Coach Prime is always looking for ways to shake up the college football landscape. His latest idea? Bringing the NFL model to college football’s spring games.
At the start of his press conference today, Deion Sanders confirmed that Colorado will stick with a traditional spring game, which will be broadcast on ESPN2. It’s been just two years since his debut spring game filled Folsom Field and captured national attention.
However, Sanders mentioned that he has his sights set on a bigger shift in the future. He wants to schedule other teams for spring games down the line, pushing for a format similar to the NFL’s joint practices.
"I would like to style it like the pros. I'd like to go against someone for a few days, and then you have the spring game. I think the public would be satisfied with that tremendously. I think it's a tremendous idea. I've told those personnel, who should understand that, that it's a tremendous idea."Coach Prime Sanders
Let’s be honest—spring games, as they currently exist, are dying. They’ve become little more than controlled scrimmages, played at half speed, where fans try to decipher position battles that may not even matter by the time fall camp rolls around. Attendance is dropping nationwide, and with the transfer portal in full effect, more teams are opting to cancel the game altogether to avoid putting players in a shop window.
Just last year, Colorado’s spring game turned into a glorified transfer showcase, with players like Dylan Edwards departing soon after. Nebraska has canceled its spring game this year for similar reasons. So, why not give fans something real to get excited about?
NFL teams hold joint practices before preseason games, allowing them to evaluate players in a competitive but controlled setting. Sanders wants to implement the same concept in college football. This is an amazing idea.
"To have it competitive, and to play against your own guys, it can get kind of monotonous, and you really can't tell the level of your guys," Sanders said.
This isn’t just talk. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Deion Sanders, it’s that when he pushes for something, people listen.
The NCAA isn’t known for rapid change, but momentum is building for a shift. If enough programs see the value in joint spring practices, rule changes could follow. One possibility? FBS teams scrimmaging FCS schools in the spring instead of playing them in lopsided games during the fall.
We would love to see a scrimmage between Mike Vick's Norfolk State and CU. Or maybe a matchup with local teams, like dare I say—Colorado State? With the Rocky Mountain Showdown on hiatus, this would be really exciting.
For now, it’s just an idea—but if Coach Prime has his way, it won’t be for long. With Colorado’s spring game set to be nationally televised once again, the Buffs are at the forefront in leading the conversation about the future of spring football.