«We’ll do something to celebrate the university, something to bring people together. But it will not be what it has been.»
Whatever Nebraska football chooses to do on April 26 – a day reserved for something Husker athletics related, but not the traditional spring game as we’ve known it – remains to be seen.
«I think we’re working through that,» Matt Rhule said during a one-on-one interview on Josh Pate’s College Football Show.
But as Rhule suggested in his most recent interview with local media, it isn’t expected to be like it was on past spring game weekends.
Rhule took stock of programs going away from their traditional spring games recently, mentioning Ole Miss last year as one example.
«We had our spring game and it was highly televised,» Rhule told Pate. «It was played on repeat over and over and over again. All of a sudden … I had guys getting hit up on the portal to leave. It wasn’t based on what they had done in the fall. So I said to myself, ‘What’s the point of giving away information?'»
Rhule added he learned a long time ago from Al Golden at Temple coaches needed to be information gatherers. And, seemingly with that, not sharers. Not in this case at least when it comes to your roster personnel.
«So to put a game on TV, while it’s fun, while it’s something as a player at Penn State I loved, I’m giving away a lot of information that’s proprietary. And new coordinators, I just don’t know why I’d do it.»
In addition, players are getting paid now, he said.
«It’s a violent game and we have to practice and we have to be physical. But there’s something additional about a spring game. So we’ve gone back and forth on it. So we’ll do something to celebrate the team. We’ll do something to celebrate the university, something to bring people together. But it will not be what it has been.»
Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen said during his monthly appearance on the Huskers Radio Network in late January that he wouldn’t call it a spring game because he doesn’t expect it to be a game.
Dannen said then one option could be a fall sports preview where volleyball, soccer and other sports are also taking part.
He mentioned the possibility of a 7-on-7 or skills competition. He said Rhule could opt to change course once he gets into the spring depending on what he wants to see in that final day of spring practices.
«True games as we’ve know them in the spring are falling by the wayside for a lot of reasons,» Dannen said, «but there will be something.»
During his Feb. 1 press conference locally, Rhule downplayed dwindling roster size and potential injuries being a part of not having the usual spring game format.
«We’re still going to scrimmage in the spring, we’re still going to tackle in the spring,» he said. «However, last spring (game) was really unfortunate. We lost (Demitrius) Bell, who we thought was probably going to be one of our best receivers to a non-contact injury on the turf. Or semi-non contact I guess. And then Blye Hill, who we thought was going to be our starting corner, then those guys never quite came around.»
So that does enter the mind. «Yet at the same you have to get good,» he added of maintaining a physical spring overall. «Honestly, to me it’s about protecting the roster (from others), and protecting through that portal period.»