Let’s Discuss Proposals to Change the Spring Game | Syracusefan.com

Let’s Discuss Proposals to Change the Spring Game

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A couple coaches recently proposed a change where FBS teams would play FCS teams instead of themselves in their spring game.

It appears a significant number feel like Coach Babers and don’t like the scrimmage against yourself format.

Some want to play a nearby FCS opponent instead.

Nicole Auerbach has a more radical idea: move the game against the FCS opponent to the spring and reduce the fall season to 11 games.

Something like 115 of the 130 FBS schools play an FCS opponent.

Why not play it in the spring? It would make the spring games a lot more interesting for the fans and players. It would cut down in the number of players that have to play I. The game. And it would reduce the burden on the bodies of college aged players were are currently asked to play 12 regular season games in the fall, plus possible bowl and playoff games.

This would in effect add another bye week for college football. That would be great for programs without a ton of depth. Like Syracuse.

I like the idea of playing an FCS opponent in the spring instead of doing an inter-squad scrimmage. Like the idea of reducing the length of the regular season too. We would presumably play Colgate in the spring in this scenario.

There is a school of thought the opponent could be a G5 opponent as well. HokieMatk proposed us play UB in that scenario.

Don’t think this will ever fly because TV wants more, not less games but maybe just once, we should do what is best for fans and players and say the hell with what TV wants.

It is a premium article I will link for those with subscriptions.

 
A couple coaches recently proposed a change where FBS teams would play FCS teams instead of themselves in their spring game.

It appears a significant number feel like Coach Babers and don’t like the scrimmage against yourself format.

Some want to play a nearby FCS opponent instead.

Nicole Auerbach has a more radical idea: move the game against the FCS opponent to the spring and reduce the fall season to 11 games.

Something like 115 of the 130 FBS schools play an FCS opponent.

Why not play it in the spring? It would make the spring games a lot more interesting for the fans and players. It would cut down in the number of players that have to play I. The game. And it would reduce the burden on the bodies of college aged players were are currently asked to play 12 regular season games in the fall, plus possible bowl and playoff games.

This would in effect add another bye week for college football. That would be great for programs without a ton of depth. Like Syracuse.

I like the idea of playing an FCS opponent in the spring instead of doing an inter-squad scrimmage. Like the idea of reducing the length of the regular season too. We would presumably play Colgate in the spring in this scenario.

There is a school of thought the opponent could be a G5 opponent as well. HokieMatk proposed us play UB in that scenario.

Don’t think this will ever fly because TV wants more, not less games but maybe just once, we should do what is best for fans and players and say the hell with what TV wants.

It is a premium article I will link for those with subscriptions.

I actually think it would be great for TV. Spring games basically take place over a 4 week period if games were scheduled on Thursdays Fridays Saturdays and Sundays over that month window there would be an enormous amount of additional content. Great idea, hopefully it gains traction.
 
Philadelphia 76Ers Basketball GIF
 
Now that 12 game schedules are the norm, I don’t think they’d ever get rid of them. Maybe with the expanded playoff, but not sure.

That said I also always thought teams should be able to play a couple preseason scrimmages against FCS. That would be even more beneficial than the spring game. Although I think it’s fine to do it for the spring game as well.

Spring rosters will always be lighter. There are freshmen who aren’t there yet (albeit less so in these times) and players rehabbing off-season surgeries, resting injuries, etc. So playing yourself with a thin bench doesn’t make a lot of sense.
 
A couple coaches recently proposed a change where FBS teams would play FCS teams instead of themselves in their spring game.

It appears a significant number feel like Coach Babers and don’t like the scrimmage against yourself format.

Some want to play a nearby FCS opponent instead.

Nicole Auerbach has a more radical idea: move the game against the FCS opponent to the spring and reduce the fall season to 11 games.

Something like 115 of the 130 FBS schools play an FCS opponent.

Why not play it in the spring? It would make the spring games a lot more interesting for the fans and players. It would cut down in the number of players that have to play I. The game. And it would reduce the burden on the bodies of college aged players were are currently asked to play 12 regular season games in the fall, plus possible bowl and playoff games.

This would in effect add another bye week for college football. That would be great for programs without a ton of depth. Like Syracuse.

I like the idea of playing an FCS opponent in the spring instead of doing an inter-squad scrimmage. Like the idea of reducing the length of the regular season too. We would presumably play Colgate in the spring in this scenario.

There is a school of thought the opponent could be a G5 opponent as well. HokieMatk proposed us play UB in that scenario.

Don’t think this will ever fly because TV wants more, not less games but maybe just once, we should do what is best for fans and players and say the hell with what TV wants.

It is a premium article I will link for those with subscriptions.

I’m all for doing the opposite of what tv wants. They have destroyed college football and basketball in my opinion.
 
