Spring football is like that spin-off between breaks in the canon of a TV series. You’re yearning for some football, but there’s just too big a gap between January and September. Your team’s makeup and personnel have turned on their heads, and you want a teaser of what to expect. 15 days of practice in breezy, summery weather. 2 of which are strictly non-contact. Not allowed to exceed 4 hours a day. Followed by an inter-program exhibition showcase to get a taste for game situations and rever yourself to the fans if you’re new. Then go back to sitting lectures in class, waiting for August to roll about. The idiosyncrasy of it all is meshed with a chance for fans to grow closer to the team they love. Now, this chance may be on the verge of being snatched away.

Of all its quirks and abnormalities, the concept of spring games is one of the most prominent in CFB. Something that’s so etched in the fabric of the sport. Yet, coaches are reportedly convening to stop its existence. Just like so much else in this era of CFB moving towards a more pro-like approach, spring games may become history soon. So could the tradition of fans pulling up in the thousands to watch these glorified practices. Just last year, the Washington Huskies saw their highest-ever turnout for a spring finale. With 15k fans supporting their team’s development at Husky Stadium. Great community building all-round. So, what do coaches want instead? More importantly, why want change at all? Dan Lanning may have had a part to play.

CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello reported, “College coaches are considering NFL-style OTAs as a replacement for spring games amid roster tampering and injury concerns.” Nebraska’s Matt Rhule has outwardly spoken about the tampering aspect becoming an issue with spring games. “The word ‘tampering’ no longer exists,” he said. “It’s just [an] absolute free, open, common market. So, I don’t necessarily want to open up to the outside world. I don’t want these guys all being able to watch our guys and say ‘Wow, he looks like a pretty good player. Let’s go get him.'” said Rhule.

The Huskers won’t even conduct a showcase for their fans this season. Auburn HC Hugh Freeze has also joined hands with Rhule. “I don’t even want spring practice,” he said to CBS Sports. There may or may not be any correlation. But Oregon and Dan Lanning did recently get accused in a tampering scandal.

Boise State’s loss in the Fiesta Bowl to Penn State spelled the end of their season. Even though the transfer portal officially closed for intakes on Dec 28, players on teams that had games past that cut-off are afforded 5 extra days after their season finishes. Hence, Boise State players had time to mull over the decision.

Now in a different capacity, then-offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter alleged Dan Lanning, or someone from his staff, broke the rules and sanctity of competition. He says a player was contacted right after the final whistle blew. In an interview with KTIK Idaho Sports Talk, Koetter said, “I know for a fact that just last week- after the Fiesta Bowl- one of the key starters on defense got a call from the Oregon Ducks. Offering him $700,000,” That is a massive accusation to make, and the player remains unnamed. 

This is just one instance of tampering, which has become a prevalent norm in CFB, being brought to the forefront. Dan Lanning and Oregon are just one instance. Rhule’s statements are begrudgingly true. So is his rationale about spring football being a breeding ground for illicit tampering. Injury concerns voiced by other coaches are also valid. But is ceasing this tradition the solution? When this news was reported, it naturally sent social media into pandemonium. A whole host of fans of all persuasions have had their say.

Dan Lanning factor goes unnoticed as social media goes into pandemonium over Spring Football’s proposed elimination

The aforementioned IG post that relayed the Brandon Marcello report asked a probing question. “Do y’all want to see spring games continue in college football?” Safe to say the responses were divisive. The prevailing sentiment was about the sport drifting further from its traditional values. “😂😂 And so it begins … literally nothing more college than the Spring Game,” wrote one fan. This notion was echoed with, “Everyone loves spring football games. Stop trying to make cfb like the nfl.” Another wrote, “Let’s just call it semi-pro football and not college football. NIL and Transfer portal have ruined college football now let’s take everything else traditionally from college football.” Conversely, people also understood the pitfalls presented by Matt Rhule.

“Seems pretty soft. I get the tampering part, though.” it was a microcosm of the other side.  Everyone rates spring football. It’s not like ceasing it will cease tampering. But it may be a factor, and the negatives of tampering probably overpower the positives of spring football. Even Thanos had to “pay a small price for salvation,” eh? One person said, “The spring game isn’t really needed if we are being honest.” Have to say, the injury risk and other prominent factors around it do not dispel this theory. 

As usual, change to the norm is met with pushback. Not just in the sports realm but across the board. Will fans come to terms with losing spring football years down the line? Probably. But it won’t go down well in the immediate. Matt Rhule has set things in motion, whether caused by B1G adversary Dan Lanning or not. Rhule has even taken action by not scheduling a game this offseason. It remains to be seen how much traction this idea picks up.