Back in February, Matt Rhule said the quiet part out loud, noting that the Huskers were exploring not holding a traditional spring game before word officially came out days later that the game which had traditionally drawn 70,000 to Memorial Stadium would take on a very different look.
While credit likely belongs to Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss who probably started the trend to go away from spring games a season or two ago, the decision to not put the talent on display for prying eyes to feast on in the era of tampering in the transfer portal and NIL enticements has been one that a number of high profile programs have followed suit with this spring.
With spring being prime time for rabid fan bases to get a look at their favorite teams, there is certainly still a need to hold some type of showcase event, and CBS recently obtained emails that show exactly what kind of ideas were being tossed around by Huskers administrators.
Less than a week after Rhule's comments, associate AD Brandon Meier sent an email to fellow administrators where he listed out over 30 ideas that could take the place of the spring game.
3 of those ideas were football related, ranging from an open practice and brief scrimmage (12-45 minutes long) to a 7-on-7 or skills competition.
Then there were an additional 30 listed under "non-football fanfest ideas" that ranged from anywhere from "well, that could be fun," to "Uh...what!? You can't be serious," and even a few things that are uniquely, well, Nebraska.
You can see the full listing via CBS, but among some of the more interesting ideas thrown out there were:
#2 - Sand volleyball - Huskers vs. football alumni
#5 - Legendary former head volleyball coach John Cook roping exhibition (this is what I mean by "uniquely Nebraska")
#7 - BMX Bike exhibition
#9 - Tours of Osborne Legacy Complex, a facility normally closed to the public
#12 - Sorority tug-of-war
#13 - Fastest student on campus race
#15 - Fans are free to come down and cut out a section of turf (Uh...what!?)
#16 - BBQ competition
#18 - Go-cart races
#24 - Bo Pelini welcome back - coupled with a plush cat giveaway
#29 - Invite President Trump to the event
The list is pretty extensive, but Rhule replied to the email with a list of 20 favorites from that list that included the roping exhibition, the sorority tug-of-war, BBQ competition, welcoming back Pelini, and the invite to President Trump.
Back in August of 2023, Nebraska volleyball packed Memorial Stadium for a record setting event as over 92,000 showed up to watch Husker volleyball host Omaha outdoors, setting a record for the largest crowd to watch a women's sporting event in the US.
The emails obtained by CBS shine a light on the creativity the Husker brass was willing to explore to continue to feed the hungry fan base.