After Tuesday’s football practice at Aloha Stadium, Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz examined his arms and legs.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll be going home without strawberries this year,” Moniz said.

Moniz and his teammates were abrasion-free following the Warriors’ first practice on the new artificial turf at Aloha Stadium. “It’s a good turf. It’s soft. Last year’s turf used to cut up your skin.”

The stadium replaced that turf after eight years. Its blades were worn down, creating faster traction but a rougher texture.

The change “was needed,” quarterback David Graves said. “It was notoriously bad for rug burns. People knew when they came to Hawaii, they would get scraped up.”

The past two years, several Warriors wore long-sleeved shirts and high socks, leaving little skin exposed. Even that wasn’t always effective.

But the new turf — UBU Speed Series

S5-M, officially — has thicker padding and longer blades.

“At first when we came in, we thought it was kind of slow,” defensive tackle Vaughn Meatoga said. “But it’s really nice, especially for the linemen. We’re not slipping all over the place.”

Defensive tackle Kaniela Tuipulotu said: “It doesn’t look like it’s going to hurt to make a tackle on the field anymore.”

Left wideout Darius Bright, who is recovering from a turf-toe injury, said the new turf provides ample padding.

“It’s more cushiony,” he said. “It feels good.”

Student assistant coach Ashley Lelie, who recently earned a bachelor’s degree in history, was impressed with the evolution of the field. In 2001, he played on the stadium’s AstroTurf.

“There wasn’t any cushion under it,” he recalled. “It was like playing on a rug.”

Lelie then rolled up his left sleeve, showing a 10-year-old scar.

“It never went away,” he said.

Asked to rate the new turf, Moniz said: “On a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 1.7-millon-dollar rating. Isn’t that what it cost?”