I am a huge nerd about/just love visiting college campuses, their stadiums, taking in the tailgate and game day vibe, etc. So with that in mind fellow Spartans, I present the UW/Husky Stadium Nerd Out Report:
And as cool as Husky Stadium is--and it is:
Overall:
I think Spartan Stadium would be well-served to do the same with a roof/overhang. We have the same kind of upper deck stadium design as Husky Stadium, some equally inclement weather and it makes an INCREDIBLE difference. For anyone who thinks it's an eye sore, or would detract from the views of the Red Cedar, etc. it won't, if done right.
And it's just ASTONISHING, what an impact it makes.
Thoughts from those who also went?
- Beautiful, cool campus. Feels like some of the best BIG campuses do, but hilly, and with some stunning views. Proper.
- Tailgating was very chill and mellow. TONS of Spartans, out early, getting into it, having fun, boisterous. Had lots of UW and other people remark about just how many Spartans were in town. (And how impressed they were with the numbers, the spirit/energy and how they "liked" Spartan fans.)
- UW fans were polite and QUIET before the game. I've never been to an away game where the fans were doing less talking or even interacting. It was kind of odd.
- Talked to LOTS of Husky fans. Not ONE was expecting to win. Some thought it would be a good game, but they were still scarred from last year and were just hoping for a win. They were not on the bus, as of then. And as Comp pointed out, not only did fans rush the field, but watching the players on the sideline after was like watching a team that was celebrating a conference title or something. This was a HUGE, emotional win for them. And there seemed to be an interesting mix of relief and joy with most fans after.
- Our guys played hard, all game long. Kept going, tackling, hitting, etc. Impressive. No issue there. But you could just see that UW was playing even harder. They were jacked for this game, and it made a difference. Their corners were CRASHING the run and tackling HARD. And on, and on. Tip of the cap--they brought it.
- Husky Stadium: A great venue. Among the best in college football.
- Autzen (Oregon) is great. This is better.
- Of course the setting is cool, but the stadium itself is outstanding. And it's ON-CAMPUS. Always better that way.
- It feels bigger than 70k capacity. (I said to my buddy: "Seems a lot bigger than Spartan Stadium, doesn't it?" He says: "For sure." I said: "Nope. We get 5k more in Spartan Stadium." He was stunned.)
- I also pointed out to my buddies that a program as storied as UW has just two national titles. We have six. And while they have also been to the CFB playoff once, we've had a lot more success since 2010. Sometimes we Spartans need to remind ourselves of our accomplishments.
- I was stunned at a late-arriving crowd and the fact that it was only about 85% (?) full.
- I've been to plenty of loud places--Autzen Stadium, Ohio Stadium, and on and on.
- Husky Stadium was by FAR the loudest place I've ever been to. It was impressive.
- It impacted us all game long.
- There were SO many plays where guys just could not hear the audibles Thorne was calling. SO many.
- It felt like that resulted in plenty of times where the OL was not on the same page regarding the audible (run plays) and didn't know/couldn't hear the snap count. I'm guessing the OL was going on movement and not the audible QB count, but it seemed to have a BIG impact on our run game.
And as cool as Husky Stadium is--and it is:
- You are MUCH closer to the field at Spartan Stadium.
- The sight lines at Spartan Stadium are even better.
Overall:
- Great school, great campus, great stadium, great experience. Jesus, loud. In my mind, UW would be a great fit for the BIG, if that's the way it goes.
- That roof/overhang over the top decks does an INCREDIBLE job of making that place really noisy. And it looks cool.
I think Spartan Stadium would be well-served to do the same with a roof/overhang. We have the same kind of upper deck stadium design as Husky Stadium, some equally inclement weather and it makes an INCREDIBLE difference. For anyone who thinks it's an eye sore, or would detract from the views of the Red Cedar, etc. it won't, if done right.
And it's just ASTONISHING, what an impact it makes.
Thoughts from those who also went?
