Ohio State Announces Even More Much-Needed Upgrades

This week has been all about making subtle, yet much-needed upgrades to the Ohio State football program. Earlier this week, the Buckeyes officially unveiled an updated all-black “Tunnel Vision” look that they will likely debut at some point this season. Then, they made tweaks to the core home and away jerseys with updated Buckeye Stripe sleeves, the Block O on the chest, and hidden festoon stitching. On Friday, the program added hype for the all-scarlet and all-white looks with a promo featuring Payton Pierce and Kenyatta Jackson Jr.

However, of all of these, perhaps the largest update will be the fact that the Buckeyes will be tearing up the old four-year-old turf and replacing it with a better, safer turf.

Ohio State Announces New Turf For Ohio Stadium

In 2022, the program announced it would be replacing the field surface and asked fans for designs. After thousands of entrants (including one by this author), the turf was announced. The issue wasn’t the design, but rather the type of turf. At the time, it was the Shaw Sports Turf Momentum Pro style of playing surface. Safelight Field came under scrutiny in 2022 as the Buckeyes had an uptick in soft-tissue injuries. At the same time, the NFLPA was working to ban slit-film turf, the exact same kind of turf used by the Buckeyes.

While a return to the natural grass playing surface would be ideal for player safety and so forth, switching back to grass was not in the discussion. Natural grass, while best for safety, is the most difficult and expensive to maintain. Plus, the field level is below the water table, which would cause severe drainage and mud issues. Think Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh when there has been a hint of rain.

So, after just four seasons on the old turf, the Buckeyes will switch to Shaw Sports Turf’s Forge Series, which should meet NFL standards. The update should be a bit safer for the Buckeyes, plus it should be able to withstand the traffic on the surface. Considering Ohio Stadium hosts a handful of concerns – including the newly announced Twenty One Pilots show on October 17, as the Buckeyes will be at Indiana – durability will be key.

Customization

Perhaps the most interesting part of the whole ordeal is the fact that Safelight Field, according to the program’s release, “integrates field markings directly into the turf” and “the ability to assist in branding opportunities for themed games.”

Athletic Director Ross Bjork spoke highly of the switch, adding, “The new surface at Ohio Stadium takes this vision further — providing a dynamic playing surface that provides the latest advancements in performance and safety and meets NFL standards, and our staff will now be able to utilize customizable end zones that amplify themed game atmospheres and elevate the experience for fans inside the stadium and watching nationwide.