Nebraska football pitched Trump, Pelini visits to promote spring game: report

Nebraska had plenty of options on the table when considering its alternative spring football event, including a potential invite for the President of the United States.

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Nebraska has played a formal spring football game almost every year since 1950, but head coach Matt Rhule announced the program would opt for an alternative event, starting a trend that other high-profile schools have adopted this preseason.

Enter the “Husker Games,” the new format where Cornhusker fans will be able to watch their football team compete in events similar to the NFL’s Pro Bowl games, including skill contests and 7-on-7 events.

Apparently, there were a ton of options on the table for what to do with the spring date, brought up by Nebraska associate athletic director Brandon Meier, as revealed by CBS Sports.

Some, but not all of those ideas, included...

─ An open practice and a 12 to 45 minute scrimmage

─ Invitation to President Donald Trump to attend the stadium

─ Welcome back former Cornhuskers football coach Bo Pelini

─ Tractor pulls

─ A 7-on-7 flag football game

─ Football skills competition

─ Autograph session where fans can meet players and coaches

─ Sand volleyball featuring Nebraska players against football alumni

─ Punt, pass, kick competition for kids

─ John Cook roping exhibition, named after the former Huskers volleyball coach

─ BMX bike exhibition

─ A musical concert

─ Cornhuskers “garage sale” on the concourse

─ Fastest student on campus foot race

─ Tug of war involving sorority sisters

─ Free car/truck giveaway

─ BBQ competition

─ Go cart races

─ Dunk tank

─ Pancake feed on the concourse

─ Bring in the National Guard or other military formation in a game or other competition

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule didn’t approve of every item on the long list, but some of them did catch his initial interest.

Most notably, Rhule was interested in inviting President Trump and welcoming back former Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini.

Other events Rhule expressed interest in included: a concert, the garage sale, a team and coaches autograph session with fans, the tug of war, student foot races, demolition derby, car giveaway, and something involving the military.

All of which appears to be enough to offset what Rhule believes is a real risk of playing the traditional spring football game.

In an age of NIL and the instant transfer portal, Rhule fears that televising a conventional scrimmage gives rivals too much of an opportunity to scout his players and lure them away in the portal before the season begins.

“I hate to say this ... I dealt with a lot of people offering our players a lot of opportunities after that,” Rhule said of his decision earlier this year.

He added: “To go out and bring in a bunch of new players and showcase them for all the other schools to watch, that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”

(CBS)

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