Another one bites the dust, this time in Norman, Oklahoma.
Spring games have long been a tradition in college football, giving fans an early look at their team and coaches a chance to evaluate talent in a live setting. But with the way the transfer portal operates now, that tradition is starting to fade. Oklahoma has officially decided to scrap its spring game, and the reason is simple—teams don’t want to showcase their players to potential poachers.
This isn’t the first time a major program has gone this route. Nebraska’s Matt Rhule was one of the first to publicly voice concerns about spring games turning into scouting opportunities for other teams. Instead of risking exposure, he suggested keeping things behind closed doors to prevent top players from being lured away.
Now, Oklahoma is taking the same approach, opting for a fan-friendly event instead of a traditional scrimmage. The Sooners announced plans for the “Crimson Combine,” a day filled with skill competitions, meet-and-greet sessions, and a controlled environment that keeps outsiders from getting too good of a look at the roster.
While Oklahoma and many other programs are electing to go this route, Clemson's Dabo Swinney has said that he believes it's goint to take "a lot more than" cancelling a spring game to stop tampering. The Tigers will move forward with their spring game as normal.
Tampering in college football has always been an issue, but the transfer portal and NIL era have turned it into a full-blown crisis. Oklahoma isn’t taking any chances, especially with a roster full of young talent that other programs would love to poach.
With Oklahoma joining more than a dozen programs making the same move, it wouldn’t be shocking to see more teams follow suit. Spring games used to be about celebrating the team, but in today’s world, they’re starting to look more like open auditions for the transfer portal.