Paul Dehner was hanging around UC’s first practice since the team left for Spring break and tweeted out this little doozy of information:
Tommy Tuberville said today UC will be getting new turf for next season at Nippert Stadium.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) March 29, 2013
Really this restoration was long overdue. How overdue you ask? Well here’s an image from the game against Rutgers in 2006 when Brent Celek trolled the Scarlet Knights oh so beautifully:
And here’s one from this past season against South Florida:
Between those pictures you can plainly see that the colors have faded over time among the other signs of wear-and-tear Carson Field has dealt with over the years.
So now it sounds like the turf is finally going to be restored heading into the 2013 football season. To be honest I don’t blame the athletic department or the football program for the delay in doing this. They’ve had bigger fish to fry recently, ya know little things like hiring amazing coaches, winning championships, and adding luxury boxes to Nippert Stadium. My only request is that they don’t change the numbering or lettering as they are one of a kind and what make UC football unique. Given Whit Babcock’s respect for Cincinnati’s traditions (he vows to never sell the naming rights of Nippert Stadium), I doubt there will be any major changes made to the aesthetics of the turf other than sprucing it up a bit.