USC Trojans, Texas, Ohio State Cancel Spring Games: Tampering Problem in College Football

USC Trojans will not hold a traditional spring game following the conclusion of practice in April. They are the third Big Ten team to opt out of their spring practice, joining the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Ohio State Buckeyes. The Texas Longhorns also cancelled their spring game.

Kendell Hollowell | Feb 21, 2025

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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The USC Trojans will not hold a traditional spring game at the conclusion of their spring practice in April.

USC is latest Big Ten program to opt out of their spring game, joining Nebraska and Ohio State. In the SEC, the Texas Longhorns also opted out. A trend that could more and more common. With tampering running rampant in college football, programs are unwilling to showcase their team to a national audience and that includes other schools.

College football has two transfer portal windows, one that opens the following week after championship weekend and the early national signing period, and a second following the conclusion of spring practice — the one college football coaches would prefer to eliminate.

Losing players in the second portal window could be detrimental to a roster, not only because a program could lose key starters if poached by other schools that can offer more in NIL collective, but also its depth for the season.

"The word 'tampering' doesn't exist anymore," said Nebraska coach Matt Rhule. "It's just an absolute free open common market. I don't necessarily want to open up to the outside world and have people watch our guys and say, 'He looks like a pretty good player. Let's go get him."

For a fan, losing their schools spring game can be disappointing because it presents an opportunity to get a first look at the team heading into the new season. It also gives them a glimpse at a slew of early enrollees and see how they’ve adapted to the college environment.

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However, for programs it’s a smart move to keep their roster intact. Coaches will pump a ton of reps into the players on the current roster with hopes they still be around in the fall.

USC has not announced the official start of spring practice, but it will begin sometime in March. Lincoln Riley enters a pressure packed fourth season in Los Angeles as his tenure has not exactly gotten off to the start many were expecting when they pulled him away from Oklahoma in November 2021.

Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Trojans will have 15 early enrollees taking part in spring practice, headlined by the two crown jewels of their 2025 recruiting class, five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet and five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart.

Longstreet will not only try to hold off former five-star Utah transfer Sam Huard for the No. 2 spot but also gain momentum on returning starting quarterback Jayden Maiava. Stewart will also compete for early playing time at either tackle or end.

The Trojans will also welcome 12 transfer portal transfers and one junior college transfer, running back Waymond Jordan.

USC made several key additions in the transfer portal that are expected to be immediate plug-and-play guys, center J’Onre Reed, offensive line DJ Wingfield, cornerback DJ Harvey, safety Bishop Fitzgerald, receiver Prince Strachan, and defensive tackles Keeshawn Silver and Jamaal Jarrett.

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