As various Power Four programs in college football consider canceling their spring games due to tampering issues leading to a surge in transfers, the Tulane Green Wave stands in support of this important scrimmage.
Tulane head football coach Jon Sumrall is not among those planning to scrap the game set for April 19.
Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule shared his thoughts with CBS Sports on the widespread tampering that has become almost accepted in college football, particularly regarding the visibility of spring game footage.
“The term ‘tampering’ has essentially become obsolete,” Rhule stated. “It’s now a completely free and open market. I don’t necessarily want to expose our players to outside scrutiny where others might see them and think, ‘Wow, he’s a great player; let’s try to recruit him.'”
In contrast, Sumrall expressed his support on X, differing from coaches who see too much risk in showcasing their teams.
In an interview earlier in February on Josh Pate’s College Football Show, Sumrall discussed his commitment to adapting to the current landscape and his focus on evaluating his roster.
“I’ve shared the Moneyball ‘Adapt or die’ GIF with Billy Bean, or Brad Pitt as the character, a few times because I could complain about things all day,” Sumrall explained. “But that doesn’t benefit me, Tulane, our staff, or our players. I prefer to dedicate my time to building the best roster possible and developing the players we have to reach their full potential. We find value in many different ways.”
It’s tough to make predictions without a spring scrimmage, especially with another quarterback competition on the horizon for the Green Wave.
Although last year’s competition didn’t illuminate eventual starter Darian Mensah, it still provided some value. Sometimes, simply having unanswered questions is valuable in itself.
Last season, that led to the continuation of the quarterback battle in the fall, where Mensah ultimately came out on top.
This lack of information would have been crucial for Sumrall as he considered the competition during the summer workouts.
While he was initially hesitant to open it up to three competitors, the spring game likely played a key role in his focus shifting toward Mensah, who began to exhibit a level of composure that wasn’t present during the April scrimmage.
Tampering and movement through the transfer portal will happen, regardless of a two-hour scrimmage featuring only one starting center and providing little insight beyond the skill players.
Some players who excel in the spring game may not perform well again. However, the head coach understands his players’ potential better than anyone else, and Sumrall looks forward to assessing his team’s competitiveness before the second transfer portal window opens.
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