In a break from the usual way spring football is handled, Colorado’s head coach, Deion Sanders, is pushing for a joint spring game with Syracuse. Instead of the standard scrimmage where the team plays against itself, Sanders wants to raise the level of competition by having his team face another school. This idea has caught the attention of Syracuse’s head coach, Fran Brown.
On March 17, Brown responded to Sanders’ proposal on Twitter, writing, “@DeionSanders we will come to Boulder for 3 days 🎯🍊🙏.” The tweet quickly went viral, gaining over 857,300 views, 1,200 retweets, and 8,900 likes in just one hour. This strong reaction shows that both coaches are excited about the possibility of making this game happen.
Later that same day, during a press conference, Sanders explained his reasoning behind wanting a joint scrimmage. He highlighted the benefits of playing against an unfamiliar opponent. “To have it competitive, playing against your own guys kind of gets monotonous,” he said. “You really can’t tell the level of your guys because it’s the same old, same old — everybody kind of knows each other.”
Joint practices and games are more common in the NFL, where teams often practice together before preseason games. Sanders believes this approach could bring new insights to college football, giving teams the chance to face different styles and strategies. However, he also acknowledged that emotions can sometimes get out of hand during these matchups, leading to on-field conflicts.
Sanders is committed to making the spring game a big success. He emphasized, “We’ve got to sell this thing out and pack this thing because the way the trend is going, you never know if this is going to be the last spring game.” He expressed a strong desire to keep the tradition alive, saying, “I would like to play the spring game. Actually, I like to play against another team in the spring.”
This move toward innovation comes at a time when many college programs are stepping away from traditional spring games. Concerns about player retention and tampering, driven by the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) era and the transfer portal, have led to this shift. So far, 19 Power Four programs have canceled their spring games, replacing them with showcase events instead.
For example, Nebraska’s head coach, Matt Rhule, was one of the first to announce the cancellation of his spring game, citing worries about tampering. Other programs, including Texas, Oklahoma, USC, and Florida State, have followed suit.
With the current state of college football undergoing significant changes, Sanders’ idea for a joint practice could offer a fresh approach while bringing more attention to the spring football season. Colorado is coming off its first winning season since 2015 and is preparing for challenges in 2025, including the potential loss of key players like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, who are expected to enter the NFL Draft.
Meanwhile, Syracuse finished the 2024-25 season with an impressive 10-3 record, including a bowl game victory over Washington State. However, their success came with a cost, as quarterback Kyle McCord is leaving for the NFL.
Sources: SI, Fran Brown/X, On3
Published: Mar 18, 2025 10:00 am