New Playing Surface: Grass or Turf?
During the Cincinnati broadcast, Brock Huard mentioned the poor quality of the field turf at the stadium and that it would be replaced after the season. My question is, what are the chances that the program transitions back to grass for the first time since 2002? Harbaugh's teams at San Diego, Stanford, and San Francisco all used natural grass, and while it's certainly more difficult to maintain such a surface in Ann Arbor, I think it is pretty clear that there are some injury benefits to playing on a natural surface. Personally, I'd love to see a well maintained natural grass surface, but I don't see it happening given the increase in outside events being held at the stadium.
September 18th, 2017 at 8:41 AM ^
The water table has always been the problem with a grass field at the Big House. Turf is more economical and will be what they install.
September 18th, 2017 at 8:49 AM ^
i believe we could do something like MSU:
a concrete surface with drainage built in. then you sit modular grass trays on top. the sections can be swapped out if need be, and the space between the tray and concrete allows water to drain properly.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:53 AM ^
They spent over a decade bringing in expert after expert, turf manager after turf manager, trying to make endless turf and drainage systems work at Michigan Stadium. They never did. Remember those crews they'd have to send onto the field to pick up the larger divots during stoppages of play?
With the lowered field post-91, it's virtually impossible to keep a high-standard natural surface. No need to keep trying for a miracle.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:59 AM ^
I do remember, but I thought MSU's field was installed AFTER all of that. It was new at the time. As someone else mentioned VaTech uses a similar drainage system. It makes logical sense to me that if you put concrete and a good drainage system down underneath, you can have turf in trays above it. you just need to ensure the water has a place go to in the concrete/drainage.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:15 AM ^
Again, Michigan Stadium (post-'91 field lowering) has ground issues that most stadiums don't have.
September 18th, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
But if your field is below the water table, that "drainage" system doesn't drain without pumps - it fills with water instead. If the pumps fail or are overwhelmed, then the turf trays get flooded and the turf gets ruined. Michigan had a drainage system the last time they had grass, and that's why they went to artificial turf.
September 18th, 2017 at 11:54 AM ^
are actually much better and safer then grass anymore. Grass takes way too much maintenance at a significant cost anymore. They would be much better putting in a brand new turf field after this season.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:58 AM ^
As it should be...however, it should've been installed 2 years ago. It's a joke they've waited this long to replace the playing surface.
This is where I agree with Brady Hoke. "THIS IS MICHIGAN...fergodsakes."
High schools have replaced their FieldTurf more frequently.
September 18th, 2017 at 11:24 AM ^
but some fiasco matching the correct base to the specific sod.
Sod A required Base A
Sod B required Base B
I think we started with Sod A and Base A but didnt' like it
For some reason we then canged to Sod B on Base A which was never going to work.
Instead of switching over fully to Base B for Sod B we decided to make a hybrid Base A-B to save money.
Nothing would grow well on hybrid Base A-B.
We gave up and went to Field Turf.
September 18th, 2017 at 11:24 AM ^
Since Harbaugh is buiding team speed, we might want to just upgrade the Field Turf.
September 18th, 2017 at 8:41 AM ^
Is a much more consistent surface vs grass. The footing is fine people lose footing on every surface.
September 18th, 2017 at 8:46 AM ^
Grass vs turf injury likelihood isn't really about losing footing. Grass tears and gives if high lateral forces are applied to it. Turf is a weave of synthetic netting that doesn't give. In essence the footing is actually too good.
September 18th, 2017 at 3:52 PM ^
Ask Fargas how that natural turf worked out for him.
September 18th, 2017 at 8:42 AM ^
The field is going to become all blue from now until the end of time.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:31 AM ^
...except we'll roll out the all Maize turf whenever Florida comes to visit.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:01 AM ^
Maize field would be cool to see...once
September 18th, 2017 at 10:39 AM ^
But only for an away game. Sponsored by Kraft - you know you want it.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:46 AM ^
From space.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:46 AM ^
...IMHO
September 18th, 2017 at 12:05 PM ^
Those are beautiful.
