There is a bit of a growing trend among big time college football programs to do away with the annual spring game. There are various reasons why this is happening, from focusing on the importance of holding an extra practice instead to just not having the facilities to accommodate a game and make it worth the hassle. Neither seems to be the case in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer says the spring game is important for his players.
“I’m going to do it every year because I just think it’s priceless for a player to get a rep in front of 50, 60, 70,000 fans,” Meyer said according to a story published by BCSN. “If I was at a school where you get 400 people, I might stop because what are you really getting?”
Meyer may never have to deal with a spring game drawing only 400 fans. The Buckeyes typically draw tens of thousands of loyal Buckeye fans for the spring game or scrimmage. When a program can bring in that kind of crowd, it is a terrific selling point for the program to any potential recruits making a visit as well. The reality is not every program has that kind of pull for a glorified spring practice. But because Ohio State has that kind of atmosphere surrounding the spring event, Meyer feels he can get a sense of how his players will perform in front of a large crowd.
“You find out how these kids perform when the lights go on at a place like Ohio State, where you get a good crowd,” Meyer said. “As long as we can, we’ll always have a spring game.”
