FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION

• EWU home victories would turn opponents red

  By Andrew Gaddess, FCS Intern Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - In an effort to boost exposure, Eastern Washington University will literally go in the red this year, replacing the traditional grass surface of Woodward Field with red artificial turf.

  The move is admittedly PR-driven, as athletic director Bill Chaves attempts to drum up interest in a program which averages around 5,000 attendees per home game.

  "The uniqueness of the red field was able to generate an amazing amount of publicity," Chaves said after announcing his plan.

  It is commonly believed in sports, however, that winning is the true elixir. The quality of the product on the field ultimately puts people in the seats. Is it possible then that Eastern Washington?s new "Red Zone" will serve not only as a marketing wonder, but also as a decisive in-game home field advantage? The Eagles already project to be a formidable unit in the upcoming 2010-11 season. They add quarterback, and SMU transfer, Bo Levi Mitchell to an offense which includes Walter Payton Award nominee Taiwan Jones. The defense is again anchored by standout senior linebacker J.C. Sherritt.

  So it appears likely that the Big Sky Conference school will improve upon last season's 8-4 record. But will this improvement be further accelerated by the presence of a potentially bewildering playing surface? The questions have already begun to mount. Will the brown hue of the football blend in with the red turf? Will opposing quarterbacks be able to detect defenders, draped in red, lurking in the secondary? Will practicing on the field give Eastern Washington an unfair advantage come game day? Visiting teams' pregame preparations will surely include at least a mention of the freakish turf, no? Those affiliated with Eastern Washington know better than to speculate. As Sherritt, the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award runner-up, said, "Playing on FieldTurf's gonna be great, especially later in the year when it gets cold. I'm looking forward to that. The fact that it's red is just a perk." Sherritt chose to downplay the turf color's significance, but will it supply more of a perk than he anticipates? For an answer, one must look no further than the most recognizable turf in college football, the template for freakish turf, the original, the path blazer, the one and only "Smurf Turf" at Boise State.

  When Boise State unveiled their now infamous "Smurf Turf" in 1986, opponents generally considered the field to be a joke. Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier relished the insults, seeing them as proof that opponents had the field in mind, thus enhancing Boise State?s home field advantage.

  Upon the 20th anniversary of "Smurf Turf?s" inception in 2006, Boise State had posted a 108-30 home record; a decided home-field advantage.

  Chaves admittedly had Boise State in mind when conceiving this venture. While visiting the campus in July 2009, Chaves noticed, "It was the middle of July and people were coming with cameras. It was like a scene out of ?Field of Dreams.? You lay it down and people will come." Eastern Washington will find out how many will come on Sept 18, when it hosts Big Sky rival Montana in the home opener. Will the "Red Zone" be merely a spectacle for media and fans, or will it prove to be the 12th man in the Eastern Washington attack? If Boise State is the litmus test, then Chaves and company ought to be encouraged. On Sept. 13, 1986, Boise State defeated Humboldt State, 74-0, in the inaugural "Smurf Turf" game. The win still stands as the largest margin of victory in school history.

  07/16 15:13:32 ET