Sooner Nation will now have to wait another four months to get their first real look at the 2025 Oklahoma football team.
OU announced on Monday that it is replacing its annual spring game with the new Crimson Combine on April 12, the same day the spring game was originally scheduled.
According to OU's release, the Crimson Combine will be a "new fan-centric football event" that will feature players and coaches participating in combine-style drills, skills challenges, on-field fan engagement activities, autograph and photo opportunities, and more.
New general manager Jim Nagy and offensive coordinator are also promised to speak.
Tickets for the event will be $10 and go on sale at 10 a.m. CT Thursday.
Regardless, whether it's fan-oriented, or a success or flop, the change still took away what football fans want to see the most: football.
The spring game would have been Sooner Nation's first chance to see the Sooners' offense under new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and first glimpse at top transfer quarterback John Mateer. Now, that first showing won't be until the Sooners' season opener against Illinois State on Aug. 30.
Just down the road, Mike Gundy has altered Oklahoma State's spring game, or even canceled it altogether, for years now. More recently, though, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule announced the Cornhuskers wouldn't host a spring game this year, prompting a trend that was followed by programs around the country, including Lincoln Riley at USC and now Brent Venables at OU.
There's the worry of other programs seeing young talent that won't see the field yet and luring them into the transfer portal when it opens again in April. There's also always injuries to fear and even wondering if a spring game is even beneficial at all.
This has become yet another trend during the new age of college football that's constantly changing. And it seems every change just takes another thing away from college football fans. We've already lost in-state rivalries, traditions, National Signing Day and even just witnessing a promising recruit blossom into a star.
OU deemed the Crimson Combine the "new spring tradition." Like Bedlam and developing players, it appears spring games are also a thing of college football's past.