TEAL NATION | CCU football has been taking off since 2012, and now it’s riding the ‘Surf Turf’

Since Joe Moglia took over as head coach entering the 2012 season, the Coastal Carolina football program has prided itself on thinking outside of the box and being original in its ideas and approach.

Of course, nothing was more telling of that philosophy than Moglia’s hiring in the first place, as the university gave the former CEO and current chairman of TD Ameritrade a chance to return to his roots in football.

And the Chanticleers will be even more unique starting this 2015 football season as they debut new teal turf inside Brooks Stadium.

For most fans, the team’s home opener Saturday night Sept. 19 against Western Illinois will be the official unveiling of what has been dubbed as the “Surf Turf.”

“I think everybody’s excited about it,” Moglia said as his team used the new surface in the preseason. “It’s unique, it’s different in a classy way, I think.”

Boise State became the pioneer in customized artificial turf when it debuted its now-famous blue field in 1986.

Several other schools have followed suit more recently, but Coastal Carolina is believed to be the first to use teal.

The project, which ended up costing $1,067,875 and reached substantial completion in late April, was about more than just representing the school colors, though, Moglia insists.

“This represents the entire community,” he said. “So the teal is a combination of both the ocean and the sky, we’ve got green [initiatives] in there too just in terms of grass and fields and trees, the bronze on the field represents the sand. So it’s not just our colors; it’s the entire community of greater Coastal Carolina, the Grand Strand, this part of South Carolina, etc.”

Coastal Carolina is striving to capture a stronger footing in the local market among football fans, especially as it prepares to move up to the Sun Belt Conference and the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level in the coming years. Along with that move the Chants will be expanding Brooks Stadium to more than double its current capacity of 9,214 – as well as, hopefully, the size of the crowds it hosts.

The teal turf is now part of the Chants’ image and part of the product they’re selling, and the players are hoping the new “Surf Turf” can aid in their growing national profile the way the “Smurf Turf” did over the years for Boise State.

“I’ve truly come to love it,” senior defensive end Calvin Hollenhorst said. “I think it’s a great thing for the university. It gives us more of an image for the public and more of a trademark.”

Said junior defensive tackle Jabarai Bothwell: “It will bring attention to us. I feel we’ve been flying under the radar for too long.”

Fans can form their own opinions starting Saturday.

As for what else to expect if attending the Chants’ home opener, here’s a gameday primer:

PARKING

Coastal Carolina used the summer to tear up and redesign the main parking lot next to Brooks Stadium as well as the adjoining parking area that runs behind the outfield fence of the baseball stadium.

To accommodate that process, the pine trees behind the ballpark were removed to make room for designated paved spaces.

Overall, the university expanded that main permit-only parking area from 278 spots to 287 so the net gain was not as significant as the aesthetic impact as the school put the finishing touches on the officially named TD Sports Complex.

But fans should notice the difference immediately.

SHUTTLES/TAILGATING

As usual, parking lots will open for tailgating five hours before kickoff for every home game.

For those not parking in the primary permit lot, the university will have between eight-12 shuttles – more than last year – running several routes around campus to pick up fans and transport them to the entrance of the TD Sports Complex.

“We haven’t had an issue with shuttles or lines before, but this will make it even faster and [easier] than it was,” said Michael Jacobs, Coastal Carolina’s assistant athletic director for ticket sales and revenue.

PREGAME FESTIVITIES

The Chanticleers will again set up their Fan Fest and alumni tent in the grass area in front of the Singleton Building.

TICKETS

As of Sept. 10, Coastal Carolina had sold right around 1,700 season tickets, according to Jacobs, up from about 1,500 sold the same time a year ago.

Jacobs added that because the Chants’ popular “Family Zone” season ticket packages – $130 for two adults and two kids for the season – sold out earlier than usual, a “Blitz Family Zone” package has been added for $200 in sections 107, 108, 124 and 125 (the last sideline sections nearest the north end zone).

Overall, the ticket office is holding a few season tickets in all of the remaining available sections through the second home game. All season ticket holders will also receive a commemorative box with a piece of the new teal turf in it, to be handed out at the first game.

“We’re basically up all across the board,” Jacobs said.

As for the season opener Sept. 19 against Western Illinois, he is expecting the 9,214-seat stadium to be close to sold out once students started claiming their share of the tickets Monday. And the Sept. 26 “Family Weekend” game against Bryant already has less than 200 seats remaining.

The message Jacobs hopes to get out is to encourage people not to wait until game day to buy tickets this year.

“By the time we get to kickoff [for the opener], we should be close to capacity again. But I don’t want to discourage people – we definitely have tickets available,” he said. “[But] people have to learn the culture is changing. The second game is near sold out so we’re going to have to do standing-room only.”

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 1:18 AM with the headline "TEAL NATION | CCU football has been taking off since 2012, and now it’s riding the ‘Surf Turf’."