With Football Bowl Subdivision programs planning for a 105-man roster limit this fall, American Football Coaches Association executive director Craig Bohl said he expects that the NCAA will eventually allow NFL-style intersquad practices and scrimmages.
“If a couple programs choose to explore this, I think it’s going to be something that could have some real legs to it,” Bohl told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Colorado coach Deion Sanders recently suggested that a school should be allowed to host a team from another school for a few days of joint practices before they play an exhibition game. This could possibly replace the traditional intrasquad spring game. In response to Sanders, Syracuse coach Fran Brown posted on social media that he would be willing to take his team to Colorado for a three-day visit.
When asked if Colorado had requested a waiver for this, CU athletics spokesman Steve Hulbert texted to the AP, “We are working with the NCAA and the Big 12 Conference. There are currently no updates.”
Bohl mentioned that “there is quite a bit of appetite” among coaches to hold intersquad practices and scrimmages, even as soon as this spring. The motivation comes from the 105-man roster limit, which is expected to be officially approved next month when the settlement of the House vs. NCAA antitrust lawsuit is finalized.
The average FBS roster was 128 players last year, and coaches are looking for ways to manage the reduced number of players. Bohl explained that intersquad practices between teams from different conferences, who won’t play each other during the season, would help with this. This issue is especially important for teams competing for the College Football Playoff.
One concern Bohl raised is that participating in intersquad practices could lead to players being scouted by personnel directors from the other team, which might result in tampering.
“Do I really want to expose my guys?” Bohl said a coach asked him. “They’re going to have their general manager out there taking notes on what kind of ability a certain player has. How you get that worked out, I don’t know.”
Deion Sanders acknowledges the fansNebraska coach Matt Rhule explained that he canceled the Cornhuskers’ traditional televised spring game, partly because of the risk of other teams scouting his players and possibly attempting to recruit them through the transfer portal.
Rhule, who took part in intersquad practices when he was the coach of the Carolina Panthers, said he would support the Huskers practicing for a few days with another team. However, he expressed doubts that a rule change would happen soon.
“If anybody can do it, coach Sanders can,” he said, adding that Syracuse’s Brown could also be convincing. “If that happened, I would certainly look into all that has to offer.”
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said he would be open to bringing the Bedlam series back with Oklahoma in the spring if the rules changed. He imagined two practices against the Sooners each year or one per year in a home-and-home setup, replacing the spring game, with the two programs splitting the ticket gate for name, image, and likeness money.
“We’re moving toward the NFL, why not do that?” Gundy said. “So I think it’d be a great idea.”
This could attract attention since Oklahoma left the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference last year, bringing a historic rivalry that had lasted over a century to an end.
Gundy suggested how it might work if the rule were in place this year. He said the Cowboys could practice at Oklahoma on April 12, the same day Oklahoma had planned an event to replace its traditional spring game. He also suggested that Oklahoma could visit Oklahoma State the following week, replacing the Cowboys’ spring game.
