Johnson To Begin First Vanderbilt Spring Practices on March 12 2/26/02

The first spring practices conducted by new Vanderbilt Football Head Coach Bobby Johnson will start in a new location on Tuesday, March 12, continuing April 6 when the program hosts its annual Black and Gold festivities.

For the first time in recent memory, all of the spring sessions will be conducted on Dudley Field in Vanderbilt Stadium, Johnson said. The move enables major work to begin on the renovation of the team's traditional practice facilities behind McGugin Center.

Fifteen practices are scheduled, with the Black & Gold Scrimmage slated for April 6, at 2:00 p.m. The first practice is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m.

"We're excited about the construction getting starting and what it will mean to our football team when it's completed. Until then, we'll make the best of the situation and go into the stadium," Johnson said.

The university will spend nearly $5 million in the next five months to upgrade the two football practice fields and construct a 2,500-capacity stadium for varsity soccer and lacrosse. When completed later this summer, Johnson's Commodores will have the option of practicing on a natural grass surface or state-of-the-art synthetic turf addition.

Work on the project will begin within days, according to Steve Franks, Vanderbilt Associate Athletics Director of Operations. At the conclusion of spring practice, the department is prepared to repair damage to the Dudley Field grass surface.

The tentative practice dates, subject to changes, are March 12-13, March 15-16, March 19-20, March 22, March 24, March 26-27, March 29-30, April 2, April 4 and April 6.