Neyland Turf Years

From 1969 to 1988 the end zones in Neyland Stadium on Shields-Watkins Field didn’t hold the famed Checkerboards. In 1969 the grass was pulled up and the Tartan Turf was put in it’s place. So with the removal of the grass field, went with it, the removal of the Checkerboards. During that almost 20 year span the field saw different variations of end zone decoration and midfield logos. If you were to search for what Shields-Watkins Field were to have looked like during that time, you find what amounts to not much. But I have done extensive research by watching hours of games and films to properly diagram what was there during those seasons. So now there will be a record of what was in Neyland Stadium from 1969 to present day. Please enjoy this labor I very much enjoyed undertaking. Go Big Orange!

1969:

The Turf is installed and Shields-Watkins dons its first new field, although this design was only used this season. in the season finale vs Vanderbilt the Vols celebrated 100 years of college football by putting footballs in the endzone with 100 emblazoned on it.

1970-1973:

The "Tennessee Vols" word marks were removed in 1970, and the field was left blank during these seasons.

1974:

In 1974 the Vols added the interlocking UT symbol to mid field. This UT logo had an orange T and a white U, it remained at midfield until 1986.

1975-1979:

The end zones were no longer bare in 1975. Tennessee Volunteers written in orange and trimmed in white was placed in either end zone and remained there for 4 years.

1980-1984:

The end zones once again had all designs removed, but the Tennessee Volunteers wordmarks were still on the field. they were added to the sideline out of bounds areas on either side of the field.

1985:

In 1985 the Vols decided that the wordmarks needed more orange, so they did just that.

1986-1988:

The familiar interlocking UT was removed from midfield and the endzones had a new addition, 2 helmets on either side. IN 1988, The University of Tennessee introduced a new University logo. This logo was a U and a T that had the shape of the state of Tennessee in the middle of them. This brand new UT logo was placed at mid field during during the final 3 home games of that 1988 season. (Alabama, Boston College, and Kentucky).

1989-1993:

In 1989, the Checkerboards made their triumphant return. The updated interlocking UT made its way back to mid field as well. this field layout was used until the end of the 1993 season when the Turf was removed and real grass was put in its place.



Thank you all for taking this tour with me down through the history of the turf designs in Neyland Stadium!