Field turf helps UT football

When fans think about Neyland Stadium on a Saturday afternoon, many think about the 107,000 screaming fans, the Pride of the Southland Marching Band and of course, Tennessee football. These aspects combine to create a distinct atmosphere known as Rocky Top.

Fans travel from miles around, the band suits up to play the songs they have practiced all week, and two teams clash on the field.

But perhaps the most integral element of Neyland Stadium is the one that also has arguably the most amount of preparation required — the grass at Shields-Watkins Field.

Often overlooked, the field at Neyland Stadium is considered one of the best in the country. Dr. John Sorochan, a turf grass specialist from the agricultural campus, said many people contribute to the efforts to make the field the best it can be.

“You’ve got 300-pound linemen wanting to beat up each other, and they’re beating up the grass at the same time,” Sorochan said. “We want to make sure the grass is as good as possible.”

Chuck Denney of the UT Institute of Agriculture Marketing and Communication said the field currently is made up of a hybrid variety of grass called “Tiftway Bermuda”. Denney said this is the grass that has been on the field since the removal of artificial turf in 1993.

Sorochan, who also contributed to the PGA’s Buick Open in Michigan during July, said his students at the UT Research and Education Center on Alcoa Highway have been growing experimental turf varieties that can stay greener and last longer. A new breed called “Patriot Bermuda” may revolutionize the turf at Neyland Stadium for the 2007 season.

To test the grass, the staff runs a machine over it, equipped with cleat-like tenderizers to test the endurance and durability of the sods. But like any soft turf, enough wear and tear can spell trouble.

In order to be one step ahead of the wear, Sorochan and the field staff have come up with countermeasures for Shields-Watkins and Haslem Field, the Vols practice field.

Underneath the grass at Shields-Watkins Field is roughly 12 inches of sand to help the grass both in hard-hitting games and rain-soaked drenchfests.

“The soil is actually an all sand root zone,” Sorochan said. “That allows for adequate drainage. The sand doesn’t compact like a hard, clay soil would, so it gets more of a cushy feel.”

Haslam Field, which gets considerably more use than Shields-Watkins Field with daily practices actually has ground bits of old tires placed underneath the playing surface making it more durable, Sorochan said.

“When an athlete’s spike hits, it’s not going to wear the turf out as much, making the field safer and the grass cover lasting longer,” Sorochan said.

The process of constructing the playing field is an ongoing task. Sorochan said that with new technologies and breeding efforts, new varieties of grass are emerging all the time. Sorochan’s goal is to have a grass that can withstand cold temperatures, stay green longer, and at the same time be aggressive.

All of the preparations that go into a Saturday in Knoxville, even down at field level, help to make up one of the best college football atmospheres in the country.