With the arrival of more grass-like playing surfaces, many Big Ten teams are opting for an artificial field that requires less maintenance than a natural one.
“Ideally I think everyone would rather have natural grass, but for me this is the next best thing,” Illinois coach Ron Turner said. “With the weather you have here and everything else you have to keep up with, that’s probably the biggest reason (we don’t have grass).”
Michigan made the switch to an artificial playing field recently after experiencing problems with its grass field for many years. With Michigan Stadium sitting below ground level, grass did not grow well on the playing surface and the turf was constantly coming up in huge divots during games.
Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Minnesota use artificial turf while Northwestern, Ohio State, Iowa, Michigan State, Purdue and Penn State play on natural grass fields.
“We’ve been very happy with the surface that we have,” Turner said. “I think this is the third or fourth year now that we’ve had it, and we’re pleased with it. Our players love it, and we’ve had no problems with it at all.”
The number of injuries occurring on artificial fields to natural fields also seems to be leveling out. Because most new artificial fields have a layer of rubber underneath the turf, the surface actually moves under the players’ feet.
“I read a report the other day that attributed injuries to the new turf, which is interesting,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Three of our (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries this year came on grass, so maybe the conclusion there is we have to go to the old-fashioned turf, the hard turf.
“I think when it’s all said and done, I don’t think there’s any real clear-cut conclusion you can come up with.”
MORE SECOND GUESSING
For the second year in a row, Minnesota started its game Saturday against Penn State with an onside kick, even after Penn State coach Joe Paterno jokingly said after last year’s game that was cheating.
Minnesota coach Glen Mason criticized himself for making the call, even though his team recovered the kick.
“I was eating a chicken salad sandwich last Tuesday watching some film over lunch hour with (running backs coach) Vic Adamle,” Mason said, “and I said, ‘the onside kick’s there again — a different one — but it’s there.’ And I kind of joked with him and said, ‘Only a fool would start (with) it two years in a row.’ Then Vic looked at me and said, ‘I guess we’re going to start it two years in a row then.’
“In hindsight, I thought I made two really bad coaching decisions in that game. One was to start with the onside kick…because playing at home with a good football team, why give up good field position on a risky play like that?”
LITTLE BROWN JUG
In what has become somewhat of a sideshow in the conference, there are 15 trophies up for grabs in Big Ten play, including the Governor’s Victory Bell and the Old Brass Spittoon.
But the oldest trophy in the conference — and in all of college football — is the Little Brown Jug, which will be given this weekend to the winner of the Michigan and Minnesota game. The story behind the jug dates back to 1903, when Michigan coaching legend Fielding Yost brought his own water jug to Minnesota because he didn’t trust the Golden Gophers to give the Wolverines water during the game.
After the game, which ended in a 6-6 tie, Yost accidentally left the jug in Minneapolis and wrote a letter to Minnesota asking for his water jug back. But the Gophers told Yost he would have to come and win the jug if he wanted it back, and the two teams have been playing for the trophy ever since.
“It’s really a special opportunity to play in this game,” Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said.
The Wolverines have won the Little Brown Jug 62 times in the 86 games the two teams have played since 1903.
Reach Zach Silka at [email protected].
Individual Leaders
RUSHING CAR YDS AVG YPG
Maroney, Minnesota 98 670 6.8 134.0
Barber III, Minnesota 106 602 5.7 120.4
Herron, NU 107 475 4.4 95.0
Hunt, Penn State 69 410 5.9 82.0
Green-Ellis, Indiana 117 406 3.5 81.2
PASSING ATT CP YDS TD RTG
Orton, Purdue 137 95 1367 17 194.1
Cupito, Minnesota 94 52 895 7 157.7
Henne, Michigan 135 83 1096 9 144.3
Tate, Iowa 131 86 1010 6 136.4
Beutjer, Illinois 104 62 674 5 129.9
RECEIVING REC YDS AVG YPG
Edwards, Michigan 40 665 16.6 133.0
Stubblefield, Purdue 28 505 18.0 126.2
Holmes, Ohio State 26 430 16.5 107.5
Philmore, NU 41 496 12.1 99.2
Roby, Indiana 26 442 17.0 88.4
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS YDS YPG
Orton, Purdue 161 1421 355.2
Basanez, NU 234 1472 294.4
Stanton, Michigan State 129 851 212.8
Zwick, Ohio State 140 832 208.0
Henne, Michigan 161 1019 203.8
Scoring GMS PTS PPG
Stubblefield, Purdue 4 60 15.0
Barber III, Minnesota 5 42 8.4
Edwards, Michigan 5 42 8.4
Holmes, Ohio State 4 30 7.5
Herron, NU 5 36 7.2
Halsey, Illinois 5 30 6.0
Power Poll: Upset Edition
1. Purdue (4-0): First to break through the security line
2. Michigan (4-1): Can score the winning touchdown in OT
3. Minnesota (5-0): Two running backs are upset immunity
4. Wisconsin (5-0): Defense hasn’t lost its voice
5. Ohio State (3-1): Fell off the goal posts
6. Iowa (3-2): Looking for some magic this weekend
7. NU (2-3): Nobody does it better under the lights
8. Michigan State (2-3): These guys better not trash talk
9. Illinois (2-3): Too scared to rush the field
10. Indiana (2-3): Getting dragged away by UP
11. Penn State (2-3): Won’t be tearing down the goal posts anytime soon
“I’m going to go make some things up that (Illinois coach Ron) Turner had to say this week, and put those up to see if they’ll work.”
John L. Smith, Michigan State coach
2
Number of running backs in the Big Ten who are averaging more than 100 yards per game this season — Minnesota’s Laurence Maroney and Marion Barber III.
