By Jennifer Whittaker, Editor

But this time the story isn’t about the achievements of former UGA stars Robert or Terrence Edwards or the Washington County ‘94,’96 & ‘97 State AA High School Football Champions. This time, the story is about a Riddleville farmer who grew the sod used for the Super Bowl XXXIX field.

TPhillip Jennings III won’t suit up for either team playing in Super Bowl XXXIX, but his role in the game is just as important as either team’s quarterback. That’s because Jennings grew the sod used for the Super Bowl XXXIX field.

“For the last few months I have watched football games with a different perspective,” Jennings said. “I now pay more attention to what cleats do to turf.”

About 40 flatbed trailers hauled 100,000 square feet of Georgia grown sod to Jacksonville, Fla., to make the Super Bowl XXXIX field. Pictured from left, Brooks “Sonny” Pennington III, president and chief executive officer of Pennington Seed; Ronnie Stapp, executive vice president, seed divisions; George Toma, Super Bowl field consultant; Ed Mangan, Super Bowl field director and Phillip Jennings of Jennings Turf Farms, inspect the sod before it is loaded for transport.

On Jan. 6, Jennings, president of Jennings Turf Farms, LLC, and officials from Pennington Seed, developer and producer of the sod, headquartered in Madison, Ga., began cutting the 100,000 square feet of sod that was selected to be used as the official football field of Super Bowl XXXIX.

“As a farmer, I’ve always enjoyed harvest time, but this is an especially meaningful harvest for my family and me,” said Jennings.

The turfgrass industry is the 11th most profitable commodity in Georgia. Many farmers, like Jennings, who once grew row crops, have expanded their operations to include turfgrass or made turf the sole commodity grown on their farms.

“It’s an honor for the NFL to have recognized our company for having a premier turf product,” Brooks “Sonny” Pennington, III, said.

Jennings and the Pennington Seed officials gave Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue the honor of cutting the first strips of the sod bound for Alltel Stadium.

“The first team to reach the Super Bowl is right here. The team of Phil Jennings and Pennington Seed. This is the third straight Super Bowl field that Pennington Seed has provided. I’d like to see the Falcons do that,” Perdue said while addressing the group gathered for the harvest.

The foundation for the Super Bowl XXXIX field is Pennington’s Princess 77 hybrid Bermudagrass. But don’t let the name of the grass fool you. NFL turf legend George Toma, who has worked on all 39 Super Bowl fields, says this grass is tough enough to stand up under the NFL’s heavy weights and withstand the wear and tear of the half-time show stage and performers.

“I’ve been in this game for 62 years, and this Princess grass is the best I’ve seen,” Toma said. “I like a grass that if it is damaged it will grow back by the next day.”

The Princess 77 used for this year’s Super Bowl field was planted a year and a half ago on Jennings farm in Riddleville, Ga. Because Bermuda is dormant in winter, the base sod was overseeded in early October 2004 with 125 pounds per acre of Pennington’s Royale and Blue Ridge bluegrass seed. In late October, the sod was overseeded with 600 pounds per acre of a mixture of Pennington’s Applaud, Integra and 1G2 perennial ryegrass seed.

“The base of the sod is Princess 77 Bermuda which gives the field its strength,” Ronnie Stapp, executive vice president of Pennington Seed, explained. “The overseeding of Pennington’s perennial ryes and Kentucky bluegrasses provide the incredible green color and a soft texture.”

Pennington Seed teamed with California based West Coast Turf to grow the fields for the 2003 Super Bowl in San Diego and the 2004 Super Bowl in Houston. With this year’s Super Bowl being played in Jacksonville, Pennington wanted to work with a sod grower nearby so the grass could be delivered fresh, Stapp said.

“There’s no magic to growing a Super Bowl field, just hard work,” said Ed Mangan, field director for Super Bowl XXXIX and the Atlanta Braves. “You’re always fearful of one thin spot or one low spot that’s settled that will make a difference in the game.”

Mangan led a crew of about 35 in laying the sod and maintaining it until the big game.

After the Super Bowl, the turf will remain in Alltel stadium where the University of Georgia and Florida play their annual SEC Conference football game.

“Alltel Stadium is getting a field that comes straight from the heart of Georgia,” Stapp said. “Maybe that will give the Bulldogs the home field advantage from now on.”