“What you see on G-Day isn’t necessarily what you’ll get, come fall.”

Bill King, on our annual spring celebration of the backup quarterback’s QBR:

While Smart has put increased emphasis on G-Day as a promotional opportunity during his time as head coach, trying to pack Sanford Stadium, the actual intrasquad scrimmage itself has become increasingly irrelevant as an indicator of what to expect during the coming season.

It’s largely a show put on for recruits, with a grandstand full of fans serving as an impressive background. Fans aren’t privy to the real spring work, done in closed practices and scrimmages.

King thinks fans looking for answers to questions like scheme changes in the wake of departing coaches are bound to be disappointed.  Well, yeah.  But “increasingly irrelevant”?  How long has it been since people expected profound answers in the spring, anyway?

I go to G-Day because it’s an excuse to visit the Classic City in the spring.  The weather’s good, the beer is cold, tailgating with friends is its usual fun… and you can’t beat the price.  I get a few bonus points out of judging the team’s depth and the S&C work, not to mention seeing if the chatter about certain kids’ physical attributes has any basis in reality.  Aside from Smart’s rather ham-handed efforts to convert me into a recruiting prop (to which at this point I’m immune), there isn’t really a downside on the day.

So, yeah, I’m already looking forward to it.  How about you?