Matt Eberflus has demonstrated a clear command of things from the moment he took over as Chicago Bears head coach. He has a clear plan for how he wants his team to look and play on Sundays. It is all there in his H.I.T.S principle. However, the responsibilities of a head coach don’t end with teaching and motivating players. He must also find ways to create every advantage possible through schemes and equipment changes.
That brought his attention to Soldier Field itself. He got a proper education of the Bears’ home venue in August through a training camp practice and a preseason game. It seems he was unimpressed. Everybody saw pictures of how chewed up the playing surface was following an Elton John concert. Eberflus was assured the field would be re-sodded before the start of the regular season. That wasn’t the problem, though. He had a different concern. So he did something no Bears head coach has ever done, according to Jarrett Payton of WGN-TV.
He asked to switch up the sod.
“Totally surprised,” remarked Soldier Field general manager Tim LeFevour.
So, Kentucky bluegrass is out and Bermuda grass is in, which Eberflus saw firsthand on the practice field in Indianapolis…
…“It’s so much tighter – the plant and the footing,” LeFevour added. “Players are going to feel that difference. It’s going to be a faster game, I think, you’ll see on this turf. We would have gone to this years ago if we felt we could grow it longer into the fall season.”
Matt Eberflus proved again he does his homework.
The man always finds ways to educate himself. One of the biggest requirements of his football team is speed. He wants them fast. The original Soldier Field turf made that problematic because of the sod’s makeup. Switching to the tighter Bermuda variant, the speed guys on both offense and defense should be able to take full advantage to possibly make more big plays. They say football is a game of inches. If this decision helps players gain even two or three more inches, it could make a huge difference.
This isn’t a shot in the dark, either. Bermuda has already proven itself to work in colder climates. The Kansas City Chiefs have taken full advantage of it over the past several years. Matt Eberflus knows. His Indianapolis Colts visited there in January 2019. The Chiefs’ offense didn’t seem any slower despite the 32-degree temperatures, scoring 31 points. Eberflus learned from that experience, holding them to 13 points when the Colts visited again later that same year.
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He knows the benefits of that grass first-hand. Now he hopes his players will take full advantage of it.
I live in TN where Bermuda grass is popular. It dries up and turns brown after the first frost. At that point it has no resiliency to stress. The lawns seeded with fescue remain green all winter. A Bluegrass/Fescue blend may have been a better choice for brutally cold Chicago winters.
Let’s just hope that Lefevour and the Parks district actually maintain the field. It was such an embarrassment while looking at the field after the Elton John concert. But, I am not surprised as any government organization (such as the parks District) from Chicago is low quality.
George McCaskey should feel proud right now. 1) Shrewd and talented GM. 2) Smart and always prepared head coach. 3) Sweaty Teddy is retiring, so he can also replace him with a football person now.
Finally a SMART head coach(giving his HOME team as much of an advantage as possible!!)
feels good to have a SMART person in charge.