It’s the place where Dogs hit the gridiron, hall of famers get their start, triumphs are celebrated and losses mourned.

And it’s where Kenny Pauley clocks 14-hour days to keep Sanford Stadium in prime playing condition.

Pauley, director of athletic turf and grounds, and his crew mow, paint and prep the field where the Bulldogs play to roaring crowds.

“College athletics is not all about who you cheer for,” Pauley said. “I am a fan of student athletes. My job is to offer them the best possible playing surface.”

His team manages the soccer, softball and baseball fields, but the field at Sanford Stadium is the main priority for football season.

A typical work day starts at 6:30 a.m. and Pauley, a former Western Carolina football player, is usually the last to leave at day’s end.

“All the hard work is worth it when I come out here and see 95,000 people in the stadium and the nation looking at the players on the field,”Pauley said.

Seeing student athletes excel drives the Shelby, N.C. native, whose career in turf management spans two decades.

“I don’t know what I would be doing if I were not doing turf management,” he said.

He credits his wife, two daughters and son for his success. His son, Ben, 8, loves visiting the field, and calls himself “Dad’s little assistant,” Pauley said.

“Each day is different,” said Robin Landry, a senior from Griffin and turf management major, who joined the management team two years ago.

“Sometimes all I do is sit on the mower,” she said. “Other times I have to get dirty and collect soil [to check the moisture levels].”

Special circumstances such as the media blitz surrounding ESPN’s College Gameday broadcast add more pressure for the crew to meet expectations.

“Everything related to ESPN overwhelmed me,” Pauley said, shaking his head. “They [ESPN] wanted everything to be perfect. Their main concern was how they looked on TV. The football game was secondary. I focused on the safety of the football team.”

Fans spent time choosing an outfit for the Blackout, but Pauley and his crew worked days on the painted end zones.

“We started Thursday and did not finish until Saturday,” he said. “The field needs 12.5 gallons of paint.”

“The biggest challenges are knowing what to paint first and not stepping on the paint and leaving footprints,” he said.

But this weekend will offer the crew a reprieve from gameday demands. Pauley will close down Sanford, setting the alarm and locking field gates until homecoming.

“Luckily, my wife, Shelby, is very understanding, and raises my children while I work 12 to 14 hours a day,” he said. “She is a big part of why I am here.”

Pauley joined the management crew two months ago.

“I was thrown into the fire,” he said, “But my staff has been very good to me. I never would have made it this far without them. They basically take care of me.”

“How many people do you know are paid to work a college event?” he said. “The biggest perk is seeing student-athletes excel and knowing I played a part.”