Dave Feit’s Rejected Nebraska Football Spring Game Ideas

A 2022 list of Spring Game replacements looks very similar to what Nebraska proposed

Offensive lineman Gunnar Gottula in action during the 2024 Nebraska football spring game. Will it be the last one ever? / Kenny Larabee, KLIN

When Nebraska decided to cancel the game portion of the annual “Red White Game” in 2025, they promised to do… something… instead. 

The folks at CBS Sports submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to see what they could find out.  One of the things they got back was an email chain brainstorming over 30 ideas for what to do in lieu of a spring football scrimmage. 

Some – such as a flag football game, Husker garage sale, food trucks, and tours of the new Osborne Legacy Complex – made the cut for the “Husker Games”. 

 As for the others… well, let’s just say that in a brainstorming session there is no such thing as bad idea.  Even if some – fans cutting their own souvenir section of the FieldTurf, for example – are less realistic than others. 

As I read through the list, I was struck by how familiar some of those ideas sounded.  And then I remembered one of my old, unpublished drafts.  Let me dig through the electronic notebook and see if I can find… ah, here it is.   

On Monday, April 4, 2022, I started a new page titled “Spring Game Future”.  In it, I typed some notes and paragraphs that I planned to turn into a column*.  This one started around the time that Scott Frost announced that the 2022 Spring Game – the first (and last) with new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple – would be a rather vanilla affair. 

*I don’t remember why this one never saw the light of day.  Maybe I got bored with the idea.  More than likely, I was busy doing other stuff and the window of opportunity closed. 

As a show of good faith to prove that what we’ll discuss in a second is legit, here are my first few blurbs, which have not aged particularly well. 

Unlike some other Big Ten schools, Nebraska is not going to eliminate their spring game.  It would be easy to make the argument that NU should use their 15th and final spring practice for something more productive than an extremely vanilla scrimmage primarily involving players the average fan doesn’t know.  The real scrimmage involving the starters and running the plays NU will utilize this fall took place last weekend. 

But there is still value in a spring “game”.  

Well, I can’t be right every time.  

A little further down the page, I started into a section about the ridiculousness of Frost not wanting to tip his hand on what Nebraska’s offense will look like under Whipple.  Remember, the 2022 season started in Ireland against Northwestern: 

Sure, football coaches are among the most secretive (and paranoid) people on the planet.  They don’t want to give away anything that could even remotely be seen as an advantage.  With Nebraska opening their season against Northwestern – a division foe, in Ireland – the desire to maintain an element of surprise is even greater. 

But… 

Let’s pause and consider some indisputable facts: 

1. New offensive coordinator Mark Whipple is a known commodity as an offensive mind and play caller.  After ___ years in the business, he’s not going to lead a triple option or Air Raid attack.
2. Nebraska’s primary skill position players – notably quarterback Casey Thompson, running back Rahmir Johnson, wide receivers Trey Palmer and Omar Manning, and tight end Travis Vokolek are also known commodities, with multiple seasons of game films available.  Yes, NU may use Manning in the slot more than they have previously, but it’s not like he’s transforming into an entirely different player.
3. The last time they played, Nebraska beat Northwestern 56-7.  Is the hope that Fitz and crew will “guess wrong” like NU did in their opener against Illinois? 

Hopefully, by know we can all agree on three things:  1) I’m a bit of a packrat with drafts and unused content, 2) I’m being authentic in sharing what I wrote nearly three years ago, and 3) some takes age well, and some do not. 

I tell you all of that to tell you this: 

I then started into a list of alternate ideas if Nebraska didn’t want to do a spring game.  Longtime readers will note that I am fond of doing sarcastic / silly “rejected ideas” lists.  There were plenty of silly ideas (the Cornhusker Marching Band conducting an 80-play scrimmage, for example).   

Some of my other suggestions weren’t that far off from what was actually tossed out as an idea and/or were chosen as replacements. 

After this sentence, the remainder of this section will be – swearing with my hand on Bible – an unedited copy and paste from something started in my notes in 2022. 

Alternatives.  Some are serious.  Some are not.  I trust in your ability to tell the difference. 

• The last two seasons, members of the football team have held a slam dunk contest at a men’s basketball game.  Now, let’s have Husker hoopers stage a good old fashioned Punt, pass, and kick contest.  (My money is on Sam Hoiberg, btw). 

• An all-stars competition in the style of the old “Battle of the Network Stars” and “Quarterback Challenge” competitions.  Passing route targets. Obstacle course. O line vs d line tug of war. 

• An extended montage of Husker Football hype videos from the past 5 years are shown on the big screens.  The first 50,000 fans receive a red Kool Aid juice pouch. 

• Members of the Cornhusker Marching Band conduct an 80 play scrimmage.  Brass versus Woodwind and Drumline. 

• American Gladiators 

• Have captains Casey Thompson and Garrett Nelson conduct a live draft in the stadium.  The teams won’t play a game, but scoring will be determined based on a formula that weighs: 

• Grade point average 

• Social media followers 

• NIL deals 

• Have the team re-enact the greatest plays in school history 

• Black 41 Flash Reverse Pass 

• Mike Rozier’s run against UCLA 

• Johnny Rodgers’ punt return 

• Kellogg-to-Westerkamp Hail Mary 

• Ndamukong Suh vs. Colt McCoy in the Big XII Championship 

• And for the finale, have Frost and Matt Davison re-enact the “Flea kicker” touchdown against Mizzou. 

• “Fans, turn your attention to the HuskerVision screens for a live look at (name redacted)’s ACL surgery, currently in progress!” 

• A 7-on-7 powder puff game between the volleyball and women’s basketball teams. 

• Members of the NU rifle team conduct target shooting using hotdogs shot by Der Vienner Schlesinger 

• Fans vote for a favorite classic game (1995 Orange Bowl, 1996 Fiesta Bowl, 1971 Game of the Century, 2008 Colorado, etc.).  The game with most votes is played on the HuskerVision screens with periodic interviews from players. 

* * * 

Not too far off, right? 

I’ll admit that overall, the Huskers creative team blew my list out of the water.  C’mon, a “plush cat giveaway” as a part of the Bo Pelini welcome back is a tremendous, buzz-generating idea.  Whoever came up with that should be in charge of promotions for a minor league baseball team.   

A demolition derby would be crazy, almost as crazy as turning souvenir hunters lose on the field with scissors and box cutters. 

Regardless, it certainly appears that the “Spring Game” has gone the way of the wingback – a fond memory for those of us of a certain age, but something our kids will never really understand. 

Speaking of kids, they’re the ones who are truly losing out with the death of the spring scrimmage.  The only spring games I ever attended were when my kiddos were younger.  The ability to get them into the stadium, let them experience a game day – ish atmosphere, and get excited about coming back in the fall was a big part in finding out when they were ready to come with me in the fall.   

Plus, they were great (and affordable!) opportunities to share something I love with the people I love.  My oldest has no recollection of watching Jack Hoffman’s run in 2013, but she can still tell you about the gigantic cookie she got on the way back to the car.  Maybe the new Husker Games can create those kinds of memories for the next generation of Nebraska fans. 

Even if the tractor pull and pancake feed were scratched. 

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