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Graphic by Shawn Bird
'Turf's up' at Autzen
By Steve Turcotte
Of the Emerald
For more than seven years, the
Astroturf playing surface at
Autzen Stadium has endured
Northwest rainstorms, blazing
sunshine and an unending
number of athletic events.
Now, after Duck football, in
tramural soccer, Oregon Jam II
and more, the turf shows signs of
needing replacement. Players slip
ping on routine cuts and linemen
sliding to make blocks have been
common occurrences of late.
"You just can't stand up on it on
a wet day," complains Oregon
football coach Rich Brooks. "A
new turf should have been put in
years ago."
Visiting players and coaches
agree something needs to be
done to the Autzen surface.
"That turf is a farce," said UCLA
safety Don Rogers following the
Oregon-UCLA game.
"It is really slick, especially
when it rains," says Washington
State University football coach Jim
Walden. "With all the rain and
pounding, it needs to be
replaced."
Netters to play
Portland State
Oregon's volleyball team, fresh
off an upset of San Jose State
University Saturday, faces NCAA
Division II power Portland State
University tonight in Portland.
Oregon, 23-16, already has earn
ed a spot in the NorPac Con
ference four-team playoffs. The
Vikings have a 35-match winning
streak against the Ducks and own
a victory over 18th-ranked Oregon
State University this season.
Tonight’s match begins at 7:30
p.m. Friday, the Ducks meet top
ranked University of Pacific in
league playoff action.
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Oregon Athletic Director Rick
Bay says the time has come to
remedy the situation. Bay in
dicates it will cost in the
neighborhood of $500,000 to
replace the turf and that money
will have to come from sources
outside athletic department
coffers.
“This would fall under special
projects," says Bay.
This is not just a spur of the mo
ment idea. Oregon's AD has been
'That turf is a farce'
— Don Rogers
trying to get the ball rolling on this
project for a while.
"I'm committed to doing it,"
says Bay. "The turf is in terrible
shape. You see players slipping all
the time — especially on the
visitor's side."
Bay has a couple of alternatives
he can take. He can choose to stay
with Astroturf, or he can select
another form of artificial surface
— Superturf.
The two are priced competitive
ly. The cost to retain Astroturf for
Autzen Stadium would be about
$6.50 to $6.75 per square foot, ac
cording to an Astroturf sales
representative. Superturf runs
about $6.50 per square foot. At
$6.50 per square foot, the cost to
replace the turf at Autzen Stadium
would be about $500,000, Bay's
magic figure.
Oregon's turf dilemma is not
unique — Washington State
University encountered the same
problem three years ago. Athletic
department officials at WSU
decided to go with Superturf in
stead of Astroturf at Martin
Stadium. It cost WSU $6.08 per
square foot to returf the stadium.
Walden has had no complaints
with the Superturf itself, but he
says the padding underneath it is
as hard as a rock. Many WSU of
ficials claim that's because ash
from Mt. St Helens sank into the
turf and hardened the pad.
Still, Washington State's situa
tion hasn't deterred Bay from
closely examining both turf pro
ducts.
"We have played on Superturf
at Ohio State this year and the
players liked it," says Bay. "Super
turf is a little less expensive, but it
really depends on who you talk
to."
Whether it's Astroturf or Super
turf, Bay stresses that a change
will be made, and soon.
"We need to get going on this
because it is a liability to leave that
turf out there," says Bay. "It's just
too slippery and too hard."
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