Spring Game Set For April 20th! (UPDATED: No Spring Game)

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60's Guy said:
My recollection is they discuss the game and correct some things they didn't like in the practice after the game. Everybody only gets so many spring meetings/practices and this setup follows guidelines as we interpret them.
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Correct, the 23rd just marks the end of Spring Ball as you mentioned. Coaches and players going over film and etc.
 


rivergopher said:
Madison is not some small area. There are close to 800k people in the Metro area.
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There’s nothing special about it that would hold intrinsic allure for college students.

In that respect, it’s just an overgrown Maple Grove or Woodbury.
 


I wouldn’t have thought that having a meeting and watching film is required to count as one of the 15 total practices/scrimmages/spring game.
 


The Secondary is definitely a group to watch this Spring. They will need to improve drastically. I'm feel confident in what we have in the CB's, not so much with the Safeties.
 


dbradford29 said:
As long as a football is not involve, they are good.
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So …. why does the graphic call Apr 23 a practice?

If they’re not going to even go out on the practice field and do walkthroughs … seems like one of the 15 was wasted then?
 

MplsGopher said:
So …. why does the graphic call Apr 23 a practice?
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I don't know. As mentioned Earlier, it may just mark the end of Spring Ball. I wouldn't put too much emphasis on that date. Regardless, it's irrelevant to us as fans because most likely we'll never know what they're doing on that day.
 



So, it looks like no spring game this year. Just an open practice to the public on April 11th.

@dbradford29 care to comment?



""
 

tjgopher said:
So, it looks like no spring game this year. Just an open practice to the public on April 11th.

@dbradford29 care to comment?



""
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I tried to tell dbradford29 a couple of times nicely that his information was incorrect but he doubled down on it. Wishing we could have something more exciting for the fans but not happening this spring I guess.
 

Minnesota also announced that it will not have a public spring game this year. The Gophers last held a traditional Saturday spring game open to the public in 2017. The 2018 game was moved to Thursday, while the 2019, 2022 and 2023 games were moved indoors. The 2020 game was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2021 game was played under Covid-19 guidelines and with a reduced crowd.

Go Gophers!!
 




tjgopher said:
So, it looks like no spring game this year. Just an open practice to the public on April 11th.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Gophers set start spring football practice on Thursday, March 21🏈<br><br>📰: <a href="https://t.co/6jKfUUdsDL">https://t.co/6jKfUUdsDL</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RTB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc^tfw">#RTB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SkiUMah?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc^tfw">#SkiUMah</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gophers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc^tfw">#Gophers</a> <a href="https://t.co/XhwkUFzRxW">pic.twitter.com/XhwkUFzRxW</a></p>&mdash; Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) <a href="">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


@dbradford29 care
MNPete said:
I tried to tell dbradford29 a couple of times nicely that his information was incorrect but he doubled down on it. Wishing we could have something more exciting for the fans but not happening this spring I guess.
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The Spring Game will be played on the 20th. Why it's not open to the public I have no idea but from what I'm told they're only allowing family members and close friends of the players and coaches to attend. Each player/coach can invite up to 4 guests.
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WTF? The weather is actually really good this year, and no spring game? I'm probably in the minority, but I'm bummed. It's a free event to drum up some interest in your program - it should be a somewhat low cost marketing event. It's not like they're tOSU or Michigan who don't need additional exposure. Because it's free and during the day, it attracts families, and you can make an impression on kids and they'll ask their parents to go to a real game. Whatever their logic, it seems short sighted when the program could still use plenty of additional interest and good will.
 

forever a gopher said:
WTF? The weather is actually really good this year, and no spring game? I'm probably in the minority, but I'm bummed. It's a free event to drum up some interest in your program - it should be a somewhat low cost marketing event. It's not like they're tOSU or Michigan who don't need additional exposure. Because it's free and during the day, it attracts families, and you can make an impression on kids and they'll ask they're parents to go to a real game. Whatever their logic, it seems short sighted when the program could still use plenty of additional interest and good will.
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I agree 110%
 

some of this could be semantics.

