Football | 9/7/2016 1:44:00 PM
STATESBORO - While the Georgia Southern football team was passing its first test on Saturday, breezing past Savannah State 54-0, there was another element of the game that was passing its first test of the season as well: the new synthetic turf of Glenn Bryant Field at Paulson Stadium. Installed this past spring to much attention, the turf withstood nearly 6 inches of rain dumped by the remnants of Hurricane Hermine - whose eye passed directly over Statesboro - just a day before the teams took the field.
Instead of officials worrying about potential delays or rescheduling the game because of drainage issues, the new turf was dry and fast as the Eagles ran past the Tigers on opening day.
Once the rain subsided around 5 p.m. on Friday, the field slowly started to drain and was easily ready to play by the time the teams warmed up.
With the old surface, which was natural grass, the grounds crew would have begun painting the field on Wednesday, finishing up on Friday. That wouldn't have been possible this past weekend with the weather situation. The lines would have been faded and the end zone wouldn't have been filled in, according to director of athletic facilites
Nick Scull. The two teams would have also torn up the soft grass, making the field for next week's home game against UL Monroe sloppy and torn up.
That's all a worry of the past now as the turf has already paid big dividends in it's first real test.
"We went from what would have been a major concern with the old grass field to not having to worry about being able to play with the new turf," said director of athletics
Tom Kleinlein. "Statesboro received the brunt of the storm and we were ready to play 24 hours later. One of the major reasons we moved to synthetic turf was to give us the ability to use it during inclement weather and I think we've reaped the benefits of making the move already."
The next chance for fans to see the Eagles play at home will be that ULM game on Sept. 16. Tickets still remain for the contest and
can be purchased here.
