According to the bylaws in Article 17, Section 10 of the NCAA rule book, a football team is allowed 15 practices in the spring, but Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said if it were up to him, he would have twice as many.
As Fisher prepares to wrap up his first spring as the Aggies’ head coach with the Maroon and White game on Saturday, he said he hopes the game will be competitive and engaging for not only the players, but for the crowd.
“I hope [the] two teams come out there ready to compete, play their tails off and represent themselves and these fans and the people here at Texas A&M with great effort, great discipline, great toughness and go out there and play football the way it’s supposed to be played,” Fisher said.
This year, the spring game will be played in a normal game format, meaning there will be no scripted plays and scoring will not be modified. Fisher said this format will allow the players to get a real feel for the game, despite it being listed as a scrimmage on the practice schedule.
“There’s going to be mistakes, [but you have to] move and play the next play,” Fisher said. “If something good happens, process it, move on. If something bad happens, learn not to let one bad thing become two bad things. Manage the crisis and do the things you’ve got to do.”
The Maroon and White teams were selected via draft, which, according to Fisher, was held Wednesday night, with the senior class acting as executives.
“We’ve got the seniors split [up],” Fisher said. “We’re going to find out what kind of general managers we’ve got here. There’s six or seven on one side and six or seven on another. They will collectively get to pick.”
Fisher said the drafting process will alternate between the two teams, with the opening pick being decided via coin flip. For example, if one team selects a quarterback, the other team is awarded a quarterback. The other team will then make their selection, and so on.
“I like to see what they think of each other, too,” Fisher said. “I want to see who they want to play with.”
As the hours grow closer to the start of the game, Fisher said he is excited to see what his players have learned throughout the 14 practices they’ve had this spring.
Fisher said he will not play an active role in the spring game, as he wants to be able to take a step back and evaluate the players and truly be able to assess what work will need to be done throughout the summer and fall camps leading up to the Aggies’ Aug. 30 season opener against Northwestern State.
“I want to get away and, as I say, ‘Take the training wheels off,’” Fisher said. “I want to see how they manage the crisis and all the things that go on, the good, bad and all the different things. You’ve got to turn it loose.”
A&M’s Maroon and White game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. kickoff at Kyle Field, Saturday, April 14. Admission is free for everyone and no ticket is necessary for general admission. Tickets will be required for premium seating such as suites, clubs and lodge areas.