I would be absolutely shocked if the Gophers did not hold some type of a practice session/scrimmage for the benefit of BTN.

it may not have the trappings of a "Spring Game," but it puts the team on TV in a controlled situation and allows the Coaches to control the message that is sent out. it can also be scheduled at a time that is convenient for TV.

the team may take a little PR hit for not having a public Spring Game, but let's face it - it's usually not that well attended, and they cancel it if there's even a hint of bad weather.

I expect the U to promote the heck out of the public practices.
 

Word said:
Yeah it is definitely a different mindset. I am a pretty diehard Gopher football fan but I am not going to go sit in 35 degree weather to watch a spring game. In spring I'm going to Twins, MN United, or Wild games. Something those other 2 towns don't have (unless you count the Brewers for Madison).
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90 minute drive minimum. I think not
 


short ornery norwegian said:
some of this could be semantics.

I would be absolutely shocked if the Gophers did not hold some type of a practice session/scrimmage for the benefit of BTN.

it may not have the trappings of a "Spring Game," but it puts the team on TV in a controlled situation and allows the Coaches to control the message that is sent out. it can also be scheduled at a time that is convenient for TV.

the team may take a little PR hit for not having a public Spring Game, but let's face it - it's usually not that well attended, and they cancel it if there's even a hint of bad weather.
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This is the quote from the department news about spring practice:

"Minnesota also announced that it will not have a public spring game this year. The Gophers last held a traditional Saturday spring game open to the public in 2017. The 2018 game was moved to Thursday, while the 2019, 2022 and 2023 games were moved indoors. The 2020 game was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2021 game was played under Covid-19 guidelines and with a reduced crowd."

Depending on how you dice it I guess it could mean the spring game will be played and viewed publicly on TV but not in person. :unsure:
short ornery norwegian said:
I expect the U to promote the heck out of the public practices.
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Also in the public news release:
"Gophers will have two open practices – one for members of Dinkytown Athletes and one for the general public – this spring"

With at best 2 practices available doesn't sound like it will be a priority for them to get people in to see practices. This is down from a minimum of 3 or more in person open practices in the past. Thus I don't think there will be much promotion.

News release: https://gophersports.com/news/2024/3/12/football-minnesota-to-start-practice-on-march-21
 

Is this an indication that our QB situation isn’t what all of us want?
 



Iceland12 said:
Nope. It's another indication that anytime Fleck can get a chance to not show anyone what he has, he'll do it.
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I would guess he'll have a practice that's open to the public. Just probably doing away with the "game" part of it.
 

I have been waiting for a few weeks for an announcement, I’m annoyed because I finally have a son old enough to bring and this is the perfect time for that. Plus it’s right near my birthday, guess I will get to watch a “practice” on tv again…
 

I guess this saves PJ having to explain to recruits why there is little fan support in an empty Huntington Bank Stadium, compared to many other programs they are recruiting against.
 

Iceland12 said:
Nope. It's another indication that anytime Fleck can get a chance to not show anyone what he has, he'll do it.
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Sure .... but no spring game when it's going to be probably 70 degrees out and sunny?

How F'ing pathetic can you get?


Are we literally the only P5 team in the country that is not having one? What a joke
 

GopherGod said:
I guess this saves PJ having to explain to recruits why there is little fan support in an empty Huntington Bank Stadium, compared to many other programs they are recruiting against.
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much easier explanation than having to explain why a program sells out a spring game but has lost 1-6 to a program that doesn’t have a spring game, and why selling out spring games leads to 7 straight bowl less seasons.
 

Go4 said:
much easier explanation than having to explain why a program sells out a spring game but has lost 1-6 to a program that doesn’t have a spring game, and why selling out spring games leads to 7 straight bowl less seasons.
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Good call!

I'm sure Nebraska is taking these words to heart, and seriously considering dropping football as a varsity sport. :rolleyes:
 

10 people show up and it is expensive to open the stadium. Fleck is not hiding anything from the competition, no spies attend our spring flings.
 

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