It was just an idea — two Power Four coaches, two resurgent programs, one spring football game.
Colorado’s Deion Sanders and Syracuse’s Fran Brown wanted to throw out the old and tired intra-squad dress rehearsal and do something radical: play each other. Helmets popping, crowd cheering, scoreboard ticking. A real game, not a glorified walkthrough in full pads.
A concept so obvious it felt revolutionary.
The NCAA’s FBS Oversight Committee said no.
And that’s exactly the problem.
Because coaches around the country are starting to see the vision. Spring football, in its current form, feels stuck in neutral. There’s real momentum building toward something bigger — something with juice. And Coach Prime and Coach Brown nearly lit the fuse.
What started as a fun idea out west should be a wake-up call for a change in college football.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy said what many are thinking. He’d be down for a spring home-and-home series with Oklahoma. That’s Bedlam in April, with actual fans and maybe even ticket revenue. OU’s move to SEC ended that annual rivalry, so a spring showdown would renew it.
Gundy has a point. Imagine the possibilities:
- Ticket sales.
- TV interest.
- A jolt of spring energy in sleepy college towns.
- And most importantly, a break from scrimmaging the same guys you’ve been hitting all spring.
Players are itching to pop pads against someone who doesn’t share their locker room.
Here in the 757, what about a Battle of Norfolk in April?
Norfolk State vs. Old Dominion. A cross-town collision under the spring sun. New-look Spartans vs. an FBS team that’s trying to re-establish its footing. Both programs would gain from the exposure, the competition and the bragging rights.
Or how about Hampton getting in on the action with a tilt against Virginia State? What’s stopping this from becoming the Tidewater Spring Showcase?
Well … the NCAA, for now.
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Why say no?
Logistics, maybe. Injuries, probably. The same concerns that follow any change to the status quo. But the truth is, controlled chaos is still chaos. Players get hurt in normal spring games too. And as for logistics? Schools plan bowl trips in a matter of weeks. This isn’t impossible — just uncomfortable for those not ready to evolve.
But the upside? Too good to ignore.
Let teams test themselves in real-time. Give fans a reason to show up. Let freshmen feel real heat before the fall. Turn a stale scrimmage into a spring event.
But they’re not the only roadblock.
Norfolk State’s Michael Vick coached for the first time in a spring game. What did it mean to him?
Even some coaches are opting out of spring games entirely. Nearly 20 Power Four programs — including heavyweights like Alabama, North Carolina and defending national champ Ohio State — canceled their games altogether this year. Instead of a traditional scrimmage, they’re choosing skill competitions, alumni matchups or open-practice-style fan events.
Why? Because some coaches see spring games as more of a liability than an opportunity. There’s a growing concern about putting film out for rival programs, especially with the transfer portal still wide open. If a player flashes in front of the cameras — especially a backup — there’s a real fear that another school might swoop in with promises of more playing time or a bigger NIL deal.
And beyond that, any well-executed play becomes scoutable. No one wants to tip their hand in April, especially when that tape might come back to haunt them in the fall.
But let’s be honest — tampering isn’t going away just because the spring game is. Coaches know that. Some even admit as much. And others, the ones still holding onto the spring game model, say it’s still the best way to teach players how to communicate and perform in real time.
There are still coaches who see the value in letting freshmen get a taste of game-day adrenaline before the lights come on in the fall. Some programs treat their spring game like a community rally — a mini game-day experience that brings in fans, recruits, and local energy.
For those coaches, the benefits still outweigh the risks. They know college football doesn’t have preseason games, so these are the reps that matter. For a freshman whose last real game was in high school, spring ball under stadium lights is more valuable than any 7-on-7 or position drill.
So yeah, maybe it was just an idea — one that got squashed before it got legs.
But it was the right idea. And eventually, it should be the norm.
Because college football in April doesn’t have to be boring. It can be bedlam, it can be bold… it can be better.
Trevyn Gray, trevyn.gray@virginiamedia.com
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