University of Nebraska Turfgrass Science researchers teamed up with Husker Athletics to tackle the installment of Bermuda grass for the new football practice fields.
According to a university press release, Nebraska researchers highlighted the collaboration, which was aimed at building and maintaining two state-of-the-art bermudagrass practice fields for Husker football, during the 2025 Nebraska Turfgrass Field Day in Lincoln attended by 100 turfgrass professionals.
Amanda Folck, an assistant extension educator in turfgrass management, led a year-long research project evaluating the performance of hybrid Bermuda grass. Folck’s trial was strategically designed to simulate the intense wear and tear experienced on collegiate sports fields, helping Nebraska Athletics make evidence-based decisions on turf management for the future, the release stated.
“We are seeing a lot more facilities and programs going to bermudagrass because of the changes in technology and genetics,” Folck said. “It’s a no-brainer for us to be involved in this partnership as we are a land-grant university with Extension and have a turfgrass program that is growing every year. It’s a great opportunity for us.”
According to the university, Folck’s team used a traffic simulator equipped with spikes like to those used by Husker football players to simulate football play. The apparatus applied traffic to the Bermuda grass turf plot located on East Campus, with each pass equating to one full day of football activity.
As the trial progressed, data was collected every 10 traffic days, measuring surface firmness, surface grip, and turf health and density. These metrics were recorded on both trafficked and non-trafficked areas, offering a detailed picture of resilience and overseeding success.
This collaborative research will continue through December 2026, ensuring that Nebraska Athletics has the most relevant, season-spanning data to support decisions on turf management, performance optimization and player safety, the release stated.
“It’s been a tremendous partnership between East Campus, and the turfgrass science people that are there at the College of Agriculture, and the people that are here,” Matt Rhule, Nebraska's head football coach, said. "You should see our grass (practice fields) right now, it looks like Augusta (referring to the Master's Tournament golf course in Augusta, Georgia) out there."
Alex Harter, head sports field manager for Nebraska Athletics, who oversees day-to-day management of Husker sports surfaces, added, “Research and turf programs are a massive asset to any athletics program within any university with what they can provide for resources and knowledge.”
