There was a time when some people tried to claim that Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule was a coward for canceling the Huskers’ spring game. And then something funny happened. Other schools started canceling their spring games as well.
Now, the predominant theory in the sport is that spring games will be obsolete by next year. Instead, the sport will move to an OTA system similar to the NFL.
Nebraska football continues to be a trendsetter
When Rhule announced that the Nebraska football team’s spring game was going away, he mentioned cutting down on the ability for other teams to tamper with players. And while that’s as good a reason as any, other schools have talked about different motivations for the change.
Still, the one issue that comes up the most is that new players need to get to know their teammates. And with the 105 player roster limit coming, many players need to get through spring practices as healthy as possible.
More schools following Nebraska football’s lead on canceling spring games
Ohio State announced it would hold a “spring showcase” rather than a full fledged spring game. Missouri is canceling its spring game because of stadium renovations in both 2025 and 2026.
Texas specifically mentioned moving to more of an NFL approach to practices rather than a spring game. North Carolina State is playing everything close to the vest, holding 15 closed practices.
Florida State also claimed the stadium was the reason for the cancelation of a spring game. However, head coach Mike Norvell said that he doesn’t think spring games will be around much longer. Finally, USC talked about avoiding injuries as its key motivation.
Nebraska football fans might remember that the Huskers lost two players they expected to contribute quite a bit in last year’s spring game. This year, they’ll be doing some sort of showcase but it won’t be a full scrimmage made to look like a game.