Gerald J. Stadium Gets EVERGREEN® RADIANT for New Grass Playing Field

Dallas, TX - COVERMASTER® turf growth blankets ensure SMU Mustangs field ready on opening day.

Located in University Park, a suburb of Dallas, Texas, SMU (Southern Methodist University) is a private research university featuring everything from biological sciences to chemistry, computer science, physics, mathematics, history, fine arts, and much more. It’s home to such SMU Mustangs varsity sports as soccer, basketball, swimming, golf, equestrian, volleyball and yes, football.

The SMU Mustangs football team plays on campus at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, a unique facility that appears to be at ground level to maintain the Collegiate-Georgian style of the entire SMU campus. However, the playing surface is located 25 feet below ground level. In 2025 as part of the stadium’s renovation, the playing field was converted back to natural grass thanks to the $2.5 million support of alumnae Karen and Sarah Scharbauer (mother and daughter).

To ensure that the new playing turf was ready for opening day, five 80 by 184-foot sections of EVERGREEN® RADIANT Turf Covers were ordered from COVERMASTER®. To offset the highly fluctuating Texas temperatures, these EVERGREEN® growth blankets have a specialized silver lace coating that draws in additional heat to the grass turf and retains up to 25% of that heat. This greenhouse effect provides faster growth and thicker turf. For quick installation and removal, five custom TARP MATE™ AIR Rollers were also ordered. Go Mustangs!

Posted April 14, 2026