University of Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen shared information Wednesday regarding the Husker football program's Red-White Spring Game, a traditional intrasquad scrimmage that marks the final day of spring practices in April or early May.
Nebraska's final spring practice is on April 26 this year, but Dannen warned fans not to expect the usual game-like event.
"I am not going to call it a game," Dannen said during his monthly appearance on the Sports Nightly radio show, as reported by Sports Illustrated. "Do not expect it to be a 'spring game' because I do not expect it to be a game. I don't know what it's going to be yet — really that's [head coach] Matt [Rhule's] call."
According to Austin Jacobsen of SI, with the college footballs new 105-man roster rule, Nebraska has had to trim its past roster that hovered close to 150 players down to 130 for the start of spring practices. Rhule elected to opt away from the traditional Spring Game because of the numbers change, and Dannen agreed with that philosophy.
Injuries were a key reason for the change, according to Dannen, who cited a pair of ACL injuries suffered in last year's contest.
"I think the football staff is going to figure out exactly what they want to do over the next few weeks," he said. "Whether it's a seven-on-seven thing or whether he brings some alums back or whether he plays flag football, I don't know, but you know, a de-emphasis on the game part, the contact part.
"True games as we've know them in the spring are falling by the wayside for a lot of reasons, but there will be something," Dannen said.
Dannen did add that Nebraska fans would still be included for the final day of spring practices, but exactly what will take place has yet to be determined, Jacobsen reported One option, Dannen said, is a "fall sports preview" where volleyball, soccer and other athletics would also take part.
"It's going to be the 26th of April, so we can at least circle the date and figure out what that looks like down the line," he said.
"It's a different era from a compensation standpoint and the NIL and the investment there. Transfer portal opens up right after those spring game dates. And so, I expect something that's not not going to be televised, but something that will be a celebration of our athletes. We'll get to see some some skills and see what they've got and then go from there."
