Broncos' turf playing better than it looks

Broncos head coach John Fox says the team worked on its conditioning during practice this week. (John Leyba / The Denver Post)

ENGLEWOOD A striking visual confronted a national TV audience last Sunday night. The Broncos began their season playing on haggard-looking turf at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The field played well, with minimal slippage, but it didn't look well.

"We have always placed a lot of pride in the 'playability' of our turf. The safety of players is our first priority. This was a cosmetic issue, but it doesn't meet our standards," said Andy Gorchov, general manager of Stadium Management.

A confluence of factors contributed to the field's less than forest green appearance: a heavy traffic event schedule leading up to the Broncos' opener, soggy weather and the seeding process used to replenish the turf.

Before the Colts game, the stadium hosted a Manchester United-AS Roma soccer match, which required the grass to be cut at a shorter length. Also played on the field: lacrosse games and the Rocky Mountain Showdown, matching the CU and CSU football teams. Combine that with two Broncos practices, one conducted in torrential rain, a scrimmage and a pair of preseason games, and the turf took a beating.

"It was a perfect storm. The (Desso) Grassmaster (blend) needs a window of time to reseed. And we haven't had that two-week window," Gorchov said. "In reality, this is one of those years where we expect the field to look better later in the season."

Why not resod the field's problem areas?

The Broncos use a seeding process that allows the turf to strengthen. Resodding, as seen in the 49ers' and Texans' fields recently, can create footing issues because of loose sod. Several Broncos said Mile High's turf had no issues. No consideration was given to painting the brown spots for appearance sake, since doing so can create long-term damage.

The Sports Turf Managers Association has voted the Broncos' field tops in the industry in the past.

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Broncos' turf playing better than it looks