Stadium renovation forces Kentucky to cancel Blue-White spring football game

Those hoping to see what a Kentucky football offense under new coordinator Shannon Dawson or a Kentucky defense without its star defensive ends will look like will have to wait until September.

Construction at Commonwealth Stadium is going to keep UK from having its annual Blue-White spring game this April, a team spokesman told the Herald-Leader on Friday.

The school looked at multiple off-campus venue options as UK finishes a $120 million renovation project at Commonwealth Stadium, but several factors made those unfeasible, spokesman Tony Neely said.

Hosting a game away from the university raises several issues, including the potential of coaches and players interacting off campus with prospective student athletes and their families, which is an NCAA violation.

"We looked at it altogether and it didn't add up for us to play a spring game this year," he said.

It's at least the first time since 1995 that UK will not play a scrimmage to wrap up spring practices, but Neely wasn't sure if it's the only time in school history.

The school is still working out a schedule for spring practices and Neely anticipated that there will be several open practice opportunities for fans that will be announced at a later date.

Cancelling a spring game is not unprecedented. While Kyle Field has been under construction, Texas A&M went without a spring game in 2014 and will again this spring.

This story was originally published January 16, 2015 at 5:10 PM with the headline "Stadium renovation forces Kentucky to cancel Blue-White spring football game."