The Texas Longhorns are still recovering after an extensive and demanding year, in which the team fell just shy of their end goal following a loss in the Semifinal against Ohio State. Head coach Steve Sarkisian seems to have learned a valuable lesson after the first 16-game college football season and has announced a vital change for Arch Manning and the rest of the roster ahead of the 2025 campaign.
The collegiate level of sports is undergoing crazy times of change. NIL deals and the transfer portal have completely reshaped the NCAA, with schools adapting to this new environment with unprecedented measures. The Longhorns under Sarkisian may be the latest program to join an ongoing trend, ahead of Manning’s first season as QB1 in Austin.
Ahead of the Longhorns‘ spring training, Sarkisian revealed that changes are being made to their preparation for the season. These changes aim to benefit both the players and the school.
Perhaps the biggest change to the offseason for Manning and the Longhorns is Texas’ decision to cancel their spring game. “We’re not going to have a spring game,” Sarkisian said inconversation with reporter Kay Adams.
Arch Manning attends the game between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on November 20, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Two reasons behind cancelling spring game
The decision to withdraw from April’s preseason game hinges on two factors, both of which affect nearly every program in college football. On one hand, the expanded playoffs increase wear-and-tear on players, and schools are looking to adopt an NFL-style preseason with OTAs. Participating in a spring game would conflict with that.
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On the other hand, the ongoing fear surrounding the transfer portal is an ever-present boogeyman, with many schools concerned that their players could be poached by other institutions during these games. A brief transfer portal window opens shortly after the spring games, and many believe these friendly matches could provide the perfect opportunity for bigger programs to snatch talent from smaller schools.
Therefore, the Longhorns are the latest team to cancel their spring game, choosing to focus on preparing for the real deal: the season opener in August and September, in a year when all hope in Austin will rest on the shoulders of 19-year-old Arch Manning.
