Field Turf v. Natural Grass: a look ahead to our trip to spartan stadium.
Someone pointed out this morning that every game Michigan has played this season (including @ Rutgers) has been on Field Turf. That obviously won't change when Illinois comes to Michigan in two weeks, which means our trip to East Lansing in three weeks will be our first game of the season played on natural grass. This raises a few questions that perhaps the MGoCommunity can weigh in on:
- How does the game change on grass (on both sides of the ball) for a team that is accustomed to playing on turf? Is it true that grass is "slower" than turf?
- Marcus Ray mentioned on his radio show last week that there are different sets of cleats for turf versus grass (apparently longer spikes for grass). Since we just switched equipment providers, this means Michigan will be breaking in new equipment they've never worn in a game during the MSU game. How much of a concern is this? Is it a concern at all?
- How does Michigan change the way they practice for a game on grass? Do they even change anything? Do we have the option/ability to practice on grass (for example, is our outdoor practice field grass or turf)?
October 11th, 2016 at 9:45 AM ^
Wait I thought we had been playing on our new natural grass all season?
October 11th, 2016 at 9:51 AM ^
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October 11th, 2016 at 10:56 AM ^
I wouldn't say its a complete non-issue. I credit our bowl loss in the Outback bowl a few years ago to playing on grass instead of turf. Denard couldn't keep his footing all game.
They do have grass practice fields, which I'm assuming they will use leading up to MSU. They were probably practicing in Al Glick leading up to the bowl game.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:17 PM ^
as well. If the grass is wet or the sod isn't well rooted, there can be footing issues which will typically favor the underdog and/or team with more speed since it could slow guys down and will compress the advantage a better team would have in good, predictable conditions.
Since we practice on grass I don't think the unfamiliarity will be an issue, but there is potential for #chaos if the conditions are poor, which is never good for the better team.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
how much i can believe what marcus is saying because one of the benefits of feild turf over the old astro turf is that you can wear the same spikes on field turf as you would on grass... on astro turf players would wear turf spikes (which have nubs on the bottom of the shoes instead of spikes) or flat soled "cross trainers"...
October 11th, 2016 at 10:11 AM ^
No this is accurate. On grass, especially when wet, you wear longer cleats. Some players even choose to switch to the much larger screw-in cleats if they were not already wearing them. Otherwise, on turf, you can wear the much shorter, molded cleats that are built more for speed than traction, almost like soccer cleats.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:00 AM ^
Soccer players also use screw-in cleats for those wet, muddy days.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:07 AM ^
Yeah, you definitely wear different cleats on field turf than you would on natural grass. Both are different from what you would wear on astroturf (where you could basically wear cross trainers) but Mantis doc is correct.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:36 PM ^
Very true. We used to insert washers between the screw in cleat and the shoe to extend the depth of the cleat a bit as well.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:39 PM ^
An 80's ROTC man? This checks out. Old-school and resourceful af.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:01 AM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 10:02 AM ^
on a concrete parking lot or a sandy beach. It won't matter. We're going to beat them into little bitchcakes.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:06 AM ^
...unless there is another trash tornado
October 11th, 2016 at 10:08 AM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 10:13 AM ^
My biggest concern is that Sparty will spear and maim because they have nothing to lose. I'll bet you see 5+ targeting plays with 1 or 2 being called.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:01 AM ^
I'm just pissed that my skywriter has run off with my deposit.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:08 AM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 12:57 PM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 10:01 PM ^
We will own that stadium.
October 11th, 2016 at 5:23 PM ^
"probably" playing dirty?
The thugs were out against BYU. Freaking BYU. I can only imagine the level of nastiness Mork is going have them dialed up for their bowl game against us.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:06 AM ^
We really shouldn't be playing on concrete parking lots or sandy beaches until...
October 11th, 2016 at 10:34 AM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 11:03 AM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 10:05 AM ^
Proper equipment matters, obviously. You hear about them changing cleats mid-game sometimes.
I don't know how much of a coincidence this is, but against Rutgers, after Michigan's first three drives, the sideline reporter was showing how Michigan had just switched gloves.
Before the switch:
2x 3-and-outs
1x fumble
1/4 passing: 2 innacurate passes, one drop, one completion
After the switch:
All the points
no fumbles
7/12 passing
October 11th, 2016 at 11:05 AM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 11:06 AM ^
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October 11th, 2016 at 10:10 AM ^
I'm worried more about the trash tornado than the grass.
But really, grass isn't slower than turf. It gives a little... so players aren't able to cut on a dime like they would be if they jammed their cleats into the rubber pellets. But then again, that also helps prevent leg injuries because your body isn't supposed to do that.
Ask Denard if he felt slower when he hung 500 yards and 3 TDs on ND in 2010
October 11th, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
...and ND sure as hell didn't either
October 11th, 2016 at 11:10 AM ^
It's possible the grass slowed down just ND. Maybe they didn't wear the right cleats.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:14 AM ^
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October 11th, 2016 at 10:19 AM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 11:17 AM ^
I mean, grass IS kinda their thing in E.L.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:09 PM ^
If there is one place you can expect to find a proper grass field, it's at michigan state. Not like those scrubs down in Columbus.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:46 PM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 10:38 AM ^
Grass is horrible for football. Every P5 school (and NFL team) should have field turf.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:54 AM ^
Get off my field.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:58 AM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 11:01 AM ^
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October 11th, 2016 at 11:00 AM ^
No way! They're cool.
Boise, Ypsi-Pleasantville, and EWU's blood field are all awesome because they're different. I'm surprised Oregon hasn't already gone with a black field.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:08 AM ^
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October 11th, 2016 at 5:20 PM ^
A black field would suck... it would be 150 degrees on the surface on a sunny day. All that rubber and synthetic soaks up a lot of heat.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:09 AM ^
Try this one out.
Central Arkansas came up with an....interesting field.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:10 PM ^
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October 11th, 2016 at 12:07 PM ^
I like the blue and gray fields.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:51 AM ^
State might want to consider new cleats since they are 0-2 at home this year against FBS opponents.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:58 AM ^
They are going to be wishing that we were wearing the shorter cleats when we shove them up their asses that day.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:06 AM ^