A video hitting X on Saturday showed the Winston-Salem State University grounds crew spray-painting the hashes on their football field by hand. No stencil, folks, just using their feet to measure the distance at Bowman Gray Stadium. You read that right: by hand.
Talk About Going Viral
This isn’t your usual pre-game setup, is it? We’re talking about a Division II CIAA conference team, Winston-Salem State University, an HBCU, getting ready for a home football game. And then this video drops, showing field lines going down freehand. Imagine the precision, or lack thereof, when you’re literally just walking it out and spraying. The outcome, as you might guess, wasn’t exactly pristine. Those yard lines? Definitely lopsided, a real head-scratcher.
The AD Stepped Up, What Happens Next?
It didn’t take long for this to get attention, and AD Eric Burns had to address the whole situation. He went to the news, didn’t shy away, and flat out said, “The field markings at our last home game fell short of WSSU Athletics’ standards, and I take responsibility.” That’s a direct quote, and you have to respect him owning it. Burns quickly detailed the plan to fix things, too. He confirmed they have “secured additional field preparation support and implemented new checks to ensure this is addressed before our next home game.” He made it clear: “Our student-athletes and Ram Nation deserve the highest standard, and we are committed to meeting it every time.”
So, while they’re trying to get those field standards up to par, the Rams are still searching for their first win. They took a 21-0 loss to Bowie State University in that same game, pushing their record to a tough 0-6. You have to wonder if a perfectly marked field helps turn things around for them. They will host Bluefield State this Saturday, October 17, and Burns has promised that extra field crew help will be on hand. Here’s hoping the lines are straight for them this time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
Leave a Reply