I actually think it would be great for TV. Spring games basically take place over a 4 week period if games were scheduled on Thursdays Fridays Saturdays and Sundays over that month window there would be an enormous amount of additional content. Great idea, hopefully it gains traction.
I like the concept but am opposed to TV time. Spring college sports have to wait for hoops to end to get traction and have little time in the limelight, taking their time in the sun for meaningless football hurts those sports. Examples: Undeated SU Women’s lacrosse exciting win over UNC an SU Men’s lacrosse exciting win over UNC a couple hours later would both be forced to streams to show football.

I am for streaming, though. Let lacrosse, baseball and softball have their time in the sun while allowing diehard football fans a few hours online to catch the spring game is not asking too much. I would stream the game, even if watching another sport simultaneously.

Just one fan’s take.
 
I rather it be the Bowl games. With the playoffs the Bowls have less meaning. With players opting out they have less meaning. Scrambling to take days off work and pay for travel makes it harder to attend. Or if it interferes with your existing holiday plans.

If you play the games in April it is easier for fans to travel. No players will opt out.
 
I think it would put a lot of pressure on coaches to have teams “ready” to play in the spring. Look at the number of players SU has out this spring. The practice time is great for a young/reserve player. But I suspect a real game, even an FCS opponent, would require much more game preparation than a typical spring. And not every team can schedule Wagner.
 
Just give me a Spring game on a Saturday afternoon. Casual, no work, have some people willing to come from nearby, do a meet the players for kids, time a lax game after maybe. I can't stand Friday night Spring games.
 
Just give me a Spring game on a Saturday afternoon. Casual, no work, have some people willing to come from nearby, do a meet the players for kids, time a lax game after maybe. I can't stand Friday night Spring games.
I agree with a Saturday afternoon spring game.

The Syracuse Crunch will be playing at home in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs on Friday night so no spring game for me this year.
 
One drawback to this scenario is potential injuries. If minimizing injuries coming out of Spring practices is a priority, playing a live opponent will increase that risk dramatically.
 
One drawback to this scenario is potential injuries. If minimizing injuries coming out of Spring practices is a priority, playing a live opponent will increase that risk dramatically.
Disagree.

In an intra-squad spring game, you have 22 players in the field every play, subject to injury.

If you play another team, you reduce the players who are on the field playing by 50%.

And if you are playing an FCS opponent, the other players are more likely to be smaller, slower and the collisions and potential for injury should be reduced compared to playing other FBS level players.
 
Disagree.

In an intra-squad spring game, you have 22 players in the field every play, subject to injury.

If you play another team, you reduce the players who are on the field playing by 50%.

And if you are playing an FCS opponent, the other players are more likely to be smaller, slower and the collisions and potential for injury should be reduced compared to playing other FBS level players.
True. I was just thinking that in live action, an opponent is not going to "let-up" as much as your own teammates would. Regardless of how "friendly" the game is considered. Plus, we lost Jaquez for the year against Wagner last season, so certainly no guarantees on that smaller opponent front.
 
Disagree.

In an intra-squad spring game, you have 22 players in the field every play, subject to injury.

If you play another team, you reduce the players who are on the field playing by 50%.

And if you are playing an FCS opponent, the other players are more likely to be smaller, slower and the collisions and potential for injury should be reduced compared to playing other FBS level players.
Wouldn't the injury to the FCS players be greater, by that logic?
 
Wouldn't the injury to the FCS players be greater, by that logic?
If you are asking if FCS players are more likely to get hurt playing FBS teams (than other FCS teams), I would think the answer is yes.
 
I think playing a local FCS would be great but there is no way in hell any program would agree to give up the 12th regular season game. It would be FCS in the spring and different FCS in the fall
 
I think playing a local FCS would be great but there is no way in hell any program would agree to give up the 12th regular season game. It would be FCS in the spring and different FCS in the fall
The networks would exercise a veto via their TV deals, too.
 
No one is giving up a fall game for a game in the spring. The TV money in the fall is too big.

When you reduce the number of plays to reduce the chance for injuries you also reduce the number of plays on tape for coaches to evaluate players, players down the depth chart. And yes, if you play an FCS school the chance for injury increases for them.

What’s in it for the FCS school? I assume they travel so no home spring event for them. They assume a greater risk of injury when they play a bigger school instead of an intrasquad format. FCS schools get paid to play bigger schools in the fall. Will they get paid in the spring? Where will that money come from? In the fall the money usually comes from TV contracts. If you don’t televise the spring games cause you don’t want take the shine away from LAX games then schools will lose money. TV money is often used to fund lesser sports so no one is giving up a fall game, and would a spring game attract enough sponsors and viewers to justify paying anyone?
 

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