Issue date: 8/17/08 Section: Sports

The football team's season-opening game against Missouri Science and Technology on Aug. 28 has been moved to Central Methodist University because of delays in the installation of the new synthetic surface at Stokes Stadium.

Central Methodist is an NAIA school located 85 miles to the southwest of Kirksville. The start time to the game has been moved up thirty minutes to 7 p.m.

"I think proximity, playability, the conditions," Athletics Director Jerry Wollmering said of the decision. "They put in a new turf last summer. They put in new lights just like ours. … It seemed to be the best situation that we had available to us."

Every team in the MIAA plays on a turf field, and Truman does not have a game scheduled on natural grass for the next three years.

Wollmering said the latest schedule given out by GeneralSports Venue - the contracting company for the turf at Stokes Stadium - has the field being finished on Sept. 5, one day before the Bulldog's second home game against Southern Arkansas University. It is the second time the schedule has been pushed back.

If the field is not finished by Sep. 5, Central Methodist would not be a viable option for the Saturday night contest because the Muleriders have a home game that same night.

"I think it's unfortunate that we have to move a game, a home game, to a different site," Bulldog head coach Shannon Currier said. "We have an opportunity here to create school spirit, have a nice activity for all the students here, get the town excited. We put the new lights in last year for an opportunity such as this, and then to see it moved is pretty demoralizing."

Truman has never played nor practiced at Central Methodist. Currier said there are no advantages to being the 'home' team at a neutral site.

"What we always have to do, regardless if we're playing home or away, is to get the player's mindset to be making that particular field their home field everywhere we go," Currier said.

The Bulldogs were originally scheduled to play seven games at Stokes Stadium, the most in school history.

Truman will lose the revenue from having a home game, CMU will keep the revenue from ticket and concession sales. Students can still get in free with a valid school ID.

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