The new fan inspired design of the Ohio Stadium field which will be fully installed between April and June. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Dept. of Athletics

After a season in which the Ohio Stadium turf came under scrutiny from fans and media, Ohio State announced a new-look field design ahead of the 2022 season.

The design includes a multitude of small changes made to the old stadium design, including color changes to the boundary lines and end zone and yard-marker font changes, according to an athletics department press release. The boundary lines will change from white to gray while the font on the yard-markers will match the font of player jersey numbers. 

The end zones are where the most changes lie, with the use of the official Ohio State word marks — featuring a blockier text. In line with the goal posts, the iconic stripe that appears on the Buckeyes’ helmets will be painted on the boundary. 

At the kickoff locations on the 35-yard line, Buckeye leaf decals will replace the two traditional ‘X’s’. 

The Block “O” logo will remain at midfield, but the outline will change from black to gray. 

The new design will not just be limited to Ohio Stadium, as the Woody Hayes Athletics Center will also receive new turf on both the inside and outside practice fields.

The new-look field design, which will be installed between June and July, contains multiple tweaks to the previous design, including some brought forth through fan-inspired concepts stemming from a field design contest run by the athletics department, which received 1,300 submissions. 

The release stated that the Block “O” at midfield, the incorporation of Buckeye leaves and scarlet end zones headline the design elements most favored by fans. 

The previous turf and design was installed — at both Ohio Stadium and the Woody Hayes Athletic Center — in 2014 and was designed to have an eight-year life span, which it hit this season. Complaints surrounding the turf last season stemmed from a worn-out end zone design and natural wear-and-tear. 

Ohio State has not yet disclosed a cost for the turf replacement. This story will be updated once that information becomes available.