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 11:08 AM ^
but a steamroller will roll on either. Just kidding. Sure it will be a great game and Sparty will bring their A game.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:16 AM ^
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October 11th, 2016 at 11:31 AM ^
Wow. Just LOOKING for reasons to be paranoid.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^
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October 11th, 2016 at 11:33 AM ^
This will be a non-issue. Harbaugh will be prepared.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^
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October 11th, 2016 at 11:48 AM ^
But it's a consideration, not an issue.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:01 PM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 12:39 PM ^
This isn't entirely on topic but I love the look of grass fields so much more than turf. I understand the safety issues so I don't bitch about it too much but the natural look is so much more satisfying.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:51 PM ^
I didn't think schools went away from grass because of injury concerns. I thought it was the long term cost to maintain grass fields in the northern part of the country. Most of the schools located in the southeastern part of the country still have grass.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:08 PM ^
The only concern now is early studies on Field turf show that inhaling the tiny bits of rubber mat cause cancer. Hopefully Michigan ditches the turf if that is indeed the case.
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October 11th, 2016 at 1:09 PM ^
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October 11th, 2016 at 3:07 PM ^
In Michigan's case, true, the lower field and high table water made it very difficult to keep the field in good shape, especially when it rained.
October 11th, 2016 at 4:52 PM ^
Somewhere there is a steam shovel buried down there and drainage is a major issue. Otherwise, a grass field is certainly doable.
October 12th, 2016 at 2:42 AM ^
Unfortunately, the original field at Michigan Stadium was apparently just above the water table. When they lowered the field for improved sight-lines (in the 90s), apparently it put the field below the water table, so it never drained properly. They made several attempts, but could never get the turf to take. There were always chunks of turf coming up. They finally gave up.
I do agree that natural turf looks and feels so much better. It also gives you a bit of a home-field advantage- it's more difficult to go from artificial to grass than vice versa. You can also cut the grass longer or shotter to give your team a competitive advantage.
October 11th, 2016 at 2:01 PM ^
for grass fields in the North. We play 7 and sometimes 8 games now vs almost always 6 and the season is one week longer in November and start earlier. You simply won't have a quality field in late November unless you spend big money to care for it.
PSU, MSU and Purdue all have great turf management programs, something Michigan does not have. Those 3 schools have excellent grass surfaces and they're able to maintain them properly because they have the infrastructure to do it. The other BIG with grass is NW and thats hit or miss depending on if they get a game played on a wet field.
October 11th, 2016 at 4:16 PM ^
October 11th, 2016 at 5:19 PM ^
Field turf is indeed a safer playing surface. The old astro-style turf was murder on knees for sticking to it and murder on the rest of the body because it was a layer of concrete with a thin layer of padding, and then the nylon surface.
It was basically playing on a parking lot.
In the early 90s, Michigan moved to natural grass. It was visually appealing but after the first few games, it went to hell.
When Michigan tore up the concrete and put in the grass, they lowered the field. To below the water table. The grass could never root properly and got tore up from 300 pound linemen doing their thing. I remember a Penn State and Ohio State game particularly where frisbee sized divots were coming up all over the place.
The Big Ten told Michigan to get their field in order and because of the water table issues, Michigan went to Field Turf.
Keep in mind Michigan Stadium is a hole in the ground. Staee doesn't have the same issues with their concrete shitbox they call a stadium because it's not in a big bowl.
October 11th, 2016 at 6:44 PM ^
Don't give them too much credit, given that we don't have a vet school or an ag school, we don't really have a horse in that race.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:42 PM ^
I was just wondering what size cleat Harbaugh will be wearing for that game!
October 11th, 2016 at 12:52 PM ^
Ask Dantonio's proctologist after the game.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:57 PM ^
at the Big house is a faster surface then natural grass, but it shouldn't make a bit of difference. The playing surface is slower, but it's slower for both teams so it doesn't give anyone an advantage. UM has natural grass fields it can also practice on and get used to any difference in cleats they would possibly wear. Shouldn't present a problem at all.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:31 PM ^
Can't MSU afford field turf?
Answered my own question.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:56 PM ^
school is excellent and they keep the field in terrific shape. Their playing surface is actually a series of platforms that can be removed if needed. They've had a very good to excellent playing surface for years, even in the rain and late season games. MSU went to a grass surface when they lowered to field, oh I guess its been almost 20 years now. Prior to that MSU had a fake field closer the old astro turf but softer. They've never had the modern version of field turf with the chewed up tire pellets.
October 11th, 2016 at 2:42 PM ^
"Can't afford"?? One of FieldTurf's selling points is lower long-term costs.
October 11th, 2016 at 5:00 PM ^
I miss grass in Michigan stadium. Darn warter table rable rable rable.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:50 PM ^
is excellent, drains exceptionally well and only cuts up after heavy rains.
It will not matter at all.
October 11th, 2016 at 4:35 PM ^
I don't think this is an issue anymore, but back in the 70s Bo's teams often struggled on grass. I think the worst was the 71 Rose Bowl against Stanford. It had been raining before the game and the turf was coming up in big clumps. Stanford handled it much better and it contributed to their upset.
October 11th, 2016 at 6:55 PM ^
It always bugged me how heavy-footed Bo's teams looked on the Rose Bowl grass.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:33 PM ^
playing against the faster Pac 10 players