Georgia's G-Day spring scrimmage still on for 2025: 'It's always been a special day'
ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia will not be following examples set by Texas and Nebraska and cancelling spring practice and its spring game. J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Josh Brooks spoke with reporters on Tuesday at the winter meeting of the athletics board where he made it known that the Bulldogs are full speed ahead for the G-Day game.
“We haven’t had any discussions,” Brooks said on Tuesday. “We’re still full-planning on G-Day this year. You know, you’ve got to take it year to year on things like that.”
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said earlier this year that he “highly doubts” that his team will have a traditional spring practice and spring game. He also gave a very direct and specific reason why.
Rhule says that after Nebraska’s televised spring game last year, other schools began contacting Cornhusker players through back channels for the purpose of luring to away from Lincoln in the spring transfer portal window.
The veteran coach no longer feels the need to showcase his players in the spring game if teams are going to use that opportunity to come after them in the portal. But that also means the fans won’t get their football fix.
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The same is expected to take place at Texas where Steve Sarkisian used two long football seasons to make his case. The Longhorns played in 14 games in 2023, losing in the College Football Playoff semifinal. They made it to the semifinal again this year, which when you include and SEC Championship game with the new eight-team format, means they played in 16 games. Sarkisian is concerned about wear and tear.
USC and Florida State have sinced followed suit in cancelling spring games and more could be on the horizon. Brooks wouldn’t go as far as to say that it’s here to say, but in his estimation, spring practice and the G-Day game are important to Kirby Smart and the Georgia football program as a whole.
“I can say one thing I appreciate about Coach Smart is that he understands the value of the game, and it is an opportunity for some of our fans to come see what the players and they may or may have season tickets,” Brooks said. “It’s always been a special day, and I think it’s in the plans for this year. As everything goes, you take it day by day, month by month, year by year.
