Finally, Help for Shield-Watkins Field

#127
#127
landscapingvol said:
It won't be an easy or cheap fix. I can assure you of that.
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The AD has a 100 million dollar budget and as you know has spent more than $400,000.00 just this past year...and it looks, and for the past few seasons this time of year, it has looked terrible.

This has not always been the case.
 
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#128
#128
vol66 said:
Me either.

The issue here is pretty clear.

Nothing we can do the rest of this season, but see if the man that used to do it will consult with the other experts already employed by UT and mentioned by Hyams in his article.

It's disgraceful that it's come to this but there is no reason it has to continue.
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The groundskeeper can't control the weather or disease nor can he fix it in the middle of the football season. The field is in poor shape but the reasons behind it aren't always that simple as to blame the one in charge.
 
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#129
#129
landscapingvol said:
The groundskeeper can't control the weather or disease nor can he fix it in the middle of the football season. The field is in poor shape but the reasons behind it aren't always that simple as to blame the one in charge.
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I understand what you are I saying, I do. If any of the things you mentioned are true I think the University should say so. The weather hasn't been unusual this year, for East Tennessee.

You obviously have knowledge on this subject that I do not. That doesn't trump my eyesight and memory over the last, almost, 50 years.

People wouldn't be going nuts over this if we were used to it happening this time of year. The opposite would be true and we'd be claiming at as a "home field advantage". :)
 
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#130
#130
landscapingvol said:
The groundskeeper can't control the weather or disease nor can he fix it in the middle of the football season. The field is in poor shape but the reasons behind it aren't always that simple as to blame the one in charge.
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I agree. A few years back Busch stadium in St. Louis' turf got messed up and they limped in on the season. Now if you've ever been on that turf you know its one of the best in all of sportdom...So...even the best of the best can run into trouble occasionally (even Augusta National, which is without a doubt the best turf my feet have set foot on, can have a few issues and theirs is overseeded with Rye to be pristine for an April tournament). Having said that...MAN I HOPE WE GET THIS TURF CORRECTED BECAUSE ITS HARD TO LOOK AT!!!
 
#131
#131
BruinVol said:
Deerpark said butch used the field more than Dooley
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But less than Fulmer and Kiffin. You're trying to make a futile point because my statement was that he used the field less than other coaches in the past. I've noticed that some are trying their best to hang the field issues on Butch and tgst is simply absurd. I'm sure you're not trying to do that are you?
 
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#132
#132
Seriously though, setting aside the horrible field conditions I don't blame anyone for not wanting to talk to Jimmy Hyams.
 
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#133
#133
Dragon18 said:
But less than Fulmer and Kiffin. You're trying to make a futile point because my statement was that he used the field less than other coaches in the past. I've noticed that some are trying their best to hang the field issues on Butch and tgst is simply absurd. I'm sure you're not trying to do that are you?
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I think this is a combination of a lot of things and some aren't the grounds crew fault. I think both the crew and butch have some fault here

1) grounds crew has done a poor job managing under the circumstances

2) Mother Nature hasn't been kind with rain around a number of games

3) butch asked for the field to be game day presentable way more than the field needs in the off season for recruiting purposes.

4) more pre season use than the grounds crew was accustomed to

5) butch wouldn't allow the correct amount of sand for top dressing in the off season

6) the molded cleat by nike isn't made for wet conditions yet many of kids are wearing them and shouldn't making the slipping more of an issue


7) butch has used the media hoping this wins hart over to the turf idea


That's what I think
 
#135
#135
BruinVol said:
I think this is a combination of a lot of things and some aren't the grounds crew fault. I think both the crew and butch have some fault here

1) grounds crew has done a poor job managing under the circumstances

2) Mother Nature hasn't been kind with rain around a number of games

3) butch asked for the field to be game day presentable way more than the field needs in the off season for recruiting purposes.

4) more pre season use than the grounds crew was accustomed to

5) butch wouldn't allow the correct amount of sand for top dressing in the off season

6) the molded cleat by nike isn't made for wet conditions yet many of kids are wearing them and shouldn't making the slipping more of an issue


7) butch has used the media hoping this wins hart over to the turf idea


That's what I think
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Well... ok.

It would be a better position if some of your "factual points (3-7)" were actually credible and not just a bunch of hearsay. But it's possible.
 
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#136
#136
Dragon18 said:
Well... ok.

It would be a better position if some of your "factual points (3-7)" were actually credible and not just a bunch of hearsay. But it's possible.
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Fair enough.

