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It's been a long time since there was a grass field at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. The last time DKR featured grass was in the Mack Brown era. But according to a report in the Austin American-Statesman, grass could be returning to the UT campus.
The last quarterback to play on grass at Memorial Stadium was Colt McCoy. Texas had grass from the construction of DKR until 1969, when following the trend in all sports, UT installed old school hard AstroTurf.
When Ricky Williams was setting records at Texas, the Horns installed natural grass system known as Prescription Athletic Turf. In 2002, the PAT was replaced with another type of grass surface, TifSport Certified Bermudagrass.
Basically, Texas had natural grass during most of Brown's era at Texas, so all the great highlights of Rick and Vince Young and Colt are on grass.
But in 2009, Texas installed FieldTurf. FieldTurf is a much more realistic form of artificial surface than AstroTurf that uses rubber pellets and fibers to more closely resemble grass. AstroTurf was more like carpet.
Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte has been teasing a return to natural grass for a few years. Now it seems like it could to become a reality.
Del Conte says if coach Steve Sarkisian approves the change, DKR could feature natural grass by 2027. Del Conte says the Longhorns want to finish the indoor practice facility that's currently under construction first.
"I got to figure out how we're going to practice," Del Conte said in a town hall this week. Sark likes practicing at Royal-Memorial Stadium. It's much closer for players and staff than the current Texas practice facility at Frank Denius Fields.
If Texas does switch to grass, the team will have to practice elsewhere. Only the Friday walkthrough can be done on the stadium's field. "As soon as you start practicing on it, you start to ruin the grass," Del Conte said. "You only play on it."
This is why the athletic department wants to finish the new indoor practice facility first before replacing the DKR surface. Frank Denius Fields are viewed as less-than-suitable.
"If (Sarkisian) says, ‘Yes, we're going to do (grass),' that will start next January," Del Conte said. "We'll put a grass field in for the following year. But the timing of that is going to be when he says what he wants."
The fully-financed practice facility project was started in 2024 and is expected to be completed in June.
Follow us on X/Twitter at @LonghornsWire.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Is Texas Football replacing artificial turn with natural grass at DKR?
Continue reading...
The last quarterback to play on grass at Memorial Stadium was Colt McCoy. Texas had grass from the construction of DKR until 1969, when following the trend in all sports, UT installed old school hard AstroTurf.
When Ricky Williams was setting records at Texas, the Horns installed natural grass system known as Prescription Athletic Turf. In 2002, the PAT was replaced with another type of grass surface, TifSport Certified Bermudagrass.
Basically, Texas had natural grass during most of Brown's era at Texas, so all the great highlights of Rick and Vince Young and Colt are on grass.
But in 2009, Texas installed FieldTurf. FieldTurf is a much more realistic form of artificial surface than AstroTurf that uses rubber pellets and fibers to more closely resemble grass. AstroTurf was more like carpet.
Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte has been teasing a return to natural grass for a few years. Now it seems like it could to become a reality.
Del Conte says if coach Steve Sarkisian approves the change, DKR could feature natural grass by 2027. Del Conte says the Longhorns want to finish the indoor practice facility that's currently under construction first.
"I got to figure out how we're going to practice," Del Conte said in a town hall this week. Sark likes practicing at Royal-Memorial Stadium. It's much closer for players and staff than the current Texas practice facility at Frank Denius Fields.
If Texas does switch to grass, the team will have to practice elsewhere. Only the Friday walkthrough can be done on the stadium's field. "As soon as you start practicing on it, you start to ruin the grass," Del Conte said. "You only play on it."
This is why the athletic department wants to finish the new indoor practice facility first before replacing the DKR surface. Frank Denius Fields are viewed as less-than-suitable.
"If (Sarkisian) says, ‘Yes, we're going to do (grass),' that will start next January," Del Conte said. "We'll put a grass field in for the following year. But the timing of that is going to be when he says what he wants."
The fully-financed practice facility project was started in 2024 and is expected to be completed in June.
DKR–Texas Memorial Stadium playing surface history:
- 1925–1968 (Natural Grass)
- 1969–1995 (Artificial Turf)
- 1996–2008 (Natural Grass)
- 2009–Present (FieldTurf)
Follow us on X/Twitter at @LonghornsWire.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Is Texas Football replacing artificial turn with natural grass at DKR?
Continue reading...
