Like many head coaches, Alabama A&M head coach Connell Maynor knows the difficulty of evaluating your team while it’s practicing against itself in the spring. One deep completion from the offense means the defense miscommunicated. A running back’s poor ball security could lead to a forced fumble.

The situation is probably why Maynor had an immediate reaction to Auburn coach Hugh Freeze’s idea to re-energize spring football in the state.

“Oh, I would love that,” Maynor told AL.com before his round at the Regions Tradition celebrity pro-am. “You want to test your guys and you want to test them against somebody besides yourself. … That’d be a great idea to play an Alabama or Auburn.”

Freeze explained his plan on April 4, calling the traditional format of splitting a program into two teams for a scrimmage a “wasted day.” Instead, the Crimson Tide could host UAB, or the Tigers play Troy. Ticket sales can go to charity and the fans have a showcase event to meet that year’s team. Across the state, from Nick Saban to Trent Dilfer to Jon Sumrall, coaches agreed to varying extents.

But let’s not forget about the Alabama A&M Bulldogs or the Alabama State Hornets, both of which have remained competitive in an improved Southwestern Athletic Conference.

“The biggest thing is not to get anyone hurt. … I think it would be really cool,” ASU head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. said. “Even if it was like Troy, it would be pretty good.”

The economics of college football has brought in-state programs to the same field before. The Tigers hosted ASU twice in 2018 and 2021, paying upwards of $500 thousand dollars for the non-conference matchups. On Wednesday, Maynor hinted at a future game with the Tigers as A&M sorts its FBS opponents in the coming seasons. The Bulldogs open at Vanderbilt on Sept. 2, 2023.

Both Robinson and Maynor said an in-state spring game would be another opportunity to show the talent level within the SWAC, along with getting more eyes on the program since SEC programs broadcast their spring games on ESPN networks. Robinson noted how players can sign autographs or pose for photos with fans after the game.

“Sometimes you have to throw it out there and just get the right people to hear it,” Robinson said.

It’s unclear if there’s a football czar in the Montgomery state house to formalize any spring matchups for next year, but there seems to be a consensus among head coaches in Alabama regarding Freeze’s pitch.

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Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].