Nebraska likely to cancel spring game over transfer concerns

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The annual spring game, a highly attended and lucrative event in college football, will probably be discontinued due to coach Matt Rhule's concerns that other teams might lure his players away.

In my opinion, the idea of tampering doesn't exist anymore," Rhule said Saturday at his midwinter news conference. "I guess it's just a completely open and unrestricted free market. I don't have any desire to welcome the rest of the world, allowing them to watch my players and say, 'This person is a solid player. Let's go sign him.'

The Cornhuskers' game was also broadcasted on the Big Ten Network.

After we drafted our players, lots of other teams expressed interest in signing them," Rhule said. "So you bring in a whole new group of players, just to show them off to other colleges? That doesn't make sense to me.

Six Nebraska football players entered the transfer portal the week following last year's spring game.

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Many players were injured in last year's spring game and missed the season. Rhule stated that live tackling will again continue in scrimmages during spring practice.

We're compensating the guys now, and you're putting money behind certain players, a whole new set of rules," Rhule said. "And at the same time, you have to perform well. To me, it's really about protecting our roster and navigating through the free agency period.

Coach Rhule expressed doubt that a spring game in a scrimmage format will occur, but is open to finding another way to let fans see the team's players in action. Athletic director Troy Dannen mentioned on his radio show last week that an event is planned for April 26, which may include both football and other fall sports teams.