Purdue Football Making Changes to 2025 Spring Game Format

Add Purdue to the growing list of college football teams that will not be utilizing a traditional spring game format in 2025. On Tuesday, coach Barry Odom revealed the Boilermakers will be shifting to a "spring showcase" instead of a spring game.

Following a spring practice on Tuesday, Odom was asked about the format of the spring game this year. He revealed that the "showcase" will implement different elements, but there will still be a scrimmage component.

"We're going to move it to a spring showcase, because it's not just going to be a four-quarter game. We're going to have practice elements, we're going to do some individual drills," Odom said. "There's some things ... if we don't use that day for some of those scripted things, we're going to come out of spring and not hit exactly the rep count that I need to hit."

Purdue's spring showcase will still be open to the public, allowing fans to catch a glimpse of the new-look Boilermakers. The open practice is scheduled for Saturday, April 12 at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Odom says it's important for fans to be invested in the program, even if Purdue isn't going through with a traditional spring game format.

"We're going to open the showcase up for fans and I want them to be invested in our program, I want them to see our coaches coach and teach," Odom said. "It'll be a big recruiting day for us. And then I want to see our players have the ability to perform in the arena in either a scripted 11-on-11 situation, or a live, put the ball down at the 5-yard line and see if the offense can go score or the defense can stop them. There will be practice elements and also some scrimmaging in there, as well."

Changing the spring game format isn't unique to Purdue. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule announced that the Cornhuskers would not host a traditional spring game this year, and instead would instead do something a little different to keep fans engaged and invested.

Many programs have followed that path, including Purdue. So, it could be a change across all of college football over the next few seasons.

Purdue is coming off a season in which it finished 1-11, one of the worst years in program history. Odom and his staff are planning to flip the script in West Lafayette and return the Boilermakers to their "winning ways" on the field.

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