Burke-Tarr Stadium
Encyclopedia
Burke–Tarr Stadium is a football
stadium located in Jefferson City
, Tennessee
on the campus of Carson–Newman College.
.
victories in 1986, 1988, and 1989. After the team moved to NCAA
Division II in the early 1990s, the team ran off a home winning streak that stretched from a 62–31 loss to New Haven in 1993, to a 38–28 loss to conference foe Presbyterian on October 6, 2001, a span of 36 regular season games; Northern Colorado defeated the Eagles, 30–29, in a Division II semi-final game in 1997. Since that loss, the Eagles have run off another 22-game home winning streak, discounting a 2005 loss at Jefferson County High School, including two playoff games against Fayetteville State. Since moving up in classification, the Eagles are 63–2 at Burke–Tarr Stadium.
Much of the success at the stadium has come under the coaching era of Ken Sparks
, who ranks fourth in most wins among active NCAA coaches.
Although the new stadium incorporated the visiting side bleachers from the original stadium (erected much later on in the facility's life) a late donation by a local businessman enabled the college to replace the Bermuda grass field with FieldTurf
, a modern artificial surface that is largely similar to grass. The playing field was named for legendary C-N football coach Roy Harmon. The full stadium name is Roy Harmon field at Burke-Tarr Stadium.
Due to the proximity of the Carson-Newman baseball complex, a nearby road, and the space needed for the operations center, the stadium was unable to hold a regulation track, so none was installed. In July 2006, construction began on the football operations center, as well as the completion of the brick fencing in the North end zone and around the visiting side's bleachers. The operations facility was completed in time for the 2008 season, though there is no word on the indoor practice facility funding.
The Eagles completed the 2006 season with an 8–3 record, and ran their record at the new Burke–Tarr Stadium to 7–0. In the 2007 season, the Eagles extended their winning streak at the new stadium to ten games, but suffered their first loss on October 13, 2007 against Catawba College
, 55–49. The 2008 season saw the Eagles drop a non-conference home game to the University of North Alabama
20–13 on September 4. Their record at the new stadium now stands at 15–2.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
stadium located in Jefferson City
Jefferson City, Tennessee
Jefferson City is a city in Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,760 at the 2000 census. The city was originally named Mossy Creek, but was changed in 1901 to honor Thomas Jefferson...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
on the campus of Carson–Newman College.
Construction
The original structure, consisting primarily of concrete-supported wooden bleachers and a small press box, was constructed in 1966 to serve as the home for the Carson–Newman Eagles football, then a member of the NAIANational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
.
Eagles' success
From 1967 to 2004, the Eagles compiled a 192–37–2 record at the original stadium, which hosted three of the team's five NAIA National Football ChampionshipNAIA national football championship
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Football National Championship is decided by a post-season playoff system featuring the best NAIA college football teams in the United States. Under sponsorship of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the championship game has...
victories in 1986, 1988, and 1989. After the team moved to NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division II in the early 1990s, the team ran off a home winning streak that stretched from a 62–31 loss to New Haven in 1993, to a 38–28 loss to conference foe Presbyterian on October 6, 2001, a span of 36 regular season games; Northern Colorado defeated the Eagles, 30–29, in a Division II semi-final game in 1997. Since that loss, the Eagles have run off another 22-game home winning streak, discounting a 2005 loss at Jefferson County High School, including two playoff games against Fayetteville State. Since moving up in classification, the Eagles are 63–2 at Burke–Tarr Stadium.
Much of the success at the stadium has come under the coaching era of Ken Sparks
Ken Sparks
Ken Sparks is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Carson–Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee, a position he has held since 1980, and is the winningest football coach in NCAA Division II history...
, who ranks fourth in most wins among active NCAA coaches.
New stadium
The new Burke-Tarr Stadium was erected within nine months of the original's demolition, and was dedicated on October 22, 2005 during Homecoming festivities as the Eagles defeated Lenoir–Rhyne, 33–6. The facility's main stands consist primarily of steel and aluminum, as concrete prices at the time of construction made it impossible to afford a concrete structure. The metal design allowed for four additional entrances to the main stands via stairwells from the ground level, in addition to the entrances on either end of the stadium. The stands contain press box supported by two steel and brick columns, leaving a great deal of space underneath for concessions stands, merchandise booths, and restroom facilities.Although the new stadium incorporated the visiting side bleachers from the original stadium (erected much later on in the facility's life) a late donation by a local businessman enabled the college to replace the Bermuda grass field with FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
, a modern artificial surface that is largely similar to grass. The playing field was named for legendary C-N football coach Roy Harmon. The full stadium name is Roy Harmon field at Burke-Tarr Stadium.
Due to the proximity of the Carson-Newman baseball complex, a nearby road, and the space needed for the operations center, the stadium was unable to hold a regulation track, so none was installed. In July 2006, construction began on the football operations center, as well as the completion of the brick fencing in the North end zone and around the visiting side's bleachers. The operations facility was completed in time for the 2008 season, though there is no word on the indoor practice facility funding.
The Eagles completed the 2006 season with an 8–3 record, and ran their record at the new Burke–Tarr Stadium to 7–0. In the 2007 season, the Eagles extended their winning streak at the new stadium to ten games, but suffered their first loss on October 13, 2007 against Catawba College
Catawba College
Catawba College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in Salisbury, North Carolina, USA. Founded in 1851 by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in Newton, the college adopted its name from its county of origin, Catawba County, before moving to its current home of Salisbury...
, 55–49. The 2008 season saw the Eagles drop a non-conference home game to the University of North Alabama
University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is a coeducational university located in Florence, Alabama, and the state's oldest four-year public university....
20–13 on September 4. Their record at the new stadium now stands at 15–2.