New practice fields at TCU feature Tiff Tuff

The trucks and crews can’t move fast enough for TCU football coach Gary Patterson.

The $2 million renovations to the practice fields just west of the Sam Baugh Indoor Practice Facility aren’t expected to be football-ready until July. Patterson hopes its ready in June, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

No matter when it’s ready, it’s going to be a massive improvement that should take on the manicured look of a putting green. Two fields will use a natural turf called Tiff Tuff, which is a version of bermudagrass designed for the Fort Worth weather, said Ross Bailey, TCU’s athletic director in charge of facilities and operations.

The new practice fields will also include a synthetic turf area for the blocking sleds so the natural grass isn’t torn up and turned to mud. The biggest improvement will be the drainage. In the past, one of the two practice fields struggled to drain quickly after a rain.

The new fields will include layers of gravel and sand and will allow for rainwater to drain into a massive drainage system. The team could conceivably practice on a relatively dry field 30 minutes after a rain with the updated drainage system.

The entire practice area will be widened and raised up a few feet.

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