GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The day
Steve Spurrier returned to coach his alma mater on New Year's Eve of 1989, he immediately lobbied for the Astroturf to be torn up at Florida Field and replaced by natural grass. Doing so would be better for the health and comfort of the players and dial field temperatures down by 10-15 degrees.
Within six months, the conversion had taken place, well in time for Spurrier's debut game against Oklahoma State.
It's been lusher, greener pastures for the Gators ever since.
Three decades of football on the real grass, however, have required not only fine upkeep but also several replacement projects, with the latest such undertaking beginning this week at the stadium now known as Spurrier/Florida Field. The University Athletic Association's first re-sod project since 2012 is underway and expected to be completed in July.
Season after season of sodding repair and painting the field takes its toll on the grass. The ground gets contaminated and the crown of the field can become uneven due to overuse, which impacts how the field drains.
The new grass that will be installed is called TifTuf Bermuda, billed as a fine-textured, bright-green turf that is disease-resistant and the best drought-tolerant grass on the market. It also provides the best resistance to traffic.
And there will be plenty of traffic, starting with the 2019 home opener against Tennessee-Martin on Sept. 7, plus the games and seasons to come, with the new surface expected to last between seven to 10 years.
