Last year, Nebraska’s spring game drew a whopping 60,452 fans to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. That was the fourth-highest spring game attendance in the country and it was also televised on the Big Ten Network. But as much attention it brought to the Cornhuskers, it might have been just too much. Following the game, six Nebraska players entered the transfer portal. So in order to avoid a similar fate this season, Matt Rhule and his program might just take a drastic step- no spring game.
When you see 31 of your players bolting through the portal, you don’t roll out the red carpet for the next wave of poachers. It’s evident that Coach Rhule isn’t nervous – he’s just done getting played. Now that tampering burned him once, and Rhule is not stepping on the same rake twice. And this isn’t just his opinion; others also see it as a major threat.On February 1, Rhule indicated that Nebraska may do away with an open scrimmage for fans out of fears that other programs might poach their players after seeing them on national television.
“The word ‘tampering’ no longer exists. It’s just 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,’” Rhule said.
Now adding to Matt Rhule’s words, an anonymous ACC NIL Collective insider also highlights the same thing about how much you actually deal with tampering in the transfer portal, saying, “You just have to accept that it’s happening. Everybody’s doing the same thing. We’re all evaluating our roster and trying to figure out where the next move is,” they said. But this is what it is, and that’s what the problem is with the spring game. It gives other coaches and scouts an open chance to hop onto their favorite players.
Another anonymous SEC NIL Collective insider also confirmed Rhule’s tampering fears when talking about how they deal with it. “Everybody knows it’s going on, but it was a system that the NCAA created. I mean, a kid’s not going to go into the portal without knowing where he is going. You’re going to have an idea of shortly after they get in the portal, if you’re going to be able to get them or not,” they said.
According to a report by CBS Sports, FBS coaches discussed a potential proposal to eliminate spring practices. Instead, they are looking to implement OTAs in the late spring and early summer months. This will allow them to organize their rosters better and at the same time tackle the tampering problem before the spring transfer portal window opens in mid-April.
CBS Sports also polled 18 FBS coaches on whether they would be going ahead with spring scrimmages this offseason. Ten coaches said they would conduct spring games, but several were hesitant if the scrimmage was televised as many are in the Big Ten and SEC.
And Matt Rhule understands the situation better than anyone else. He has witnessed numerous players entering the transfer portal, and another 10 players leaving voluntarily as Nebraska adjusted to the 105-player limit. Managing this reduction was challenging, especially starting with almost 180 players, a number that conflicted with Nebraska’s walk-on tradition and limited space for new recruits and transfers.
However, it’s not just the players who are making moves; Nebraska’s staff is also experiencing changes. Rhule recently saw defensive coordinator Tony White depart for Florida State, which was a significant loss as White played a crucial role in improving the Huskers’ defense. Let’s face it, who wouldn’t chase a payday like Bucks’ Jim Knowles?
Plus, no one wants to be vulnerable to tampering, injuries, or NIL chaos. Meanwhile, Matt Rhule and Nebraska are not the only team taking drastic measures to prevent this. ESPN’s Greg McElroy highlighted that “UCF said they will not hold a traditional spring game this year.” It seems like programs are genuinely scared of the spring transfer window. Let’s face it – not every team can afford to give their players $10 million like Michigan did. But is canceling the spring game really the solution?
Matt Rhule’s fear hits a reality check
It’s evident that money wields significant influence in college football, often pushing the boundaries of rules. Schools aren’t just using the portal to recruit top talent – they’re also engaging in poaching, manipulation, and tampering. These actions are causing growing suspicion and concern. However, Matt Rhule isn’t idly standing by. He’s taking action, even if it means facing consequences like canceling Nebraska’s spring game. The irony is hard to miss – despite the concerns about the portal, Rhule managed to add 35 new players using the same system he’s cautious of, along with traditional recruiting methods.
Now, this is just how the game operates. Even Billy Napier acknowledges the dilemma. Shutting down spring games leads to fan backlash while keeping them results in ongoing player transfers. Caught in a difficult situation, Napier bluntly stated, “I figure that dealing with this fan base is probably worse than having somebody tamper with your players so I would go with him too.” In the end, there are no clear winners in this complex scenario.
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