Translated into American, that means "What time is it?"
Now say it in your exclamatory voice...What time IS IT???
Not only is is 11:15PM as I sit in the lobby of the Greenville Marriott-where the interwebs are free...IT'S FOOTBALL TIME!!! (I don't know how to say that in Spanish...)
I couldn't resist starting off the first blog of the season with that title for all of my new family members. You see, my baby sister got married last weekend (because nobody in their right mind gets married during football season) and I told her I'd dedicate the first blog of the season to her! And...she's in Spain right now, so she'll really appreciate it. Miss you, love you, mean it! She's a big fan and alumna of TROY, by the way. As all of my family is...
They say confession is good for the soul, so I must confess why you haven't heard from me since New Year's Eve...I've been really, really, reaaaalllly busy. Plain and simple. I've baked over 220 dozen cupcakes, spent two weeks in Italy on a mission trip, and filled my "free" time with lots of fun crafting projects, on top of all the normal mom, laundry, housekeeping, and life stuff. I'll share some of them as we go along this season, maybe.
I am glad to say I'm back! I've missed this therapeutic writing thing that I do. Hopefully I can share some insight with you that you can't get anywhere else. There are some things that are just too good to write down, so you may have to stop me on the sidewalk one day and get me to tell you some of the "good" stories.
I will start by saying, hands down, I have the best job in the world! TROY is the best place to do what I do. I have grown up here in the halls of Eldridge and Sartain and now in the beautiful Stadium Towers. This is where I belong, doing a job I absolutely love. I am a Certified Athletic Trainer and this is my platform to tell you what we do.
We were reminded at our faculty pep rally for the year that we should be grateful to be engulfed in an atmosphere that spends so much effort supporting a GAME! I do agree to that statement on many levels. It's a wonderful beginning to my work day to walk through the weight room where potential professional athletes are honing their muscular physiques. My conflicts with those words however reflect the dedication I have to my profession, that of recognizing injuries, educating about nutrition, concussions, hydration and such, holding the hands of injured or ill athletes. These are my babies, all 450 of them!
But this is more than a game...Scrabble and solitaire are games. When people die because of things that happen during a 60-minute session at your work, it's more than just a game. Every day, every practice, every game, the Athletic Training Staff is ready to save someone's life. We know how to spineboard an athlete with potential damage to their spine, how to recognize numerous life-threatening conditions, and work seamlessly, side by side with orthopedic and general practice physicians to deliver top-notch healthcare to these young men and women who have dedicated their lives to a sport. Luckily I've never had to call on those "big" skills, but colleagues all over the nation have had to do just that. THAT is why it's more than a game.
[stepping off soap box] I can't express to you my excitement for the upcoming event tomorrow at Clemson. It will be soooo hot at game time. That is my only complaint. Other than that, I live for the excitement - from room check earlier tonight, to pre-game taping, to the locker room in preparation, through half time rally speaches, and singing the fight song after a victory. Sprinkle a leisure jog across the field and to the locker room and back and it'll be a good day at the office. I do have a license to run with scissors, but don't tell my mom!
For a little peek into the game tomorrow...we're in good shape. Physically, we've made it through camp with minimal issues. Nobody has been injured in the air scrimmage (Jared Flemming) and other than a few bumps and bruises, we're looking pretty scrappy!
I never know how to feel about a game. Surely there are games on the schedule supposed to win. I don't think this is one of those. They have a bigger stadium than we do, more fans at the games, and more money in their bank accounts most likely...but we've seen those teams fall before to TMTDM!!
We'll give it a good Trojan try and see how the ball bounces. I remember a comment by Coach Blakeney that went something like this "We don't have to be better than them all the time, just better than for 60 minutes."
I'll be the one with the pink bow in my hair, screaming and coercing best as I can. But you can guarantee that I'll be counting to 11 every time the whistle blows to end the play. And if I don't see 11 get up, you may just see me smoke Chuck Ash as I run past him to the rescue of a player in need.
There are many things to share, but I've got to get my beauty rest. A little game day jog to get things going early tomorrow morning and then we'll be off to "Death Valley." Again, not a name given to a place where you play a game...
GO TROJANS!!!
Alyson
Friday, September 2, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
One Last Time
by Travis Jarome
July 29, 2011 - 11:10 am
Goodbyes are always the hardest, and today is no exception. I was going to bid adieu quietly this afternoon, but after four years here at TROY it is just too hard to say goodbye without saying something.
The journey started almost five years ago to the date with a simple e-mail from Ricky Hazel, and it has turned into so much more than that. The friendships that have been built here will last a lifetime, not just with co-workers, but with student-athletes, coaches and even the fans.
