The University of Tennessee is looking into fixing their uncooperative playing surface at Neyland Stadium after myriads of complaints over its quality.
The playing surface of Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee is often ridiculed by opponents for its uncooperative nature, most recently on Saturday by the North Texas Mean Green who played last Saturday in Knoxville. The North Texas official Twitter account poked fun at the unsafe field conditions, as clumps of grass were removed from the playing surface even before the game was underway.
Pretty sure this is what took place at Neyland Stadium on Friday. #GMG pic.twitter.com/IVtS2o1T4o
— North Texas Football (@MeanGreenFB) November 14, 2015
Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones admits to knowing very little about turf grass management, but ensures the public that the University is doing everything in its power to rectify the problems stemming from the poor playing conditions of Neyland’s turf.
The largest issue from the playing surface at Neyland Stadium is that players on both teams struggle with footing often, resulting in sloppy play and sometimes gruesome injuries. While nobody got hurt on Saturday, a Volunteer defensive end earn a sack that was due in large part to the North Texas quarterback slipping while trying to scramble. When a mid-major program like North Texas criticizes the playing surface, something has to give.
Since switching from artificial playing surface to natural grass in 1994, Tennessee has had issues with their turf, especially in recent years. The field has been re-sodded habitually, most recently in June. The university has hired turf grass experts, invested over $400,000 into the playing surface, even used field lamps to ensure growth late in the fall.
Jones believes that the grass should improve in time for their home finale on November 28th versus in-state rival Vanderbilt. He said, “I think right now [the turf grass management team’s] focus is preparing on the short term, of having the best possible surface here in another week. Then we’ll move to long-term. Obviously, that’s how you improve, that’s how you getter better. I know they’re doing everything and anything in terms of discussions and work ethic and everything. They’re trying to make it the best they possibly can. Rest assured, they’re doing everything they can.”
One thing is certain, LSU head coach Les Miles wouldn’t eat that Neyland Stadium grass if he was paid to. Thankfully, the Volunteers and the Tigers don’t play annually. Otherwise, Miles would never let Tennessee hear the end of their grass problems.