At a time when schools like Nebraska and Texas are closing or canceling spring games over concerns like tampering, Washington head coach Jedd Fisch wants more eyes on his program this spring.
Fisch recently announced that every Huskies practice and spring game would be open to the public. That includes fans and media -- or perhaps staffers from other schools in disguise. Fisch did the same thing last year.
"I want our community to feel like, if they're going to support our football team, we're not going to hide behind a rule or hide behind the gates," Fisch said on The Athletic's "Until Saturday" podcast this week. "If we're going to support them, let's get to watch them. Let's see them. Let's watch a spring game."
Such openness is rare in a sport where coaches often guard their programs like state secrets. Pete Carroll famously kept everything open when he coached at USC. It didn't stop the Trojans from winning national championships.
Fisch, a coach still new to the program, points to Washington's fans as part of his reasoning. But there's an economic purpose behind it, too. Fisch knows that fans are asked to spend a lot of money to support their college football teams through tickets, donations to name, image and likeness funds and, soon, revenue sharing. Hiding players from fans and alumni doesn't help.
"We're asking these people to come out of their pockets to help our kids," Fisch said. "The least we could do is give them access to these kids the best we can."
While Nebraska coach Matt Rhule canceled Nebraska's spring game over tampering concerns, Fisch views the attention on his players as a good thing.
"I want our players to be able to be promoted," he said. "I want our players to be seen. I want people within our community to come out and watch his practice and say, 'I would love to do an NIL deal with this guy and promote this player or position group.'"
It helps that Washington's spring game is May 2, after the spring transfer portal window closes on April 23. Many others are, too.
As for that spring game, Fisch went big when he arrived at Arizona, getting former Wildcats and NFL stars Teddy Bruschi and Rob Gronkowski involved. He thinks spring games at Washington can bring program alumni together.
"(Community) is the most important thing," Fisch said. "I think that's why it went so sour when I left Arizona, because we were so connected with the community that (me leaving) became bigger than it was.
"I was asked this morning why we're doing a spring game. Because we have 300 football alumni that come back for it. If we don't have a spring game, then 300 football alumni aren't coming back. I'd love to have 40,000 people at our game. I want students to have some football in their life. Connecting with the community. ... We want to get the University of Washington family behind all of us so we can have an incredible run together."