Those things came from someone that would be in the know but I know the deal with "sources" here so take it all fwiw
 
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#137
#137
landscapingvol said:
The groundskeeper can't control the weather or disease nor can he fix it in the middle of the football season. The field is in poor shape but the reasons behind it aren't always that simple as to blame the one in charge.
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The weather hasn't really been issue this year and there's several options for disease prevention and treatment.We had some disease issues on one of our athletic fields but was easily treated with a fungicide application. Most likely it's a change in the turf program that's led to the poor conditions.
 
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#140
#140
FlyFishnVol said:
My guess is nitrogen levels are low causing roots to grow on the thinner layer of the surface vs. down. Weather is too cold to fix, they will lay more of a sand and gravel mixture to shore up loose field, this will fill in the cracks if you will...nothing can be done until the spring with early spring with a different treatment for roots to grow thicker and in a downward pattern. Personally I would spread manure early February, that stuff will be thicker than shag carpet........but that is me :)
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My guess is ever since we knocked the Sh!t out of Georgia, the field has been over-fertilized.

Need to get the PH levels normalized.
 
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#141
#141
FlyFishnVol said:
My guess is nitrogen levels are low causing roots to grow on the thinner layer of the surface vs. down. Weather is too cold to fix, they will lay more of a sand and gravel mixture to shore up loose field, this will fill in the cracks if you will...nothing can be done until the spring with early spring with a different treatment for roots to grow thicker and in a downward pattern. Personally I would spread manure early February, that stuff will be thicker than shag carpet........but that is me :)
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Although nitrogen has some effect on the roots it's more utilized to create upward growth of the leaf shoot. Potassium on the other hand is vital to root "growth" that being said no nutrient will make roots grow down, the depth the roots will grow depends on the water level in the soil. On my Geeens at the Golf Course I tend to keep them on the dry side in order to drive roots down deep. The field was recently over seeded less that 6 weeks ago since then it has rained more than normal, the roots have had no reason to drive deep and create a solid foundation thus we have subpar field conditions. Also the field is now rye so it will continue to grow and root until it burns out next summer when temperatures start to get into the mid 80's. My only suggestion would be a subair system like on the golf course greens it's a herring bone type layout of slitted/courgated drainage pipe surrounded by pea gravel and a sand layer for the root zone no dirt sand only so it will drain well. Then that's connected to a giant turbine impeller that literally sucks the water out. Very expensive but we wouldn't have conditions like this again!
 
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#142
#142
Coach Campbell was my baseball coach at Doyle in south knox in the 80's, to my knowledge we had the first Bermuda grass infield in the area, at the end of practice we picked crab crass, buckets of it. He knew his stuff way back then.
 
#146
#146
BentGrowinVol said:
Although nitrogen has some effect on the roots it's more utilized to create upward growth of the leaf shoot. Potassium on the other hand is vital to root "growth" that being said no nutrient will make roots grow down, the depth the roots will grow depends on the water level in the soil. On my Geeens at the Golf Course I tend to keep them on the dry side in order to drive roots down deep. The field was recently over seeded less that 6 weeks ago since then it has rained more than normal, the roots have had no reason to drive deep and create a solid foundation thus we have subpar field conditions. Also the field is now rye so it will continue to grow and root until it burns out next summer when temperatures start to get into the mid 80's. My only suggestion would be a subair system like on the golf course greens it's a herring bone type layout of slitted/courgated drainage pipe surrounded by pea gravel and a sand layer for the root zone no dirt sand only so it will drain well. Then that's connected to a giant turbine impeller that literally sucks the water out. Very expensive but we wouldn't have conditions like this again!
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They have been using grow lights recently.
 

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#147
#147
When I was at Farragut I remember the football coach never let anyone on the field. The band kids never understood why the couldn't practice on it. Well it turns out the more traffic, the worse off the conditions will be. Doesn't jones hold various practices, more than previous coaches, in Neyland?
 
#148
#148
mdrew27 said:
When I was at Farragut I remember the football coach never let anyone on the field. The band kids never understood why the couldn't practice on it. Well it turns out the more traffic, the worse off the conditions will be. Doesn't jones hold various practices, more than previous coaches, in Neyland?
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I think I read somewhere that Jones uses it more than Dooley, but less than others.
 
#149
#149
I was at Farragut High School after their playoff loss, last Friday. I looked at the playing surface very closely.

It was in excellent condition.

I watched the entire game and I don't recall anyone slipping or losing their footing.

If Farragut High School can grow and maintain and excellent playing surface then why can't UT?
 
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