The University of South Alabama will hold a public dedication of the massive “Gridiron” sculpture at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27.

All are invited to attend the event, which will be held in front of the Football Field House on the western side of the main campus.

The 24-foot-tall stainless steel sculpture, donated by David and Lynn Gwin, was designed by sculptor Bruce Larsen. It depicts a runner holding the ball to the sky triumphantly as he is swarmed by a throng of tacklers.

“Gridiron is 5,000 pounds of off-the-shelf pipe fittings, sheet metal and imagination,” said Larsen, a Fairhope-based sculptor known for his fusion of natural and man-made materials into creations that are both spiritual and whimsical.

A pep rally with the USA Football Team, Pep Band, cheerleaders, and SouthPaw will be held immediately following the dedication.

Directions and Parking: Take Old Shell Road west past Jaguar Boulevard. Make a right onto campus at Cleverdon Parkway (at the light at Hillcrest Road). Continue on Cleverdon Parkway until it ends on Brannan Way. Make a right, and then a left onto John Counts Drive.