Inevitably someone will be left out if I tried to mention all the names that have meant something to me over the time I have been associated with the Trojan Nation. And for that I apologize.
I was told when I interviewed that people around TROY were like a family, and since day one I can tell you that is exactly how it is. Once you walk in the door as an administrator, coach or student-athlete it is just that, one BIG FAMILY. Everyone cares for one another, each sport cares about the next; and that is how it should be.
TROY will always hold a special place in my heart. I have only missed a handful of games since I got involved in college athletics, and most of those (with the exception of one) have been here at TROY. My daughter was born at the beginning of the 2008-09 basketball season, and she has become one of the biggest fans of TROY athletics. We have brought her to basketball games, football games and softball contests here in Troy, and she has loved every minute of it. She has become a part of this family here at TROY, and that will never change.
This morning I had a lot of time to think about things that have happened at TROY, special people that have touched my heart and places I have had an opportunity to visit thanks to the athletic department.
I have had a chance to visit places such as our nation’s capital, the US-Mexico border in Brownsville (TX) and New York among others. I have also to been to places such Dallas (although much of it was spent in the airport) and Denver.
But none has ever meant more to me than to drive down 231 to get to office. I have never referred to my job here at TROY as work, it has always been fun for me … I mean, come on, really, I get to be at athletic events all the time.
It has never been about me, and I know I am rambling a little, but it comes with the territory when you realize the time is drawing near. It has always been about the program … how can I get the name out more? How can I get our athletes more attention? Will this look good for the fans? Things like that. I have always, and will continue to be for the student-athletes, coaches and fans. Whether it be from publications or from websites, those are things that the public sees. Those are things that drive interest when nothing is going on around you.
I had a chance recently to redesign TroyTrojans.com. Were there things I would have changed after the design went up, sure, there are always things you want to change. But the one thing I took pride in was the fact that people said they liked it, that is all I cared about. I redesigned the site for the FANS, and the day it launched I crossed my fingers that people enjoyed it.
My last project here was the Football Media Almanac, something a little different than what we have done here in the past. It was a lot of work, but there were a lot of people involved in the process; but like I said before as long as it is liked by the fans and everyone else involved than we have done our job.
I will never forget the first week, or month, I was here at TROY. My first day, I was thrown into a webcast for a home volleyball match with Taylor Bryan and then just a few weeks later I was on the air with Barry McKnight on the road for men’s basketball. I have had a chance to be on the air with those two individuals, as well as Buddy Johnson, Jerry Miller and Jason Wright over time – and it makes a broadcast so much easier when you have people that care about TROY as each one of those people do.
I know I am going to leave a lot of things out, and a lot of people out, but those people know who they are since I have gone by and visited over the last few days.
To the women’s basketball team and to the softball team, my two teams who I have media responsibilities for, I have enjoyed my time with each of you over the years. Good luck to all of you during the upcoming season and your careers, I know you will do well.
To all of the administrators – Steve Dennis, Sandy Atkins and Ricky Hazel especially – thanks for giving me the opportunity to work here at TROY and believing in me. Without all of you, not just those three, thank you for what you have done for me and the path you have shown me over the last four years.
To the behind scenes people – Matthew Carlo, Mike Frigge, Tony Ferrante and so many others – thanks for all your hard work and assistance in things when they needed to get done and for being a sounding board when things didn’t go well.
To all of the student workers, past and present, thanks for everything here in the Media Relations office. Things would never get accomplished at events without your help. To all of our graduate assistants since I have been here – Jason Wright, Taylor Bryan and Matt Mays – thanks for serving your time. You played a great hand in the success of the office.
To the coaches, thanks for everything. It has been a pleasure to work with each and every one of you at some point during my stay here. To Michael Murphy, Craig Kennedy and Jennifer Wasson you have been like a family to me since my time here – Murph, you and Craig have been just that as you were the first ones I worked with when I got here. To Melanie Davis, Sharon O’Mara and Mick Hokanson – I enjoyed the one season I got to work with you, and saddened I will not get another.
To the student-athletes, past and present – thanks for being a Trojan and doing what you do. To Kevin Glackmeyer and the rest of the photography staff, thanks for giving me some outstanding shots to work with over time.
And finally, to all the fans, thank you for enjoying the things we did here in the Media Relations Office. Without you there would be no drive. I hope you enjoy the 2011 Football Almanac, the new layout of the Game Day Illustrated and the Women’s Basketball Almanac for next season.
I will see many of you at home events as a fan this season, and look forward to it as I move on to Montgomery Catholic beginning Monday. I leave behind the media world to run an athletic department.
