Georgia Southern’s director of facilities Roger Inman and Tifton Turf Farms are in the midst of redoing the sod at Paulson Stadium and lowering the field’s crown by six inches.
The renovations began immediately after graduation last Saturday and will improve the field’s drainage. The school decided to combine the task of taking the crown from its current height of 16 inches to 10 inches with the resodding process, which Inman does every five years.
“By lowering the current crown, we are improving the drainage of the field by getting rid of the upper thatch layer,” Inman said. “It’ll be improved tremendously. It’s never been bad, but it’ll be close to what it was when it was originally built.”
The field was initially constructed with an 18-inch crown in the 1980s and has since been lowered twice by a single inch, once around 1996 and again in 2003. The crown can’t go below 10 inches because of rock in the drain tile, Inman said. The current project is spearheaded by Tifton Turf Farms’ Paul Massey, a GSU alumnus who helped with the two previous field reconstructions.
The crown sits atop a clay base, which is covered with white sand. Above the sand a black layer of soil has built up over the years, making it difficult for water to percolate through.
“If you look now where they’ve lowered the crown, you see a white sandy field, which is what you want underneath your turf for better drainage,” second-year football coach Chris Hatcher said. “Of course having a flatter field would be preferred, but it makes no difference because we practice on a field with a crown. It’s six to one, half dozen to another.”
The project commenced with cutting the sod off the field. Roughly 85 percent of it was replanted around Paulson to help beautify the facility, specifically behind the recently renovated restrooms. Late last week, workers were busy removing six inches of soil across the field.
Once the crown is lowered, the field will be re-grated and Tift Sport grass, the same sod as before, will be installed this coming Wednesday or Thursday. Inman said the timing will allow the field to be ready for play in eight weeks. The Eagles’ home opener is slated for Sept. 6 against Austin Peay.
“We joke around that I’m not tall enough to see over the crown, but that’s not the basis for what we’re doing,” Hatcher said. “Roger does a great job with the grounds.”
Alex Pellegrino can be reached at (912) 489-9413.
The renovations began immediately after graduation last Saturday and will improve the field’s drainage. The school decided to combine the task of taking the crown from its current height of 16 inches to 10 inches with the resodding process, which Inman does every five years.
“By lowering the current crown, we are improving the drainage of the field by getting rid of the upper thatch layer,” Inman said. “It’ll be improved tremendously. It’s never been bad, but it’ll be close to what it was when it was originally built.”
The field was initially constructed with an 18-inch crown in the 1980s and has since been lowered twice by a single inch, once around 1996 and again in 2003. The crown can’t go below 10 inches because of rock in the drain tile, Inman said. The current project is spearheaded by Tifton Turf Farms’ Paul Massey, a GSU alumnus who helped with the two previous field reconstructions.
The crown sits atop a clay base, which is covered with white sand. Above the sand a black layer of soil has built up over the years, making it difficult for water to percolate through.
“If you look now where they’ve lowered the crown, you see a white sandy field, which is what you want underneath your turf for better drainage,” second-year football coach Chris Hatcher said. “Of course having a flatter field would be preferred, but it makes no difference because we practice on a field with a crown. It’s six to one, half dozen to another.”
The project commenced with cutting the sod off the field. Roughly 85 percent of it was replanted around Paulson to help beautify the facility, specifically behind the recently renovated restrooms. Late last week, workers were busy removing six inches of soil across the field.
Once the crown is lowered, the field will be re-grated and Tift Sport grass, the same sod as before, will be installed this coming Wednesday or Thursday. Inman said the timing will allow the field to be ready for play in eight weeks. The Eagles’ home opener is slated for Sept. 6 against Austin Peay.
“We joke around that I’m not tall enough to see over the crown, but that’s not the basis for what we’re doing,” Hatcher said. “Roger does a great job with the grounds.”
Alex Pellegrino can be reached at (912) 489-9413.