Napier Sheds Light on UF Not Airing Spring Game

UF did not air or stream its annual spring game, which has quickly become the norm for programs that still hold a scrimmage.

Apr 12, 2025; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators defensive back Teddy Foster (4) tackles Florida Gators running back Anthony Rubio (25) during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- While over 56,000 fans packed inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the Florida Gators' annual spring game, the most since 2009, many fans around the country missed out as the program decided to not air the annual scrimmage on television or on a streaming service.

Although the decision to not air the game, during which the university also honored the national champion men's basketball team at halftime, was an unpopular decision among the fans who couldn't attend, the decision has become the norm.

Of the 16 teams in the SEC, only Texas A&M plans to a true spring game on April 20, while Oklahoma aired a "combine" on SEC Network+ on Saturday.

UF head coach Billy Napier, after the spring game, explained Florida's decision to not air its yearly scrimmage.

"Once we didn't necessarily get the call to be one of the prime spots, I think we felt like, hey, what are the advantages and disadvantages? So gives us the freedom to just call everything," he said.

The decision, Napier explained, also came with the hope more fans would choose to attend the game rather than watch on TV, especially as the university honored its 2025 national champion men's basketball program.

"People want to see the show," he said. "In general, couldn't have asked for a better day. Then the basketball team wins the National Championship and I think that just was the icing on the cake there from a decision-making standpoint. So, it was a great day and we're very thankful for the fans that came out and for the basketball team to be recognized at halftime, we couldn't have asked for much better."

The fact that Florida even held a spring game this year may be an outlier in the near future as multiple high-profile programs around the country cancelled their games due to concerns about tampering. However, Napier made it clear both in his initial announcement that he'd still hold a spring game and in Saturday's explanation that the pros of holding a scrimmage outweighed the potential cons.

"To each his own. I'm either going to have coaches tampering with my players, or I'm going to have a fanbase that's pissed off at not having a spring game. It's pick your poison," he said early in spring camp.

On Saturday, Napier gave more thoughts on the tampering debate from Florida's side of the issue, especially as the Gators were without multiple starters due to injury, including quarterback DJ Lagway.

Expected members of the Gators' two-deep depth chart who did not play in the scrimmage include Lagway, receiver Eugene Wilson III, receiver Kahleil Jackson, offensive lineman Damieon George Jr., edge rusher George Gumbs Jr., defensive lineman D'Antre Robinson, linebacker Grayson Howard, STAR Aaron Gates, corner Dijon Johnson and safety Bryce Thornton.

"We don't have to worry about what's on tape and obviously people aren't evaluating our twos and threes in the depth chart," Napier said.