September 18th, 2017 at 8:45 AM ^
personally think turf is a major factor in acl injuries. But, with turf you have less maintenance.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:44 AM ^
Zero doubt about it. I've torn my left ACL twice due to turf and I've witnessed a bunch more, it just isn't forgiving at all. That said, I believe there is new technology that is supposed to help with that and reduce concussions?
I would prefer Grass but it would be a mud pile come November/December
September 18th, 2017 at 9:59 AM ^
We have the money to make our field whatever it needs to be. Replacing the artificial turf field every 10-15 years isn't cheap either. But money should not be a consideration.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:11 AM ^
I find your financial belief system fascinating.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:27 AM ^
My wife has the same financial belief system.
September 18th, 2017 at 2:40 PM ^
For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled.
Richard P. Feynman
September 18th, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
The old Astroturf was terrible on players' joints, but I'm not sure if Fieldturf presents similar issues. In any event it's largely a moot point as we tried over and over from 1991-2002 to have a workable grass field and it just didn't grow well.
September 18th, 2017 at 8:47 AM ^
My kids play sports on turf. Those tiny little black god-damned nuggets they bring home with them and track all over the house afterwards are the devil...
September 18th, 2017 at 11:15 AM ^
Foosball is THE DEVIL
September 18th, 2017 at 11:36 AM ^
everything's the devil to you mama
September 18th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
Haven't there been preliminary studies showing that those nuggets are cancer-causing? The finer bits are very easily inhaled.
September 18th, 2017 at 12:44 PM ^
You haven't figured this out yet? Everything causes cancer. Like, literally, everything you come into contact with every day.
September 18th, 2017 at 1:55 PM ^
Including clowns.
September 18th, 2017 at 3:55 PM ^
Specially clowns!
September 18th, 2017 at 8:48 AM ^
That's very interesting, thank you for pointing this out. I've been wondering when we're gonna fix the Block M and endzones colors.
We went to grass and lowered the field after tearing out the carpet turf in 1991. We had so many problems with that field. It drained horribly, the field was always in chunks in November and it costed a lot of money to maintain. The spring game was cancelled 3 times due to poor field conditions.
Hopefully we get some Blue endzones *ducks*.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:01 AM ^
Wow. I actually have to agree with you on something. I am all for blue end zones.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:18 AM ^
I vote no. But I actually hate when people walk on my lawn. Really - it bothers me. And my lawn isn't that great at this point in the summer.
They were listening to you, ducking or not.
September 18th, 2017 at 8:51 AM ^
They always tried to keep it maintained when it was natural grass but it still always looked horrible.
Skip ahead to 16:36 and look at the grass behind Braylon as he's scoring the TD...
September 18th, 2017 at 9:42 AM ^
Wow, that field was horrible. Nice outcome to the game though!
September 18th, 2017 at 8:54 AM ^
My only question is when can we throw marshmallows again?
September 18th, 2017 at 8:57 AM ^
Give me grass or give me death. Mud, divots, and those chunks that get stuck in facemasks are part of what makes football great. Stick to basketball if you don't want to worry about slipping. Throw some marshmallows on it too.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:09 AM ^
toilet paper.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:22 AM ^
Blow-up dolls.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:21 AM ^
Half-filled two liter plastic bottles of keg-drain make a nice end over end arc down to the turf as well. So I've heard.
September 18th, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^
Mmmmmmm, keg drain....
September 18th, 2017 at 12:13 PM ^
You just have to shorten your follow-thru. Too much arm extension gives away your position and the maize windbreakers will be on you like white on a toilet bowl.
September 18th, 2017 at 8:59 AM ^
No major football program should be playing on natural grass. Field turf all the way. It's cleaner, better looking, allows for more speed, and doesn't get muddy and slippery in shitty weather.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:00 AM ^
Alabama, Oklahoma, USC, Clemson all play on grass.
September 18th, 2017 at 9:02 AM ^
And? I didn't say no major program doesn't play on grass. I said no major program should play on grass.