Memphis unveils new indoor practice facility
After nearly a decade of fundraising and delays, Memphis unveiled its longawaited indoor football practice facility Wednesday.
Memphis president David Rudd, along with football coach Ryan Silverfield, senior linebacker JJ Russell, athletic director Laird Veatch and Board of Trustees member Cato Johnson cut the ribbon in a private ceremony shared on Twitter through the Memphis football page.
The $11.2 million facility, which is 78,000 square feet, is attached to the back of the Billy J. Murphy football complex and features Nfl-level field turf. The field has been named the Hardin Family Field.
"This has been a long journey for the University of Memphis football team to build an indoor facility," Rudd said in a release. "This means we have crossed that finish line, and it was an important finish line. It was a finish line in a race that has been run by many, many people who have given and supported this effort."
Inside, there will be floating goal posts with mechanical nets in each end zone, LED lighting, two video platforms, a scoreboard at the south end zone and wall pads around the full perimeter.
It helps complete the turnaround of the Memphis program from where it was 10 years ago. The Tigers were coming off a 2-10 season in 2009 and lacked facilities to compete with rival schools.
The Tigers finished the 2019 season ranked No. 17 following a 12-win campaign, their first outright AAC championship and a trip to the Cotton Bowl.
"Because we have evolved to where we are now a Top 25 program, this is really about leveling the playing field," Veatch said. "Our competitors, the folks we are recruiting against and playing against, have facilities like this. It's not just about recruiting, it's about being able to compete in ways we maybe haven't been able to before."
The groundbreaking ceremony was in April 2017 and the first phase was completed in July 2019 with new coaches offices, dining facilities and a new athletic training room. Construction on the practice facility began immediately after.
"It's jaw-dropping. It's a beautiful facility and I just can't wait to get our guys out here running around," Silverfield said in the release, "I know they'll be excited, but I don't have any other words other than wow. Truly an amazing place. Thank you to everybody that made this happen."
In 2009, then-coach Tommy West urged the school to put more into the program or do away with it when he was fired after a 2-10 season. Two years later, fundraising for the indoor practice facility began under then-coach Larry Porter.
Momentum grew as Justin Fuente led the Tigers' rise to becoming a Top 25 program, and ground broke in Mike Norvell's second season.
"My freshman year, I saw the video of this plan," Russell said in a video provided by Memphis. "Ever since then, this team has been working hard to get this. I thank all the former players before me and everyone else that contributed."
The Tigers football team will use the facility during workouts as they prepare for their season opener on Sept. 5 hosting Arkansas State