Louisville's Jeff Brohm Not Wanting to Cancel Future Spring Games

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In a sport as diverse and tradition-rich as college football, very few are as commonplace as spring games. They serve as the capstone to a program's set of spring practices, and give fans one last taste of football before transitioning into the summer months.

But recently, spring games have been starting to get the axe. According to ESPN, as of March 10, 19 power four programs have cancelled their spring games this year, which includes powerhouses Nebraska, Texas and USC.

Louisville was not among this group of nearly 20 schools, holding their spring game on Friday night. The offense came out on top with a 32-24 win over the defense.

Speaking to the media following the controlled scrimmage, head coach Jeff Brohm said that he has no plans to scrap future spring games, calling them an "Invaluable" resource.

"Anytime you get into a team setting, and have to find ways to move the ball, create stops, you don't know what the situation is," he said. "Is it first and 10, first and 20, second and 10, second and 15, second and three, third and one, third and eight?"

"For those guys to recognize it, find ways to execute in the red zone, long-yardage situations, you got to do it. You got to do it over, and over and over again. It's invaluable. To waste a spring game and not do that, to me, you're hurting yourself."

Why are so many programs canceling spring games? The answer is simple: to avoid potential tampering.

In the current age of NIL and the transfer portal, theoretically, if someone has a phenomenal spring game, an opposing coach/program/etc. could come calling for them. For example, after Colorado's 2023 spring game, one that was nationally televised, wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig entered the portal after logging three catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game. Instances like this are the reason why Louisville's spring game this year was not televised or streamed in any form.

There's also the wear-and-tear aspect of it. With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 games, hence creating a longer schedule for national title contenders, it creates less time for offseason recovery.

Regardless, even though there is always the risk of someone jumping in the portal after a standout spring game, Brohm believes the benefit of having one - both for the team and the fans - outweighs the risk.

"Now, of course, you don't want to get guys injured. And I think some people are scared that other people are going to watch, and steal their players," he said. "In my opinion, people already know who we have, and teams already who the other teams have. It is what it is."

Now with Louisville's spring ball in the books, next comes positional and individual player meetings before the summer months get here. During these meetings, the prospect of jumping into the portal for the spring window - which lasts from Apr. 16 to the 25th - could come.

Even if portal talk does arise with various players, Brohm still holds firm in his belief that the spring game is useful tool.

"The transfer portal, the way it's set up, I don't think any of us like it the way it's set up, so you deal with it and move on," he said. "But right now, you have to improve your football team. You got to take advantage of every practice. Whatever happens after these next couple of weeks happens, and we continue to move forward."

Louisville will kick off their 2025 season and year three of the Jeff Brohm era with a home matchup against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Aug. 30.

More Cardinals Stories