In the midst of spring football, programs across the country have begun holding spring games to give fans a look at the development of their players and teams that won't see their players again until the fall. Oklahoma State University will not host a spring football game for the second year in a row. Again, the reason for doing so is for stadium renovations at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Spring football games have fallen out of favor over the past few years. Although it is a fun event, it also carries the risk of injury to players. On the contrary, it's an important weekend for programs to attract new recruits and give them a good reason to bring them to campus.
Oklahoma State appears to be leaning toward not holding a spring game, at least not while head coach Mike Gundy is at the helm. He is starting to think about not hosting the match. This will help the Cowboys accommodate recruits such as live practices.
“What's happened here in the last two years is pretty much what happened with COVID-19,” Gandhi told the media. “Like a lot of things with COVID-19, you think, 'That's a really good idea.' I can stay home. I don't have to go to the office. I don't have to get out of my pajamas.”
Fundamentally, Gundy and the Cowboys recognize the benefits of not playing games, and could potentially move toward not playing any games at all, even if the stadium is closed. problem? Cowboys fans want to be at the top of their game with the team they root for in the fall.
“I think we've learned that other than not attracting fan interest, you can't have a spring game. It used to be the fans and the rookies. Now the rookies are fine. The rest is the fans. We might have to implement something for the audience, the fans as well, but it's certainly better for us to practice,'' Gandy explained.
It will continue to be worth paying attention to in the future. While Gundy has led his alma mater, he has been an incredibly consistent coach, so it's hard to question his tactics. It will be interesting to see how the program implements what is acceptable to fans.
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