games.

• Orlando Police detective has 2nd job as ESPN football analyst
• He works 40 hours with department, travels to games on weekends
• He thanks OPD, family for giving him opportunity to do what he loves

“Police work was always my first love. I’ve been in a lot of different places here in the Orlando Police Department — the robbery unit; I am biased — but by far in my estimation, it’s the best unit in the department,” Ingoglia said of his current department.

“You really work on some major crimes, and you can really make a difference.”

Ingoglia has been working for OPD for 18 years.

"He is very good at what he does,” longtime colleague and Criminal Investigations Division Sgt. Joe Capece explained. “Whether it’s calling games for ESPN or it’s working a robbery case, he’s always been good. He’s tenacious, he’s that kind of guy.”

Before arriving to Orlando, Ingoglia was a Rochester, New York native who was a star running back at the University of Massachusetts.

He still holds multiple records and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2007. It was at that ceremony where he realized he had to make a return to the field.

“I missed football,” Ingoglia said. “As a police officer — I think I was in my eighth year as a detective — and I just missed football. My wife said, 'Well, how about coaching?' And I did, helped out with Pop Warner, helped out with some high schools.”

But it didn’t fill the void. So Ingoglia reached out to UMass for some broadcasting opportunities and fell in love in the booth.

The following season, he earned three games on ESPN3 as a football analyst — each year adding more work. Right now, he has a full football slate alongside his play-by-play partner, Mike Corey.  The two broadcast a game each week nationally on ESPNU.

“I really love it and I tell people all the time I don't have to do it — I want to do it — and it makes a big difference. Sometimes, you pinch yourself because you get paid to do this,” Ingoglia explained.

But how does he do it? He works Monday through Thursday at OPD, putting in his 40 hours, then travels out Thursday evenings to his games. On Fridays, he goes through production and coaches meetings and after the call on Saturdays, he’s back on a plane on his way home to Orlando.

He calls it controlled chaos but is the first one to recognize this is only possible with the support of his family both at home and at the department.

“It shows another side to police officers that people don't know,” Capece explained. “You know that we are human and we have different interests, different likes, and when you have someone like Rene that is doing something nationally, but he's still representing the department, and he does it so well, we're going to be flexible with him, and it’s never been a problem.”

"Each week when you get assigned, it’s like hitting the lottery: Where am I going this week?” Ingoglia said.

He loves the balance he gets from the different worlds: his gift for gab, football and solving cases all intertwined.

It's just the way he likes it.

“I love the Orlando Police Department. It really is one of the best agencies in the country, and I thank them and the City of Orlando for allowing me to do both things and truly do two careers,” Ingoglia said.