I will leave it at this … I sent a message this morning and it said this “If you ever need anything, and I mean anything at all don’t hesitate to call. Thanks for the memories over the last four years. I will always consider everyone associated with the program family.”
As I do on all of my broadcasts … Thank you for listening, it’s been fun. Until next time Trojan Nation.
July 29, 2011 - 11:10 am
Goodbyes are always the hardest, and today is no exception. I was going to bid adieu quietly this afternoon, but after four years here at TROY it is just too hard to say goodbye without saying something.
The journey started almost five years ago to the date with a simple e-mail from Ricky Hazel, and it has turned into so much more than that. The friendships that have been built here will last a lifetime, not just with co-workers, but with student-athletes, coaches and even the fans.
Inevitably someone will be left out if I tried to mention all the names that have meant something to me over the time I have been associated with the Trojan Nation. And for that I apologize.
I was told when I interviewed that people around TROY were like a family, and since day one I can tell you that is exactly how it is. Once you walk in the door as an administrator, coach or student-athlete it is just that, one BIG FAMILY. Everyone cares for one another, each sport cares about the next; and that is how it should be.
TROY will always hold a special place in my heart. I have only missed a handful of games since I got involved in college athletics, and most of those (with the exception of one) have been here at TROY. My daughter was born at the beginning of the 2008-09 basketball season, and she has become one of the biggest fans of TROY athletics. We have brought her to basketball games, football games and softball contests here in Troy, and she has loved every minute of it. She has become a part of this family here at TROY, and that will never change.
This morning I had a lot of time to think about things that have happened at TROY, special people that have touched my heart and places I have had an opportunity to visit thanks to the athletic department.
I have had a chance to visit places such as our nation’s capital, the US-Mexico border in Brownsville (TX) and New York among others. I have also to been to places such Dallas (although much of it was spent in the airport) and Denver.
But none has ever meant more to me than to drive down 231 to get to office. I have never referred to my job here at TROY as work, it has always been fun for me … I mean, come on, really, I get to be at athletic events all the time.
It has never been about me, and I know I am rambling a little, but it comes with the territory when you realize the time is drawing near. It has always been about the program … how can I get the name out more? How can I get our athletes more attention? Will this look good for the fans? Things like that. I have always, and will continue to be for the student-athletes, coaches and fans. Whether it be from publications or from websites, those are things that the public sees. Those are things that drive interest when nothing is going on around you.
I had a chance recently to redesign TroyTrojans.com. Were there things I would have changed after the design went up, sure, there are always things you want to change. But the one thing I took pride in was the fact that people said they liked it, that is all I cared about. I redesigned the site for the FANS, and the day it launched I crossed my fingers that people enjoyed it.
My last project here was the Football Media Almanac, something a little different than what we have done here in the past. It was a lot of work, but there were a lot of people involved in the process; but like I said before as long as it is liked by the fans and everyone else involved than we have done our job.
I will never forget the first week, or month, I was here at TROY. My first day, I was thrown into a webcast for a home volleyball match with Taylor Bryan and then just a few weeks later I was on the air with Barry McKnight on the road for men’s basketball. I have had a chance to be on the air with those two individuals, as well as Buddy Johnson, Jerry Miller and Jason Wright over time – and it makes a broadcast so much easier when you have people that care about TROY as each one of those people do.
I know I am going to leave a lot of things out, and a lot of people out, but those people know who they are since I have gone by and visited over the last few days.
To the women’s basketball team and to the softball team, my two teams who I have media responsibilities for, I have enjoyed my time with each of you over the years. Good luck to all of you during the upcoming season and your careers, I know you will do well.
To all of the administrators – Steve Dennis, Sandy Atkins and Ricky Hazel especially – thanks for giving me the opportunity to work here at TROY and believing in me. Without all of you, not just those three, thank you for what you have done for me and the path you have shown me over the last four years.
To the behind scenes people – Matthew Carlo, Mike Frigge, Tony Ferrante and so many others – thanks for all your hard work and assistance in things when they needed to get done and for being a sounding board when things didn’t go well.
To all of the student workers, past and present, thanks for everything here in the Media Relations office. Things would never get accomplished at events without your help. To all of our graduate assistants since I have been here – Jason Wright, Taylor Bryan and Matt Mays – thanks for serving your time. You played a great hand in the success of the office.
To the coaches, thanks for everything. It has been a pleasure to work with each and every one of you at some point during my stay here. To Michael Murphy, Craig Kennedy and Jennifer Wasson you have been like a family to me since my time here – Murph, you and Craig have been just that as you were the first ones I worked with when I got here. To Melanie Davis, Sharon O’Mara and Mick Hokanson – I enjoyed the one season I got to work with you, and saddened I will not get another.
