Spring football as we know it may soon be a thing of the past in college football. Numerous programs are looking to drop public spring games this year, advocating for a transformation of the designated 15 days of practices into NFL-style organized team activities (OTAs) in June or July.
The concept isn’t completely new but is gaining momentum. Sources have told CBS Sports that FBS coaches discussed a proposal to eliminate spring practice in favor of OTAs during the American Football Coaches Association’s annual meeting in January. This shift aims to help teams better organize rosters prior to the summer term and to combat tampering before the mid-April window opens for transfer portal entries.
While tackling the issue during the January meeting, coaches opted to focus on reducing transfer portal windows from 30 days in December and 10 in April to a compact 10-day period beginning in early January. Approximately 60 attendees approved this plan, although it must still clear potential barriers for ratification by the NCAA oversight committee.
In a noteworthy declaration earlier this month, Nebraska’s Matt Rhule announced that the Huskers are unlikely to hold a public spring scrimmage, citing concerns over other teams enticing players during public viewing opportunities.
“Tampering no longer carries any weight,” stated Rhule. “It’s become a completely open market. I want to protect my athletes from being observed, which could lead to them being targeted by competing programs.” _Translation: “Tampering no longer carries any weight,” stated Rhule. “It’s become a completely open market. I want to protect my athletes from being observed, which could lead to them being targeted by competing programs.”
A poll of 18 FBS coaches revealed that while 10 planned to hold spring practices, the prospect of televised scrimmages made many wary. An unnamed coach in the Sun Belt remarked, “If they want your players, they’ll find a way to take them, regardless of whether you have a spring game or not.”
Another SEC coach bluntly conveyed, “No spring game for me; my primary concern is avoiding player injuries.”
Tampering has long plagued coaches. Dave Clawson, the former Wake Forest head coach, criticized rival programs for poaching players from his roster.
Several coaches, however, expressed readiness to face these adversities. One ACC coach admitted, “If someone leaves because of tampering after spring, then I didn’t want them on my team anyway; they would eventually leave us.”
A coach from the AAC commented on the ongoing tampering dilemma, noting, “Our rosters undergo tampering all the time. I’m doubtful whether the existence of a spring game would affect that.”
Auburn’s Hugh Freeze advocated for a shift to 10 days of OTAs in June and outright elimination of spring practices.
“I’m not in favor of spring practice,” he conveyed in his discussion with CBS Sports. _Translation: “I’m not in favor of spring practice,” he conveyed in his discussion with CBS Sports.
Coaches related that more conversations regarding offseason regimes will likely occur after the House v. NCAA settlement is approved on April 7. That date is projected to serve as the sport’s tipping point, opening avenues for revenue sharing with players in July, reducing the size of rosters to 105, and offering calendar modifications.
