TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — Months after Troy University built its new indoor facility, the Trojan football team is working harder, smarter, and cooler.

90-degree temperatures, glaring sun, and tough dirt. Those are the conditions the Troy Trojans have been playing in for years, but not anymore.

“It just allows us to do many things better,” said head coach Gerad Parker. “It’s more efficient, and it keeps us out of the heat when we don’t need heat exposure and direct sunlight.

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“It protects us during storms and things, which allows us to be more efficient with the most valuable thing on this planet, which is time.”

One of the ​biggest advantages of the new facility is its turf field. Now that players can use the indoor space, the Trojans’ main playspace, Larry Blakeney Field, now sees less foot traffic, meaning less wear and tear.

“We want to preserve our game field for game settings, simulation, and game day and protect our surface,” Parker said. “It allows our surface and facility in the vet to last longer, so we are not on it as much.”

For the players, having an open facility to spend time outside of practice, or even during the colder months, allows for more practice that might not have been possible before.

“It’s a huge plus for us,” said quarterback Goose Crowder. “Weather delays or anything like that, we can go get our work in.

“It’s a different field to be on the turf and not in the stadium. The lighting is good, and our guys really like it, and it’s a shorter walk from the facility.”

It isn’t goodbye to the Trojans’ outdoor playing fields. Parker said after the team finishes pre-practice and warmups, the outdoor fields will still be useful for simulating real game weather.

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“We still have to have that heat exposure because we are going to play in it,” Parker said. “So then we will transition from those times in there and bring out our full practice moments and periods out here, which give us proper heat exposure to get ready for a hot August and hot September.”

With spring ball almost over, the foundation has been set at the new facility. Now, the Trojans look to take that momentum into the 2026 season.