To the student-athletes, past and present – thanks for being a Trojan and doing what you do. To Kevin Glackmeyer and the rest of the photography staff, thanks for giving me some outstanding shots to work with over time.
And finally, to all the fans, thank you for enjoying the things we did here in the Media Relations Office. Without you there would be no drive. I hope you enjoy the 2011 Football Almanac, the new layout of the Game Day Illustrated and the Women’s Basketball Almanac for next season.
I will see many of you at home events as a fan this season, and look forward to it as I move on to Montgomery Catholic beginning Monday. I leave behind the media world to run an athletic department.
I will leave it at this … I sent a message this morning and it said this “If you ever need anything, and I mean anything at all don’t hesitate to call. Thanks for the memories over the last four years. I will always consider everyone associated with the program family.”
As I do on all of my broadcasts … Thank you for listening, it’s been fun. Until next time Trojan Nation.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
ESPN/Blue Ribbon Team Up
The following is copied from the ESPNsider area. A fairly comprehensive preview of the 2011 Trojans.
Editor's Note: ESPN Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at all 120 FBS teams. To order the complete 2011 edition of Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, visit www.blueribbonyearbookonline.com or call 1-877-807-4857 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern. This information is up to date as of June 25, 2011.
ABOUT
Life as a head coach at the Football Bowl Subdivision level can change in a hurry. The same guy who signs a multi-year extension can, in the span of less than one calendar year, find himself jobless.
That's especially true in the Sun Belt Conference these days. Heading into 2011, three of the league's nine teams have new head coaches. Add in Western Kentucky's Willie Taggart and ULM's Todd Berry, and the majority of the conference has experienced coaching changes since Barack Obama was elected president.
And yet, Larry Blakeney endures at Troy. "We get coaches fired in our league that are good people and dang good coaches," said Blakeney, entering his 21st year as the Trojans' head coach. "You've got to play two or three guarantee games to make the budget for the whole athletic department and then fight your guts out to have a chance to compete in your league. "I'm not trying to sound amazing or anything, I'm just trying to say that a lot of my peers, that I think a lot of as football men, have been passed on and put out of the office of the head coach because of, in my opinion, the tough schedules we have to deal with."
There's no secret behind Blakeney's longevity at Troy. He wins football games -- lots of them. The 2010 Trojans reeled off three straight victories to notch the 15th winning record under Blakeney's stewardship, and clinch at least a share of the Sun Belt title for the fifth straight year.
Troy and FIU finished atop the league standings with identical 6-2 records, though the Golden Panthers earned the automatic bowl bid by virtue of winning the head-to-head tiebreaker. That 52-35 loss to FIU, on the Trojans' home field, still sticks in the craw of all those affiliated with the Troy program.
With eight starters back on defense and one of the top returning skill-position players in the league, quarterback Corey Robinson, Troy intends to contend in the Sun Belt yet again. "Going in with the bull's eye on your chest, we should be used to that," defensive coordinator Jeremy Rowell said. "We want to win it. With a couple of losses that we had last year, we'd like to come back and redeem ourselves on some of that."
Only one freshman cracked the top 30 in the Football Bowl Subdivision in total offense last season and he plays for the Trojans. Corey Robinson (6-0, 214) accomplished that feat for Troy in 2010, after completing 321-of-505 passes for 3,726 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Among all Troy signal-callers, only Levi Brown has thrown for more yards in a single season, and Robinson equaled Brown's record for completions.
Robinson enters his sophomore season with no chance of losing his starting job, barring injury, but that wasn't the case a year ago. "He got yanked in the first game when he threw back-to-back interceptions," said offensive coordinator Kenny Edenfield, a former quarterback at Troy himself.
The national record holder for single-season touchdown passes in high school with 91, Robinson was not the typical redshirt freshman last season. He arrived at Troy in January of 2009 as a grayshirt, then sat out the 2009 campaign, giving him plenty of snaps in practice before he saw the field in a live situation.
Jamie Hampton (6-1, 212), who began the 2008 campaign as the starter, saw the field in Troy's Wildcat package until he broke his leg in the fifth game of the season. The fifth-year senior was still recovering this spring but should be at full strength by preseason camp. He'll serve as Robinson's backup.
Freshmen Luke Barnes (6-2, 195) and K.D. Edenfield (6-0, 185), the son of Troy's offensive coordinator, went through spring drills after grayshirting. The Trojans also signed Dallas Tidwell (6-7, 200). Two of the three freshmen should redshirt, but one of them will have to be positioned as the third-string QB in case disaster strikes and Robinson and Hampton get hurt.
