Steve Sarkisian Overlooks 6-Figure Consequences & Confirms Texas’ Stance on College Football Spring Bowl in Alarming Verdict

Something’s up in Austin, and Steve Sarkisian isn’t hiding it. The Texas Longhorns head coach is out here making some eyebrow-raising moves, and it’s got folks talking. Have you ever heard of a college team straight-up canceling its spring game? Word on the street is that Sark is ready to pull the plug on Texas’ annual spring scrimmage, and not because he doesn’t love spring or whatnot. Nah, the man’s got a plan, but it comes with a hefty six-figure consequence. That’s right, six figures out the window. But what’s money compared to keeping your squad fresh for the actual battles ahead?

On February 5th, Jeff Jones from KVUE dropped some inside scoop, that said Sarkisian has been thinking about this for months. “A report from our friends at Horns 24/7 says Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is considering canceling this year’s spring game,” Jones said. “Today’s report lists wear and tear on players as one of Sark’s main concerns.” The Longhorns wrapped up a grueling 16-game campaign—the longest in program history. That’s some NFL-type mileage on college bodies, and Sark knows that if Texas wants to end its national title drought next season, they better take time to rest and recuperate.

Now, here’s where things get tricky. Cutting the spring game means Texas is taking a hit in the wallet. Ticket sales alone bring in about $600K for the school, not to mention the exposure for players trying to make a name for themselves. But Sarkisian isn’t worried about the money. He’s eyeing the bigger picture—keeping his guys fresh for the SEC grind. “The college seasons are growing more and more similar to NFL seasons, but the offseasons remain vastly different,” said Jeff Johnson, breaking it down. “Sark told us he’d like the college offseason structured more like the pros, though he understands it may come at the expense of spring games.”

Makes sense when you think about it. NFL teams ease into their offseason before hitting full speed in training camp. College teams, though? They’re going full throttle in March and April, then backtracking to conditioning in the summer.

Sark wants to flip the script. Steve Sarkisian went off against the whole spring bowl tradition earlier in the playoffs, “I think at some point we’re gonna have to look at that model of why, why is their free agency when it is, and then how does that coincide with the draft, refer to it as signing date, and then what they’ve done with their offseason to build their teams to get them ready for training camp and then the season. And I do think spring ball at some point is going to become a casualty of this, and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. It just seems like it’s a little bit of a broken model, but it’s the model that we have right now.”

Texas is gearing up for the Arch Manning era, and Sarkisian is not playing around. The goal is simple: keep the squad fresh, keep them locked in, and win some championships. Whether that mean losing a few hundred grand in ticket sales? So be it. But let’s be real—Longhorn fans aren’t gonna be happy about waiting even longer to see their team back in action. And if Texas struggles out the gate next season? Best believe this decision will come back to haunt Sark in the headlines.

Matt Rhule says big no for spring games because of tampering concerns

Turns out, Sarkisian isn’t the only coach looking to shake things up. Nebraska’s Matt Rhule is also out here rethinking spring football, but for a whole different reason—tampering. “I hate to say this, but last year we were one of the more televised spring games. And I dealt with a lot of people offering our players a lot of opportunities after that,” Rhule admitted. “The word ‘tampering’ doesn’t exist anymore. It’s just an absolute free, open common market. I don’t necessarily want to open up to the outside world.” In simple terms, too many eyeballs on his squad meant rival programs were scouting his players like they were shopping at a talent store.

Last year, Nebraska’s Red-White spring game drew over 60,000 fans and literally broadcast nationwide, giving the Huskers that big-game feel. But that exposure? It worked against them. Opposing coaches saw their players shine and wasted no time sliding into their DMs with transfer portal opportunities. That’s the new reality of college football—your best guys can get poached before the season even starts. So, Rhule’s solution? Shut it down. Keep things private.

Now, put Steve Sarkisian and Matt Rhule side by side, and you’ve got two big-name coaches making high-stakes calls that could shake up how spring football was handled across the country. One wants to protect his players from burnout, the other from poachers. Both are staring down six-figure losses, but in their eyes, the long-term gains outweigh the short-term hit.

As for Nebraska, Rhule is drawing his line in the sand. No free scouting. No turning his spring game into a damn job fair for rival schools. If that means locking the doors and keeping things quiet, then so be it. One thing’s for sure—college football ain’t what it used to be. And the spring game? Well, it might just be the next big thing to get left in the dust.