Artificial Turf vs. Grass

Minnesota ripped up the grass at Memorial Stadium in 1970 and played on this brutal rug through the 1976 season. Some of you might recall the obvious hump or "crown" that ran down the middle of the field from end zone to end zone, presumably for drainage. Anyway, when they went back to grass in 1977 the Gophers scored that huge upset of #1 Michigan. In watching the game, it seemed clear that the thick, long blades did something to neutralize Michigan's obvious speed advantage. Saturday on Northwestern's grass field the Gophers seemed a step slow all day and they will play on a similar field at Purdue. Yes, both teams play on the same surface and the game will always be about blocking and tackling, but I was wondering what making that transition is really like for players. Any former players out there who can comment on their experience?

I took my sons to NU's "Meet the Wildcats" event they had the week before the Stanford game and went down on Ryan Field to play catch. The grass was surprisingly long and lush. They may have mowed it shorter right before the game, but maybe Fitz feels he gets a competitive advantage with longer grass.

Stoll claimed that grass slowed teams down - I'm wondering about injuries - more, fewer?

Northwestern usually does leave the grass very long for the mind game effect, but last Sat. it was relatively short. The Gophers have tried to use the long grass trick in the past more than once.
Here is one example from 1968:
"The first game of 1968 was one of Bob's best games, #1 USC and O.J. Simpson visited Dinkytown. Some shenanigans may have been tried, allegedly the U of M let the grass grow for two weeks to try and slow Simpson down."

http://www.thedailygopher.com/2015/...in-nominated-to-college-football-hall-of-fame

IIRC when USC went to South Bend for what would later be known as the Bush Push game, the grass at Notre Dame Stadium allegedly hadn't been mowed since before Labor Day.

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