Finally, Help for Shield-Watkins Field

#101
#101
BruinVol said:
Not saying it's a legit excuse but the number of times from June-August where the field is expected to be in gameday shape is being said to hamper things.

It's much more than before under other coaches is the story.
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The biggest red flag I heard on the radio was they aerated in July. That should be early spring or atleast after the spring game.
 
#102
#102
The issue cannot be fixed this year. It is too over-used and damaged. It would need to be roped off for the rest of the year all the way through the Spring to truly be fixed which is why it hasn't really been completely fixed. It isn't some lawn in a subdivision and it isn't a golf green. The climate in the Southeast is a transition between all major grasses therefore it isn't just a matter of copying some other turfgrass from a pro team in Kansas or Pittsburg. The entire field needs to be renovated but I can assure you no amount of top dressing or fertilization will keep the field from ripping up over the next couple weeks.
 
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#103
#103
DeerPark12 said:
That's not accurate. Including the open practice, the team practiced at Neyland 4 times during fall camp, which is the same as the last two years and 3 or 4 times fewer than Fulmer's teams practiced there.

It is true that is more than they did under Dooley, he was not a proponent of practicing on the game field. One season, they only practiced there twice before the opener. But Dooley is the exception, rather than the rule.




Butch would prefer turf, but he understands that is not going to happen here under any circumstances. The issues are not overblown.




The players are allowed to use whatever model Nike cleat they prefer. There are varying cleat lengths, but the "speed" cleats that Nike makes for the skill position players only have the shorter 3/8 spikes.

There are other models available with longer or changeable spikes, and some players have begun wearing those. Longer spikes do come with a higher risk of injury, which is why Nike recommends the shorter spike.
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Deer one other question if you know

Does jones expect the field in "game day" shape for recruiting events and visits more than our precious coaches?
 
#104
#104
Orange_Vol1321 said:
The biggest red flag I heard on the radio was they aerated in July. That should be early spring or atleast after the spring game.
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It's not a red flag for heavily used turf during it's growing season. This isn't going to be cured by some 5 step Scotts program. Heavily used turfgrasses are routinely aerated during their growing seasons.
 
#105
#105
landscapingvol said:
It's not a red flag for heavily used turf during it's growing season. This isn't going to be cured by some 5 step Scotts program. Heavily used turfgrasses are routinely aerated during their growing seasons.
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According to the article Hyams did, they aerated in August and the first game was Sept. 5th. That seems like it's pretty close to the season, but I know nothing on the subject.
 
#106
#106
landscapingvol said:
It's not a red flag for heavily used turf during it's growing season. This isn't going to be cured by some 5 step Scotts program. Heavily used turfgrasses are routinely aerated during their growing seasons.
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I understand but we're also not talking about a fairway on a golf course where you gradually walk. Aerating is to strengthen the root system and doing it on a football field one month before the season starts and 22 guys running and cutting 4 hours weekly doesn't sound like a good idea.
 
#108
#108
vol66 said:
According to the article Hyams did, they aerated in August and the first game was Sept. 5th. That seems like it's pretty close to the season, but I know nothing on the subject.
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And jones dictated the top dressing Is another part of what I am told


He didn't want much sand used because of it's look
 
#109
#109
Orange_Vol1321 said:
I understand but we're also not talking about a fairway on a golf course where you gradually walk. Aerating is to strengthen the root system and doing it on a football field one month before the season starts and 22 guys running and cutting 4 hours weekly doesn't sound like a good idea.
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Aerating is used to relieve compaction but I can assure you 150 hackers swinging irons on a grass does it no favors.
 
#110
#110
I know most of you hate him, but give Hyams credit. He ripped UTAD big on this one with a lot of facts and strong opinion, and got some results. If you haven't read his blog, you should.
 
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#111
#111
Bluetic said:
Bring in someone that knows how to maintain the grass before we jump to the fake crap! Rather have the crappy real grass than fake plastic/rubber stuff.
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I agree. When Campbell and his crew were here, they kept the field looking good and playing fast. I'm like you, I'm fearing that Hart will decide to go to field turf. Hopefully they will go back with the grass that's always done and looked good over the years.
 
#112
#112
Instead of going to the river, Team #120 will line up to push mow Shields/Watkins with those strap on aerating spikes.........

That'll fix it right up! & be a great team building exercise!?!?
 
#113
#113
BruinVol said:
And jones dictated the top dressing Is another part of what I am told


He didn't want much sand used because of it's look
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Because of its look? Sand is the most inconspicuous of all top dressing mixtures. I doubt he argued for a much more organic mixture which can have a very strong odor but it really depends upon the turfgrass. They aren't using a 75$ aerator you get at the Home Depot or some rental company so it was probably a deep tine aerator that is not very noticeable. The field is in poor shape for a lot of reasons but 99.9% of them have nothing to do with Butch Jones. But let's get a few things straight, any over saturated turfgrass with 300lb lineman playing on it is going to tear no matter the health of it.
 
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#114
#114
Manvol said:
@JimmyHyams: Bobby Campbell, greenskeeper for natural grass at Neyland Stadium from 1994-2010, was invited to Neyland today to get his opinion on surface

Question is what the hell took so long!?!
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I was just told by someone who should know: " I'll tell you what the problem is...Butch is using the field too much for practices. And he runs his camps on the field during the summer."

Any truth to this? We actually practice at Neyland during the season? I thought that is what Haslam Field is for. And, IIRC, Fulmer never used Neyland for practices or for camps...only for games.
 
#115
#115
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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Triple 10?
 
#116
#116
I don't ever want to see fake crap at Neyland while we have one of the best turf specialists in the world right down the road. That's just ridiculous.

Get rid of the current guy, bring in someone who knows how this works, and let's get Shield-Watkins back to where it's supposed to be. :rock:

And I try to ignore conspiracy theories for my sanity's sake, but I sure would like to know the back story on the hiring of the current guy. What were his creds? Who thought he would be The Man? Inquiring minds want to know! :zeitung_lesen:
 
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#117
#117
VolNExile said:
I don't ever want to see fake crap at Neyland while we have one of the best turf specialists in the world right down the road. That's just ridiculous.



And I try to ignore conspiracy theories for my sanity's sake, but I sure would like to know the back story on the hiring of the current guy. What were his creds? Who thought he would be The Man? Inquiring minds want to know! :zeitung_lesen:
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Pretty sure that specialist right down the road was all for hiring the current guy and is Still in his corner today
 
#119
#119
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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It already looks like they're running on a sandy beach that's been covered in artificial turf. Adding more sand sounds completely counter-intuitive in fact I think that's the main reason for the roots inability to take hold. I think a few years ago they started to add more sand/gravel to the mid-layer and that, combined with the former head groundskeeper leaving, makes for what we have now. IIRC the guy who we hired came straight from Florida and did not know much about growing grass in the Tennessee climate. Time to show him the door. Someone from the grounds crew did an AMA on Reddit last year I believe and he said the sand/gravel mixture was too thick a medium and was causing problems. He also made it sound like the grounds crew is pretty unhappy with the head grounds keeper.
 
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#120
#120
DenmarkVol said:
I was just told by someone who should know: " I'll tell you what the problem is...Butch is using the field too much for practices. And he runs his camps on the field during the summer."

Any truth to this? We actually practice at Neyland during the season? I thought that is what Haslam Field is for. And, IIRC, Fulmer never used Neyland for practices or for camps...only for games.
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According to DeerPark this is absolutely not true and in fact Butch uses the field less than coaches in the past.
 
#124
#124
UTFanForLife said:
Also said Dooley was the exception, not the rule. I don't think overuse is the issue here.
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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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