Nebraska Cancels Spring Game To Discourage 'Player Poachers'

[Symphony Steve]

Hmmm, interesting. Could this become a trend?:

Huskers likely to cancel spring game, says Rhule

The Nebraska Cornhuskers may cancel their annual spring game because of coach Matt Rhule's concern about other teams poaching his players via the transfer portal.

www.espn.com

""The word 'tampering' doesn't exist anymore," Rhule said Saturday at his midwinter news conference. "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.'"

The spring game has a long tradition at Nebraska. Last year the event drew 60,452 to Memorial Stadium, fourth-highest in the nation behind spring games at Ohio State, Alabama and Penn State. The Cornhuskers' game also was televised on the Big Ten Network.

"I dealt with a lot of people offering our players a lot of opportunities after that," Rhule said. "So you go out and bring in a bunch of new players and showcase them for all the other schools to watch? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me."

Six Nebraska players entered the transfer portal the week after last year's spring game."

 

[sutomcat]

Hmmm, interesting. Could this become a trend?:

Huskers likely to cancel spring game, says Rhule

The Nebraska Cornhuskers may cancel their annual spring game because of coach Matt Rhule's concern about other teams poaching his players via the transfer portal.

www.espn.com

""The word 'tampering' doesn't exist anymore," Rhule said Saturday at his midwinter news conference. "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.'"

The spring game has a long tradition at Nebraska. Last year the event drew 60,452 to Memorial Stadium, fourth-highest in the nation behind spring games at Ohio State, Alabama and Penn State. The Cornhuskers' game also was televised on the Big Ten Network.

"I dealt with a lot of people offering our players a lot of opportunities after that," Rhule said. "So you go out and bring in a bunch of new players and showcase them for all the other schools to watch? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me."

Six Nebraska players entered the transfer portal the week after last year's spring game."

I thought the ACC made every team play and televise their spring game a couple of years ago. Much to the chagrin of Dino Babers. The conference networks need content then and nothing draws eyeballs like football.

Personally, I think with the no wait transfer rules, players are always going to look to transfer after spring ball. They have agents in their ears telling them they should be starting, should be the focus of the offense, that they could make a lot more money elsewhere, etc. How many will be willing to wait their turn when they have people waving money and immediate opportunities in their face?

Televising the spring game does provide the players with some film that might make them more marketable. I would hope coaching staffs will consider the fans when they make these kinds of decisions.

Without them, none of this happens.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

And I thought Dino was paranoid

 

[OrangeTarheel]

I’d be interested to hear Fran’s take on this. I get the impression that he’s all in on the culture he’s building and that’s his insurance against poachers and poachees

 

[HtownOrange]

I’d be interested to hear Fran’s take on this. I get the impression that he’s all in on the culture he’s building and that’s his insurance against poachers and poachees

Agreed. I understand Rhule's concerns, but it seems defensive and constricting. Kind of differentiates Fran from Rhule, Fran is concerned with building the team and culture that makes kids want to stay, Rhule is building his team and culture to make kids stay. If I was a young player, I know which coach I would choose.

 

[Oakland]

Another causality of money in college athletics - the hits keep coming.

 

[richmondcuse03]

I’d be interested to hear Fran’s take on this. I get the impression that he’s all in on the culture he’s building and that’s his insurance against poachers and poachees

Precisely. I’ve heard him address the topic of poaching before. We had guys get offers last year even before the spring game. It’s going to happen whether you have a game or not. He knows you have to constantly recruit kids and have them buy into his philosophy. In his opinion too many coaches stop recruiting kids once they sign. But you can’t do that. You have to be close to every guy all year long.

 

[RyanCuse44]

Don't worry the NCAA will get to the bottom of this and taken action immediately as they always do.

 

[Toga]

Precisely. I’ve heard him address the topic of poaching before. We had guys get offers last year even before the spring game. It’s going to happen whether you have a game or not. He knows you have to constantly recruit kids and have them buy into his philosophy. In his opinion too many coaches stop recruiting kids once they sign. But you can’t do that. You have to be close to every guy all year long.

The energy it must take for him to do that. It's a young man's game.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Cowards