USC Joins Others Cancels Spring Game

[HDuck]

USC joins Nebraska and Ohio State calling off its annual spring football game

WWW.LATIMES.COM

---

USC coach Lincoln Riley won't host a spring game giving fans an early look at the team, joining other coaches fending off the poaching of players.

 

[Nevada Dawg]

Of the three coaches cited above, the only one that surprises me is Ryan Day. The other two are mid and I guess Ryan feels left out after winning the Natty not having anything else to cry about. He might be better off shedding his tears over losing his coaching staff.

[David Marsh]

On 2/19/2025 at 10:14 PM, Nevada Dawg said:

Of the three coaches cited above, the only one that surprises me is Ryan Day. The other two are mid and I guess Ryan feels left out after winning the Natty not having anything else to cry about. He might be better off shedding his tears over losing his coaching staff.

Or he is too afraid of his fan base and doesn't want to put anything on display for them to watch. 

[Jon Joseph]

 

ND, after the champ game Day said the team was exhausted having played 16 games and four in a row against quality competition. He pushed the start of spring practice back two weeks. 

 

I think health issues have more to do with canceling spring games than does portal picking. Quality Georgia, Nebraska, TOSU, OBD, etc., players are on the radar whether or not they play in a spring scrimmage. 

 

If the House settlement is approved and rosters are cut how much contact will we see in the spring? 

 

It's a new paradigm and it's another reason why I'd like to see OBD open at home vs Portland State every season.

 

 

[Jon Joseph]

 

Et tu, Texas.

 

 

Texas to eliminate spring game, joining growing list of college football teams opting for NFL-style OTAs - CBSSports.com

WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM

---

Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian is the latest coach to do away with the traditional format

 

Texas is another team that played 16 games in 2024-25.

 

[30Duck]

On 2/20/2025 at 8:27 AM, Jon Joseph said:

I think health issues have more to do with canceling spring games than does portal picking. Quality Georgia, Nebraska, TOSU, OBD, etc., players are on the radar whether or not they play in a spring scrimmage. 

Yes, teams aren't looking at OBD's Spring Game and saying, "Holy Smokes, check out that Dakorien Moore!" I wouldn't mind if OBD joined the opt out list, calling it a "game" has always been a stretch. 

[HDuck]

I live far enough away attending the Spring "Game" is often a last minute decision depending on weather and whether there is a battle for skill positions.

 

That being said, Oregon has been lucky to have decent size crowds which means some revenue from concessions.   And, quite a bit of donations to the Lane County Food Bank.  The latter especially would be a downside of discontinuing.

 

From a practice standpoint, these teams dumping the public scrimmage can still have a closed scrimmage to evaluate players.   I think a scrimmage would be a more motivating end of 15 practices than skill challenges like cone runs.

 

It also means some easy content disappears from various in-house conference networks that will have to be replaced with alternative programming.

[DanLduck]

I have a hard time believing that a spring "game" is too much for health reasons. It's basically a practice with fans. A good time for all.

They still gonna have 15 or 16 practices. 

 

I can understand tOSU starting later, but canceling seems to be for other reasons. 

Too bad.

[spartan2785]

I'll have to admit I don't go to the spring, barely watch any of it at all, so I don't really care at all about the spring game, I'm focused on baseball at that point.

[Charles Fischer]

On 2/20/2025 at 8:05 PM, spartan2785 said:

I'll have to admit I don't go to the spring, barely watch any of it at all, so I don't really care at all about the spring game, I'm focused on baseball at that point.

And you, sir, are a good man!