Greg Robinson, Head Football Coach, Remarks on FieldTurf
Opening Remarks:
“I first of all take this opportunity to thank Daryl (Gross) and the Chancellor. It’s another step of being a part of this team where you really proud of what’s ahead. The FieldTurf setup here for us right now is one I think Daryl (Gross) just hit on. I think as a football team, it’s the closest thing to grass that you are going to have the opportunity to play on indoors, and as far as the synthetic surface even outdoors. I have had the good fortune of playing on FieldTurf on a number of occasions in some torrential weather and still been able to function very well. It’s really a good thing for our football team, obviously, in here and out on our practice facility. I think with the grass field we were limited at times. With the AstroTurf setup it was not as easy, so we would come into the Dome at times. Now we are going to have two fields and over 200 yards of surface there that we can practice on which is really a plus for us. It’s hard as a football team to practice continuously just on a 100-yard surface. To be able to have our two practice fields that will be turf, and available to us at any time, is a real plus.
I also think, as Daryl (Gross) mentioned, it’s a real plus in recruiting. It isn’t so much the surface that’s the plus in recruiting, even though I would like to believe it is, but it’s also the commitment that’s made by our University community, the financial commitment. I think when you couple this whole venture along with our weight room, and who is to say what’s to come, it’s something that you can go to the outside world and talk about the commitment, and specifically, the financial commitment that’s being shown. That’s very appealing. I am just glad that we are able to go out and deliver that message.”
On playing on field turf:
“I think it has been documented by players, you just go through the professional ranks where I think it has had the most exposure, and the comfort of playing on it is genuinely, I think, very strong. I also think that in inclement weather, I don’t think there is any surface that can match it. I have been on AstroTurf, grass and FieldTurf and when you really have a weather condition, I don’t think that anything is better or as good. I think that you know what you are getting as far as a footing foundation, and as Daryl (Gross) mentioned, it’s softer, so you don’t take a blow when you are hitting it, it gives more. I think that there are a lot of pluses and it’s very consistent in what you have. It makes for a better game and gives you the opportunity really to very much predict what your surface is all about.”
On if field turf is as fast as AstroTurf:
“I don’t know if it is as fast as AstroTurf. In some ways, I know in football, that’s probably a plus because the game is played at a high rate of speed anyway, and it’s a contact sport and a collision sport. I think it is faster than probably grass, but if it is slowed down a little bit, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”
On the changes that have occurred since he was hired:
“Obviously, the change that was made last Friday (May 13) about our new weight room and the FieldTurf are major changes that are being made. I think they are very positive, and as I have mentioned, for the success of our team they will be positive influences, the weight room and FieldTurf. I also think that in the world of perceptions, the commitment by our University community and the support of the program, it’s a real plus. I think it’s felt immediately by our football team, and it’s a statement to them and that they are proud to see that there are some changes being made for their betterment. It’s exciting and I think we are all feeling that.”
On if had any feedback from players on the surface:
“In the year 2000 when I was with the Denver Broncos, we played the Seattle Seahawks on that surface, and then in 2001, 2002 and 2003, all those years in the NFL, I played on it several times. I have been in terrible weather conditions too, not that we should worry about that, but there might be days in practice. It’s a very good surface. I have been on surfaces that are similar but not FieldTurf and have seen the difference. FieldTurf is a superior product. I am pleased that this is the choice that people made.”
On if there will be time to practice on it before the first game:
“That has all been discussed and I believe that we are going to get a number of practices on it prior to playing in a game.”
On using FieldTurf as a recruiting tool:
“I think there are two-folds that go with recruiting world – one, clearly there have been studies to show that it is a safer surface, so obviously, that’s important, and secondly, it’s important to those people who we are recruiting and the families of the people we are recruiting that they see the commitment that our University community is making to help us in the progress of our teams.”
On if his job is made easier by the new weight room and the FieldTurf:
“Daryl (Gross) has been very supportive. His energy and enthusiasm is felt by all of us. That in itself is a plus for our football team, it’s a plus for out football community here and it’s a plus for us in recruiting to be able to display the support that we get outwardly and inwardly from our athletic director.”
On if FieldTurf brings the Carrier Dome into the twentieth-first century:
“I think, quite frankly, it really does. I would like to believe that 25 years ago when the Dome was built that it didn’t matter where you were in America, you knew what the Dome was. I think right now, here it is 25 years later, there is a sense of commitment toward facilities and re-establish Syracuse as a school that will rank with anyone as far as facilities are concerned.”