RUNNING BACKS
Troy has to replace starting tailback DuJuan Harris, but the most productive runner on the roster returns to the fold.
Junior Shawn Southward (5-8, 182) led last year's team in both carries and total rushing yards, compiling 623 yards on 115 touches with seven touchdowns. Southward is not a giant, but he's got enough muscle to run downhill and break tackles.
Fellow junior Chris Anderson (5-8, 185) spent a good chunk of spring practice cross training at inside receiver, but he's also next in line behind Southward and should play both positions. What Anderson lacks in breakaway speed he compensates for with his ability to make cuts.
Troy split carries primarily among three backs last season. If that strategy persists, there's a good chance signee Montrell Conner (6-2, 220) claims a share of the reps. A sophomore, Conner began his career at Mississippi State, where he redshirted in 2009 before transferring to Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mendenhall, Miss. Coming out of high school, ESPN rated Conner the seventh-best running back in the country. His presence will make it tougher for juniors T.J. Mitchell (5-7, 184) and D.J. Taylor (5-11, 228) to make the rotation.
RECEIVERS
New York Giants draft pick Jerrel Jernigan leaves a huge void after setting both the school and Sun Belt records for catches, receiving yards and all-purpose yardage.
Replacing his production is a tall task, but it's compounded by the fact that Troy lost the five leading receivers from last season. Tebiarus Gill and Jason Bruce joined Jernigan as exiting seniors. Then Chip Reeves and Jamel Johnson, fourth and fifth on the team in receptions, were among four Trojans ruled academically ineligible for the 2011 season.
Reeves and Johnson were starters at Troy's X and Z outside receiver spots coming out of spring practice, but losing Reeves is a particularly huge blow. He was Troy's fastest player and earmarked as the team's new No. 1 receiver. In their absence, senior Brett Moncrief (6-3, 205) becomes Troy's top returning wideout from last season with 16 catches for 214 yards and a pair of TDs and he missed spring practice with a broken foot.
Moncrief should be the starter at Z receiver, one of Troy's two outside spots. Redshirt freshman B.J. Chitty (6-3, 177), sophomores Eric Haskins (6-3, 195) and Felton Payton (6-0, 193) and junior college transfer Hollis Moore (6-3, 195) are among the others vying for playing time at either outside position, X or Z.
Corey Johnson (6-1, 185), another junior college product, enrolled early and went through spring, putting him a step ahead. He and sophomore walk-on Justin Albert (5-8, 175), a running back, move to the top of the list at H-receiver, the slot in Troy's scheme.
Sophomores Sam Haskins (6-4, 214) and Khary Franklin (5-7, 165) and junior T.J. Mitchell (5-7, 184) are also candidates at inside receiver heading into preseason practice. With so little proven experience available, any depth chart will remain in a state of flux as Edenfield tries to put together this puzzle.
"We'll do some shuffling around at those spots as fall camp gets started, and just see how they're progressing," the coordinator said, adding "We might play some young guys a little quicker than I thought."
ESPN ranked freshman Bryan Holmes (6-0, 170) as one of the top 100 receivers in the country, and freshman Chandler Worthy (5-9, 175) should get his first chance at H-receiver, Troy's slot position.
The entire two-deep at tight end from last season is gone, but Blakeney thinks highly of sophomores Jim Teknipp (6-6, 225) a transfer from UCF and Gavin Ellis (6-6, 239). Both should have chances to make plays in the passing game. "The tight end is open a lot. If you rig it up for him, he's going to have some chances to make plays," Blakeney said. "We're better, I think, at that position than we've been."
OFFENSIVE LINE
As a staff, Troy embraces the concept of rotating personnel on offense -- except along the line. "We try to find who can play for us," Edenfield said. "If there are seven guys that can play, then we play seven guys."
The Trojans should be able to count on at least that many players up front in 2011, despite losing three starters. Senior left tackle James Brown (6-4, 329) tops the list. A second-team all-conference pick last season, Brown enters his third year as a starter as a potential pro prospect, in Blakeney's opinion.
Juniors Kyle Wilborn (6-4, 311), also a third-year starter, missed the spring recovering from shoulder surgery. He has prior experience at left tackle or right guard and could fill either spot -- or center, if neither senior Zach Swindall (6-1, 282) nor junior college transfer Andrew Phillips (6-3, 315) rise to the occasion to replace two-time all-conference choice Tyler Clark.
