Mark Stoops non-committal on spring game format, wants open access for fans

Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops was non-committal about the Wildcats doing a spring game or not to conclude spring practice.

With more and more teams decided to cancel their spring games, especially if their respective conferences don’t require one, Stoops was asked what Kentucky would do. While Stoops didn’t say the team would have a traditional game or not, he wanted access for media and fans.

So perhaps an open practice is the future model coming this spring for Kentucky and others.

“Yeah, I want to do something,” Stoops said. “So it’s a little early. I think we’re in really good shape healthy right now. I want to open it up and show you guys and show the fans, and make sure you guys and the fans get access, whether it’s a practice or a spring game, however we format it, I want to do something.

“And yeah, I don’t think we’ll put it on TV, we haven’t talked about it or anything, but I want to open it up to you and to our fans, and even if it practice.”

Stoops mentioned the advantages of a practice compared to a spring game, especially if he wants fans involved in seeing the team prior to the summer.

“At least, you know, a lot of times you can see more than a spring game,” Stoops said. “Understand what the spring game for football is, if we split up two teams, you’re diluting it, you know? And it just doesn’t always look as good as it can in the fall, when we put them all in one team, right? So if we go offense against defense, at least, you get a good vision. You get to see the players play, so we’ll do something.”

As far as teams not doing a spring game, Texas confirmed they won’t do one this year.

While speaking to Kay Adams, head coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed that the Longhorns are the latest to cancel their spring game. As mentioned above, Stoops might be leaning towards not having a game, but hasn’t confirmed as of Tuesday.

Sarkisian went on to explain that Texas is taking a slightly different approach to its offseason training program. He compared it to the NFL and OTAs, saying, “So it’s going to be a little bit different approach.” Certainly that’s what Stoops could mean as well and more colleges could follow as the weeks roll on.