For those who have wondered why the Georgia baseball program switched to a synthetic turf field, head coach Wes Johnson said the reasons were quite simple: schedule and opportunity.

“I’ve never been a guy who's done something just because everybody else is, but just to put it in perspective, you know, we've got 56 games scheduled this year and as we stand right now, we've got a minimum of 48 games on turf this year,” Johnson said in an exclusive sit-down interview with UGASports on Tuesday. “We're in that time where because our league is so competitive, every day on that field matters. I think what it does is it frees you up, and as we continue to get crunched on time and how players today think, everything needs to be fast."

On a grass field, that’s not always the case.

Johnson said that’s especially true for teams like Georgia, which happens to practice at the stadium where they play.

Wear and tear can be extensive. Georgia’s coach said even the average in-season spring shower can lead to games being delayed and, in many cases, canceled due to field conditions.

“Now with games, you know, you're not worried about that. I mean now think about it, the only time you're canceling is if it is physically raining so hard that the balls are slipping, there's lightning or you actually have snow,” said Johnson, who noted fewer missed days on the practice field will only be beneficial for the team.

“I played all 40 guys. I think we need to take advantage of what we have. We need to make sure every player has the best opportunity to develop, and I think turf gives you that opportunity because you're not missing days,” Johnson said. “With the demands and everything that are being put on us from practice time and then the student-athlete and their class schedule and tutoring … just all these different things … you like being able to set a schedule and knowing that the only way it changes is if it is physically raining or lightning or snowy. I think just the simplicity of that from a player standpoint is massive.”

Johnson said there were other reasons he pushed for the move to synthetic turf installed by AstroTurf, a company used throughout the country by numerous college programs and Major League teams.

The ability to hold multiple camps and host showcases also played a massive role in the decision.

“I mean, you look at what Kirby (Smart) does right in the summers when he runs his 7-on-7 and you roll out here. Yeah, I mean, they're doing stuff on the actual grass, but he's got how many games going in the indoor? Three or four?” said Johnson. “The more you can get people on your campus, you get them excited.”

Johnson said camps have already been lined up.

Thanks to the new turf, there will no longer be any concerns about having to move events due to rain or poor field conditions.

Johnson said he understands some fans prefer grass fields.

“We’ve got a phenomenal grounds crew and our maintenance staff and horticultural people that we have made Foley Field over the years what it is,” Johnson said. “But we're playing last year, and we played on the last day you could play before you go to Omaha and they're painting the field because your winter ryes died out and it looks bad. There were bare spots and they're painting green out there. So, when I went to the decision of turf, it was more global than it was just focusing on the three and a half months that we're on it for the actual season.”

The ability to have as close to a big-league mound as possible also had an impact on the switch.

“The beauty of the big leagues is they have 10-day road trips and they're able to tear down the mound, they do that multiple times a year, they tear down the mound, they completely rebuild it,” said Johnson, who served for four years as the pitching coach for the Minnesota Twins. “We never have that time during our season. So, one of the things that I evaluated a lot on just the mound, for example, was what gives us the best chance to have a big-league mound. Well, it's turf. It's the most consistent surface for a mound that you can have in college sports.”

NOTES: Johnson said the rest of the $45 million renovation at Foley Field, including the new pitching lab, hitting area, and coaches offices, is expected to be completed by early February … The Bulldogs open their season on Feb. 14 at UNC-Wilmington against the Seahawks and Queens College. UNC-Wilmington’s Brooks Field uses the same synthetic turf being employed by UGA.