Jacob Creech (6-3, 292) logged three starts at left guard in 2010 before a shoulder injury shut him down for the season. He missed spring ball still recovering from the surgery but will be ready in August to battle with Jay Stansberry (6-3, 269) to be the right guard. Massive junior DeMarkus Underwood (6-6, 315) redshirted last season after signing out of junior college and has dropped about 30 pounds since he arrived on campus. Underwood's in the lead at right tackle, with redshirt freshman Terrence Jones (6-4, 315) his closest competition.
Junior college transfer Cody Woodiel (6-4, 275) enrolled early, as did freshman Zach Johnson (6-3, 300). They're in the mix at tackle and guard, respectively. Junior Jarred Fleming (6-5, 281) is another option at tackle, and sophomore Cody Jenkins (6-5, 325) is competing at guard.
DEFENSIVE LINE
With 14 years experience on the Troy coaching staff, including the last six as defensive coordinator, Jeremy Rowell identifies one key to success when trying to stop the various versions of the spread offense in the Sun Belt Conference. "If you can pass rush from the edge and can create pressure from that guy, then you've got a really good chance in this league," Rowell said.
No team in the Sun Belt boasts a more accomplished rusher off the edge than Troy senior end Jonathan Massaquoi (6-2, 250), a first-team All-Sun Belt choice who led the league in both sacks (13.5) and tackles for loss (20.5) last season. That total included 2.5 sacks against Ohio, a New Orleans Bowl record. "He's not right every time, but he makes up for it by making a bunch of plays," Rowell said. "And, he's relentless to the football. He creates pressure on the passer. People are conscious of him. You've got to try to block him. He's a force to be dealt with."
Troy's starting ends combined for 24 sacks and 36 tackles for loss last season, but the other part of that equation -- Mario Addison -- was a senior. John Robles (6-4, 245) was Addison's backup and enters his senior year as the starter opposite Massaquoi. Robles was a bit undersized when he arrived last year out of junior college but has bulked up and should be ready to make an impact.
Rowell expects junior college signees Marty Stadom (6-2, 240) and Xavian Evans (6-5, 265) to claim the backup jobs and provide some competition for Massaquoi and Robles when they arrive this summer. Seniors R.J. Roberts (6-3, 241) and Brandon Boudreaux (6-2, 231) also could play, depending on how deep a rotation Rowell uses at end. Boudreaux certainly is strong enough; he benched 225 pounds 44 times at Troy's last pro day.
Returning nose tackle Emmanuel Dudley (6-1, 285) missed the spring recovering from ankle surgery but should reclaim his starting position. Junior Tony Davis (6-0, 252) is the incumbent at the 3-technique, but he'll be pushed in preseason practice by sophomore John Clark (6-4, 275), who missed most of spring ball.
Senior Sidell Corley (6-3, 288) missed four games in 2010 with an Achilles injury but was healthy this spring and got most of the work at nose in Dudley's absence. Corley and junior Jeremy Elder (6-4, 275) began their collegiate careers at LSU and Alabama, respectively.
Junior college transfer Tony Gillespie (6-2, 315) immediately will become the heaviest option on the interior when he arrives on campus.
Rowell plans to substitute liberally at both tackle spots. "We've had a couple dominant guys there before. And we don't have that guy right now," he said. "Let's get as many people as we can play and keep them fresh and keep them rotating and keep the pressure on the offense by playing so many different people."
LINEBACKERS
Xavier Lamb (5-9, 220) led the Trojans in tackles and ranked ninth in the league in stops per game. A senior, he should continue to set the tone for Troy's defense for a second straight season -- while also aligning the front as Rowell's middle linebacker. Junior Brannon Bryan (6-0, 230) returns at the Will spot. He did not come close to matching Lamb's production, but Rowell likes Bryan's intelligence and competitiveness.
The third spot on the second level of the defense is what Rowell calls "a nickel linebacker." It makes it look as if Troy is running a 4-2-5, but it's still the 4-3 base, with that linebacker playing out in space.
Junior Kanorris Davis (5-10, 205) is set to start there, with sophomore Johnny Thompson (6-0, 215) behind him. Davis, who has forced five fumbles in his career, is a tremendous athlete who can run a 4.4-second 40 and boasts a 42-inch vertical jump. Junior Jacoby Thomas (6-0, 245) has played a bunch of football for Troy and backs up Lamb. Redshirt freshman Mark Wilson (6-2, 225) was listed as Bryan's understudy on the post-spring depth chart.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Rowell, who also serves as position coach for the secondary, introduced some new concepts for the safeties this spring. Free and strong safety are out. Left and right are in. It allows Rowell to teach all the safeties the same way in the event guys have to play different spots because of injury.
