The Longhorns just powered through the longest season in school history. Yes, from early August practices to a January 10 showdown in the Cotton Bowl, Texas pushed the limits. And had they won, the grind would have continued to the national title game. However, the SEC built in extra off weeks, but as LB Anthony Hill said during the CFP, “We signed up for this.” Hold on, Steve Sarkisian still knows the price of a deep playoff run. And he trusts sports science and makes player health a top priority. As of now, the grind is real, but so is the need to keep his team fresh for the next battle.

Back in December, Sarkisian saw the writing on the wall. With recruiting battles, the transfer portal frenzy, and a grueling season stretching deep into Jan, he made a bold prediction: “I do think spring ball, at some point, is going to become a casualty of this.” Now, that moment may have arrived – as Sarkisian is weighing the idea of scrapping Texas’ Spring Game and overhauling the entire spring schedule. As of now, does the spring game need to happen? Actually not. As in marketing terms for the fans, it’s just a glorified practice, typically the last of 15 sessions. For the school, it is an opportunity to attract supporters to the stadium, make them feel good about purchasing season tickets, and generate excitement for the next season.

Here a Texas insider has confirmed Sarkisian’s concerns about the future of spring football. On a recent episode of Locked On Longhorns, the insider shared his thoughts about the spring game schedules being not out yet. “We’re seeing, I guess, some teams cancel their spring game now. Like, Matt Rhule and Nebraska canceled theirs, but I think that was more so for different reasons, right? He was talking about how he didn’t want to have a spring game and then basically, like, have the spring portal window right after, where all these teams are watching Nebraska and be like, ‘Oh, I want him, I want him.'” As of now, with the transfer portal and recruiting battles heating up, the traditional spring game might be on its way out. And looks like Sarkisian isn’t the only coach thinking twice about it. The fear of losing players in the spring is real.

However, for coaches, it’s a different story. But for fans, the spring game is a tradition — a first glimpse at the future, a taste of football in the offseason. And the Texas insider put it simply, saying, “But selfishly, as a fan, the spring game is something you look forward to every year, right? And, you know, just kind of to backtrack a little bit, I understand it. You know, he talks about the wear and tear on his players after playing a 16-game schedule. That makes a ton of sense, as to why they might not have a spring game this year or a traditional spring practice schedule.” So, honestly, Sarkisian prioritizes his players above all else.

Safe to say, the reality is setting in — change is coming, and the spring game might not be part of the future. But in the midst of it all, a $15M twist has put the head coach in uncharted waters.

Steve Sarkisian’s 15 million-dollar plan

Steve Sarkisian is allegedly attempting to follow in the footsteps of the Sooners’ Brent Venables. Because the Longhorns players stand to gain the most from Sarkisian’s decision and will utilize the program’s $15 million windfall to the fullest extent possible.

However, last July, Venables and Sarkisian guided their programs from the Big 12 to the SEC. Although the move was financially advantageous, there was significant criticism around it. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey revealed the conference’s income distribution for the 2023–24 fiscal year, which ends on August 31, 2024, according to a story published by SEC Sports on Feb 7.

As of now, with an average payout of $52.5 million per institution, the total amount of $790.7 million is astounding. However, the calculations were different for Texas and Oklahoma. Venables and Sarkisian’s programs only earned $27.5 million – not the entire share. See, revenue sharing is the catch. Therefore, both head coaches will split the money with their athletes regardless of what ends up in their accounts.

And here’s where it gets interesting. According to Brian Davis, “Texas has yet to publicly acknowledge it will be doing the $20.5 million revenue sharing with athletes, but the Horns will. I’m told Sark has shared this with his players. CDC’s annual Town Hall is next week.”

So, the silence won’t last much longer. And with Sark already briefing his squad, all eyes are now on Texas to make it official. Let’s see what happens.