SMU Installing New Turf At Ford Stadium

[smusic 00]

[NavyCrimson]

Agree about the 'blue'.

Most definitely a better shade that represents our school color - blue.

[mrydel]

Do the bean bags stay on the field?

[One Trick Pony]

That white ACC logo will POP

[RGV Pony]

[One Trick Pony]

Come on you're the president you're supposed to lead me in the right direction of positive lol

[mrydel]

We can become the SMU Chipmunks

[One Trick Pony]

I'm down with that

[smupony94]

Mrydel is Alvin

[One Trick Pony]

No doubt

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Yeah a much better blue the old end zones sucked.

Glad to see we are going with white yard lines and stripes from the start this time too.

[redpony]

and besides we will only need it for a year or two as our program drops to D2 or D3. We all thank you RGT for your high powered support of our fball program.

P.S. hope you will miss the photo ops.

[One Trick Pony]

I am now crying...

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Can we upgrade the scoreboard next please while we still have American money?

[PonyPride]

Synthetic playing surfaces being used these days generally have a life expectancy of up to eight to 10 years, according to Associate A.D. for Facilities and Event Services Kris Harris; the previous surface at at Gerald J. Ford Stadium was in place for eight seasons.

The decision to replace the surface came at the request of football head coach Chad Morris because of concern over player safety. Some spots on the turf were wearing unevenly, which could have led to uncertain footing. In addition, the shock pad under the turf — a high-tech layer that is designed to mitigate concussions upon impact — also was wearing unevenly. Replacing the turf is going to cost about $450,000 and will be paid for through alumni donations collected for this project.

"If you start from scratch, laying down a new field, it's a lot more than that," Harris said. "But we didn't have to do any grade work, and the shock pad underneath is still in really good shape, except for a few spots that are being fixed. So we're just replacing the top layer."

The surface consists of a woven form of fabric with synthetic "blades" that stick up about two inches high. A mixture of sand and rubber pellets is then poured over it and the field is brushed and watered so that the blades appear to be a half an inch or three-quarters of an inch high and the field dressing (the sand and pellets) even out to form a smooth surface.