Senior Barry Valcin (5-11, 195) was one of several players at the back end who were hurt in 2010. Valcin fractured and dislocated his ankle during an onside kickoff drill last preseason. This technically marks his last season but Valcin intends to petition the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility. "I thought he was the best football players that we had on defense, and we lost him before the first ballgame," Rowell said.
Fellow senior LaDarrius Madden (6-0, 200) was scheduled to redshirt last season but ended up starting by the end of September because of the injuries at safety. Madden may have to concede some playing time to junior Brynden Trawick (6-3, 210), a talented addition from junior college who began his career at Michigan State and impressed this spring.
Sophomore Cam Hudson (5-10, 193) appeared in every game as a true freshman. Angelo Hadley (5-11, 190) is another junior college transfer with three years' eligibility left. Freshman Joe Lofton (6-0, 175) enrolled in January after taking a grayshirt last fall. The depth chart at cornerback received a jolt when KeJuan Phillips, a starter coming out of spring practice, was ruled academically ineligible. That still leaves three corners with starting experience last season: junior Bryan Willis (5-9, 182), senior Jimmie Anderson (5-8, 154) and sophomore Chris Pickett (5-10, 170). Redshirt freshman Dionte Ponder (5-11, 175) was a consensus three-star prospect out of high school.
Two junior college signees, David Whitmore (6-1, 190) and D.J. Jones (5-10, 165), arrive this preseason. Whitmore went to high school with Valcin, and Jones began his collegiate career at Wake Forest.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Troy was respectable on punt and kickoff coverage, but there's a huge question mark in the return game. Jernigan, in addition to his work as a receiver, got all the work on punt returns and was Troy's primary option on kickoffs as well.
Anderson and Southward, Troy's top two running backs, each got a few chances on kickoff returns last season and could take over that duty. "We're not sure who the punt returner's going to be," Blakeney said, though Pickett and sophomore walk-on Justin Albert (5-8, 175) were listed on the post-spring depth chart.
Long snapper Wes Henry (6-0, 242), a senior, is back. Robinson will be the holder.
KICKERS
Senior place-kicker Michael Taylor (5-10, 215) led all specialists in the Sun Belt in scoring, tallying 101 points while going 17-of-20 on field goals -- with a long of 50 yards -- and making 50-of-53 extra-point tries.
Taylor heads into his third season on kickoffs as well, where he averaged 60.9 yards with nine touchbacks among 85 attempts.
PUNTERS
Troy had one of the better punting units in the Sun Belt. Senior Will Goggans (6-0, 233) ranked third in the league with a 42.2-yard average, and the Trojans were second in the conference in net punting.
Goggans was masterful at pinning opponents deep. Twenty of his 64 attempts were downed inside the 20, and he had only three touchbacks.
NEWCOMERS
Blakeney heavily emphasized the line of scrimmage in his 2011 recruiting class, bringing in nine linemen among the 20 players who sent in their letters of intent on national signing day.
Troy also had seven players enroll in January and go through spring practice.
The Trojans traditionally have recruited junior colleges heavily and this was no exception, with 12 of the 27 signees falling in that category.
Running back Montrell Connor, who ran for 506 yards and seven touchdowns on 132 carries at Copiah-Lincoln (Miss.) Community College last season and originally signed with Mississippi State, comes with big-time credentials. As a high school senior, he was first-team Class 5A all-state and rated the No. 11 player in talent-rich Louisiana. Conner, who has run a 4.4 40, rushed for 1,961 yards and 19 touchdowns his senior season at Quachita Parish High School.
JUCO receivers Corey Johnson and Hollis Moore will also get every opportunity to contribute immediately.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSISTroy is a traditional contender in the Sun Belt, and 2011 promises to be no different.
Robinson's return anchors the offense, and the defense should be much improved with eight returning starters and an influx of new talent headlined by Trawick.
The biggest question lies at receiver, where the Trojans will have to replace almost every key contributor from a year ago. That's a daunting proposition given how much Troy throws the football. No team in the Sun Belt had as many pass attempts last season. Nevertheless, the league race should come down to Troy and FIU again.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Tyler Ray Blog: IT'S BEEN A SPECIAL YEAR
IT'S BEEN A SPECIAL YEAR
Tyler Ray
June 2, 2011
2:34 PM
editor's note: Tyler, along with two other Trojans were named All-Americans by Louisville Slugger and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper on Thursday. Congrats.
In my first blog, I mentioned why we were going to be a special team this year. We have done that and more. This is has been a memorable year for our team and me individually:
-We continuously gave the home crowd something to cheer for going 30-5 at “The Pace”. We won every series that was played at home. That is something to be proud of as a Trojan baseball fan. That isn’t possible without all the support we received every game day.
