Virginia HC Tony Elliott makes feelings known about Deion Sanders' idea of turning CFB spring games into NFL-style preseason games

Virginia Cavaliers coach Tony Elliott likes Deion Sanders' idea of turning spring games into NFL-style preseason games. Sanders said he'd like another college team to go to Boulder to practice with them for a couple of days and have a scrimmage as the spring game.

Elliott says he's a big fan of that as it would help freshman and new players understand what playing college football is all about.

"Your spring game is an opportunity to evaluate guys you haven't seen before, some of your younger and developmental guys," Elliott said in a press conference on Monday, via SI. "We don't have preseason games, so it's an opportunity to create as close to a game-like situation in the stadium."

When asked if Elliott would be a fan of holding practices against other colleges and playing against them in a spring game, the coach says he is a fan.

"I'd be for it. We practice against each other so much," Elliott added. "The NFL guys have joint practices where they practice against each other and play four preseason games. It's another opportunity to truly evaluate your football team against somebody else."

Elliott believes playing schools around them but not in their same conference could add some intrigue to the practice. Elliott says schools wouldn't want to practice against conference rivals, but it would still be interesting regardless of who they practice and play against.

However, NCAA rules state football teams cannot face off against each other in the spring. With that, Virginia will have its spring game on April 12.

Deion Sanders pitches unique idea for spring games

Deion Sanders wants to make spring practices and games more interesting for college football.

The Colorado Buffaloes' coach says he wants to practice and play against other teams which would help add some hype months before the season.

"I would like to style it like the pros," Sanders said via ESPN. "I'd like to go against someone [in practice] for a few days, and then you have the spring game. I think the public would be satisfied with that tremendously. I think it's a tremendous idea. I've told those personnel, who should understand that, that it's a tremendous idea."

The Buffaloes will open their college football season on August 29 against Georgia Tech.