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Field conditions at Ohio Stadium

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I read on another site (The Ozone I think) something about a bug infestation or virus, something that damages the grass but they can't kill it yet because the insecticide/chemicals are toxic and would make the field toxic for a few weeks? Has anyone else heard this?
 
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Dispatch

OHIO STADIUM
Ohio State stakes out new turf if needed
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Don Patko spent part of Sunday afternoon standing on what likely will be the new Ohio Stadium field, except he was just a few miles outside Bowling Green.
That?s where the Cygnet Turf farm is located, where bluegrass grows deep, weedless and on vast fields, just waiting for a new home.
"We went out there Sunday with the agronomy crew that takes care of our field," said Patko, Ohio State?s assistant athletic director for facilities management. "We inspected the new field and put an area on hold that we liked."
Unless the current field shows marked improvement this week in preparation for Saturday?s home game against Penn State, Patko said, it will be cut out and the new field laid down in time for the next home game, Oct. 7 vs. Bowling Green.
The current field, put in four years ago, features a synthetic stability matting just above root level that keeps large divots from being ripped from the surface. Over time, though, naturally occurring organic material has built up at that level, compromising footing when the turf is wet. It also has caused growth problems for new seeds.
"There is no disease out there," Patko said, refuting some fans? observations after Saturday?s win over Cincinnati.
But he said, "It?s just not the surface we?re used to having, and we?re working our tails off to get it right."
Immediately after the Cincinnati game the grounds crew took to the field, meticulously raking and blowing away the grass that had been ripped out. Another crew then ran several machines that by late Saturday night had injected 16 tons of sand into the base of the sod to help with air circulation and promote growth.
"That will help the footing for this Saturday," Patko said. "We?re pretty comfortable with the thought we will have a pretty good surface for this game, but for the long haul the rest of the season we needed a backup plan."
That?s where the Cygnet turf comes into play. OSU athletic administrators have OK?d a new field, Patko said, which would cost $75,000 to $100,000.
Several pro teams, including the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots and Cleveland Indians, have turned to Cygnet turf in recent years, as did the University of Iowa when it redid its football field last year. The turf is cut at the farm in strips that are 42 inches wide and about 35 feet long and include a 2-inch thick base of soil. That gives the turf stability once it is laid.
"It can be played on almost immediately," Patko said. "So we have that plan in place. We just have to make the call."
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That's interesting, that would mean cutting out the Motz system that the real grass is grown through, which wouldn't be an issue since the new sod is 2 inches thick. You could cut 2 in. thick with a Koro machine, laser grade the crown back in and lay the sod. Good find Grad.
 
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coastalbuck;611307; said:
That's interesting, that would mean cutting out the Motz system that the real grass is grown through, which wouldn't be an issue since the new sod is 2 inches thick. You could cut 2 in. thick with a Koro machine, laser grade the crown back in and lay the sod. Good find Grad.
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Thing is, they will cover most of the cost by selling the old sod. The last time they replaced the surface, I saw mason jars of the turf selling for $15-25 a pop.
 
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Were the jars full of ground up grass and artifical fibers? That's why they use the Koro, it grinds everything up at a precise depth and blows it into wagons to haul off. Pretty neat thing, I used to have a link to some pics of them doing Ohio Stadium, I'll look around.
 
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coastalbuck;611323; said:
Were the jars full of ground up grass and artifical fibers? That's why they use the Koro, it grinds everything up at a precise depth and blows it into wagons to haul off. Pretty neat thing, I used to have a link to some pics of them doing Ohio Stadium, I'll look around.
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It has some of the hardpan, a few sprigs and clusters, and some of the articificial stuff.
 
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I don't personally. Any coach I know would rather play on Natural grass if possible. Some places in the country, it's just not possible to have an acceptable stand of grass for the entire football season, games and practices. Where it is possible, it's expensive. The ideal scenario, which you will find most larger schools have is a high quality natural grass game field, ( or a good infilled artifical system (ie. fieldturf) if that is not possible, a natural grass outdoor practice facility, an infilled outdoor practice facility, and an infilled indoor practice area. Not everyone can afford that.
 
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