After receiving public criticism for canceling Nebraska’s spring game, Matt Rhule appears to be a trendsetter. The Texas Longhorns and the USC Trojans have joined the Huskers in canceling their spring football game as well.
Longhorns athletic director Chris Del Conte told ESPN that the changing schedule of college football called for a change of thought regarding spring football.
“We went last game at [Texas] A&M, then SEC championship game, home game, quarterfinal and semifinal. The reality is we played four extra games. In my mind, it was, ‘Hey guys, we gotta reimagine what the spring looks like.'”
A USC source told ESPN that the program sees little upside to a spring game and believes that the financial resources spent on a spring game can be better spent elsewhere.
Rhule explained in early February why Nebraska would not continue the traditional spring game.
“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 and have people watch our guys and say, ‘He looks like a pretty good player. Let’s go get him.“
Times are certainly changing in college football, and the trend of spring games being canceled will continue to grow. It’s interesting to see how much criticism Matt Rhule received earlier this month when he announced the cancellation of the spring game, and now other teams across the country are following his lead.
This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Nebraska football leads USC and Texas in canceling spring game
