Earlier this week, workers began the process of pulling up the old turf at Veterans Memorial Stadium in preparation of laying down a newer playing surface.

The surface being removed was put in place during the stadium’s major renovation in 2003.

The AstroPlay turf is a project Troy football head coach Larry Blakeney has been looking forward to for some time.

“It’s something we have to get done,” he said in a June interview. “That stuff wears down and needs to be replaced from time to time.”

Troy will play six games in its home stadium for the first time since 2001, the program’s first season in Division I.

The Trojans will host Sun Belt Conference foes Louisiana-Lafayette, Western Kentucky, FIU, and Arkansas State.

Mississippi State will mark the first time an SEC team has visited the campus. Navy will also travel to play Troy in 2012.