After Lane Kiffin, still coaching at Ole Miss back in April 2024, finished off a spring game that included competitive eater Joey Chestnut slamming hot dogs, a tug-of-war battle, a dunk contest and no full-contact football, he said the quiet part out loud.
“I would like people to keep playing spring games so we can watch all of their players play in spring,” Kiffin said.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) puts his “horns up” around the bases after a home run in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) celebrates his home run in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Jayden Duplantier (0) runs home to score, putting the Longhorns in the lead in the seventh inning of the their 3-1 win over the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle sings “The Eyes of Texas” after the Longhorns 3-1 win over the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
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The Texas Longhorns put their “Horns Up” after their 3-1 win over the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Jayden Duplantier (0) runs home to score, putting the Longhorns in the lead in the seventh inning of the their 3-1 win over the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Michigan State Spartans pitcher Carter Monke (7) pitches in the seventh inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. (6) makes it to third base in the seventh inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Jonah Williams (9) gets ready to bat in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Jayden Duplantier (0) runs home to score, putting the Longhorns in the lead in the seventh inning of the their 3-1 win over the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Jayden Duplantier (0) slides back to second base in the seventh inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielder Temo Becerra (1) throws to first base in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. (6) avoids a collision with Michigan State Spartans infielder CJ Deckinga (13) as he runs from second to third base in the seventh inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns pitcher Max Grubbs (38) pitches in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns infielders Temo Becerra (1) and Ethan Mendoza (5) jog in to the dugout after keeping Michigan State scoreless to maintain a one point lead in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) catches a ball in the outfield in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns pitcher Thomas Burns (45) pitches in the ninth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns pitcher Thomas Burns (45) pitches in the ninth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns pitcher Thomas Burns (45) celebrates after pitching in the ninth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Teammates embrace Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) after the Longhorns 3-1 win over the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026. Robbins hit a home run in the eighth inning to extend the Longhorns’ lead to two points.
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Texas Longhorns pitcher Thomas Burns (45) and catcher Carson Tinney (8) embrace after the Longhorns 3-1 win over the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) smiles after the Longhorns 3-1 win over the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026. Robbins hit a home run in the eighth inning to extend the Longhorns’ lead to two points.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle welcomes outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) back to the dugout after his home run in the eighth inning as the Longhorns take on the Michigan State Spartans in the second game of a three-game series at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Feb. 21, 2026.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
These events, almost always streamed or televised, were suddenly hurdling toward obsolescence — one of many casualties inflicted by the transfer portal and NIL. Once opportunities to engage communities and offer developmental players a taste of game-day atmospheres, spring games had become scouting combines for opposing programs looking to entice players into the transfer portal, which had previously opened in late April.
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks into the stadium ahead of the Citrus Bowl against the Michigan Wolverines at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 31, 2025.
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Kiffin, in many ways, swung the scythe that signaled the spring game’s apparent demise. He did not hold one at all in 2025 — making the Rebels one of eight SEC programs that decided against holding a traditional spring scrimmage.
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The Texas Longhorns followed suit. Steve Sarkisian, a friend of Kiffin’s, gave a different explanation. He wasn’t concerned about transfer portal tampering, he said. Instead, he said he wanted to protect and develop a large group of young players
“We’ve got 22 (freshmen),” Sarkisian said at the time. “They’re trying to figure out college life. And then, no offense to you (reporters), you guys are going to write about the one guy who dropped two passes and couldn’t line up and all of a sudden he’s a bust. That’s not fair to him, you know? I’m just being mindful of everybody in our program, of what’s in the best interest of Texas football come the fall.”
MORE: Texas baseball coach wants Jonah Williams in the lineup every day. Will he get his wish?
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This year, there is no spring transfer portal. Most players cannot, according to NCAA rules, elect to go play somewhere else at the conclusion of spring practice. This year, Sarkisian and the Texas brass decided that it was in the best interest of Texas football to hold a spring game. It’ll take place April 18.
Texas is not the only program reversing course.
Spring games and the SEC
Oklahoma opted for what it termed the “Crimson Combine” in 2025. It’ll hold a traditional spring game in 2026, a spokesperson confirmed to the American-Statesman. Nebraska, which did not play a spring scrimmage last year, is doing so in 2026.
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In 2025, eight SEC programs sponsored traditional spring games. Some canceled their events because of mitigating circumstances rather than a changed philosophical outlook. Arkansas had its game rained out. Missouri is undergoing stadium renovations that led the Tigers to opt out of a spring scrimmage last year. The Tigers won’t hold one for the same reason in 2026.
The number of SEC spring games will jump up by at least four in 2026. Twelve of the league’s programs have committed to playing public scrimmages this year, with Missouri and South Carolina the only schools to publicly declare they won’t have one. A spokesperson for Kiffin’s new home, LSU, told the Statesman that the Tigers are undecided on the issue for 2026. Ole Miss, preparing for its first full season under Pete Golding, did not respond to an inquiry from the Statesman as to whether or not it would hold a spring game.
Don’t count on an open scrimmage everywhere
Several notable programs are declining to go back to the way things were now that the proverbial Band-Aid has been ripped off.
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Lincoln Riley has USC skipping out for the second year in a row. At Florida State, Mike Norvell is sitting out the spring game for a second consecutive season. He told reporters Friday that he’d held back from opening up the full playbook in previous spring games, knowing Florida State’s Week 1 opponent was watching. The Seminoles will still scrimmage, but it’ll be closed to the public.
MORE: Where UT athletics stands in early 2026
“I understand fans want to be here,” Norvell told reporters. “It is an experience. But when you look at the process of this team growing and being all that we can be, we’re going to capitalize on getting three full scrimmages where there’s going to be what we want to do and what we want to be.”
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Once spring practice ends, Texas will reconvene for summer workouts ahead of Week 1 on Sept. 5.