- After getting off to a red hot start, we were able to find ourselves in Top 25 polls all across the country. We were the first team in Troy Athletic history to produce a Top 25 ranking. That was special for our team to accomplish that and was nice to know we were getting credit for our work on the field. Not to mention the fact, seeing “#__ Troy Trojans” beside our names in articles, pre-game notes, etc., was sweet! The coolest part about all that was when the Auburn game (the beat down) was televised on CSS and the scoreboard on TV had #20 by the Trojans for the first time ever. That will instantly gain respect across the country from college baseball fans.
- This team has had to face more adversity than any team I’ve been apart of at Troy. Losing a 90+ inning, senior leader, weekend starter, Drew Hull to surgery. Playing nine straight games against #2 teams in the conference trying to hold the #1 spot. Traveling to ULM in late May while they are fighting to qualify for the Sun Belt tournament, in which they hosted. Finishing the regular season at South Alabama during the final weekend of Coach Steve Kitrells career with thousands in attendance to support. This is all while being chased by the hottest team in country, FIU, who rolled off 18 straight wins…. just to come up 0.5 games short of the ring. Clinching the regular season crown on the final day couldn’t have scripted any better.
- Now we are heading to Nashville, TN in the Vanderbilt regional with an excited bunch of guys ready to keep the season alive. Nobody said the road to Omaha would be easy. Cant wait to see the Trojan Nation in attendance. Its going to be a week to remember!
“ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
Tyler Ray #12
@troytrojan12
Tyler Ray
June 2, 2011
2:34 PM
editor's note: Tyler, along with two other Trojans were named All-Americans by Louisville Slugger and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper on Thursday. Congrats.
In my first blog, I mentioned why we were going to be a special team this year. We have done that and more. This is has been a memorable year for our team and me individually:
-We continuously gave the home crowd something to cheer for going 30-5 at “The Pace”. We won every series that was played at home. That is something to be proud of as a Trojan baseball fan. That isn’t possible without all the support we received every game day.
- After getting off to a red hot start, we were able to find ourselves in Top 25 polls all across the country. We were the first team in Troy Athletic history to produce a Top 25 ranking. That was special for our team to accomplish that and was nice to know we were getting credit for our work on the field. Not to mention the fact, seeing “#__ Troy Trojans” beside our names in articles, pre-game notes, etc., was sweet! The coolest part about all that was when the Auburn game (the beat down) was televised on CSS and the scoreboard on TV had #20 by the Trojans for the first time ever. That will instantly gain respect across the country from college baseball fans.
- This team has had to face more adversity than any team I’ve been apart of at Troy. Losing a 90+ inning, senior leader, weekend starter, Drew Hull to surgery. Playing nine straight games against #2 teams in the conference trying to hold the #1 spot. Traveling to ULM in late May while they are fighting to qualify for the Sun Belt tournament, in which they hosted. Finishing the regular season at South Alabama during the final weekend of Coach Steve Kitrells career with thousands in attendance to support. This is all while being chased by the hottest team in country, FIU, who rolled off 18 straight wins…. just to come up 0.5 games short of the ring. Clinching the regular season crown on the final day couldn’t have scripted any better.
- Now we are heading to Nashville, TN in the Vanderbilt regional with an excited bunch of guys ready to keep the season alive. Nobody said the road to Omaha would be easy. Cant wait to see the Trojan Nation in attendance. Its going to be a week to remember!
“ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
Tyler Ray #12
@troytrojan12
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Jimmy Hodgskin Blog: IT'S REGIONAL TIME
IT'S REGIONAL TIME
Jimmy Hodgskin
May 31, 2011
10:04 PM
Jimmy Hodgskin
May 31, 2011
10:04 PM
As everybody in Troy should know, we are going to Nashville tomorrow morning for a regional. The series of events leading up to this day were pretty unpredictable. We faced a lot of adversity as a team involving many things, but at the end of the day, we finished out on top and posted 42 wins to this point.
Riding back on the bus Saturday, not playing in the conference championship, left everybody questioning and hoping. We were in a situation that for some reason it was a question if we could or would get in. With the season we had there should have been no doubt, but there was.
The Trojans all gathered on the 4th floor of the stadium tower on Monday morning awaiting the news. Predictions all over the internet and TV had us going to such places as FSU and the ATL, some even had us at Rice. Then there were some predictions that didn't have us in at all. The bottom line is your Troy Trojans popped up on ESPN around 11:45 am and were placed in the Nashville, TN regional.
Being that we are in one of the toughest regionals out there, everybody is ready to bring their best games. Three wins and we move on.
The bottom line is we have to take it one pitch at a time and not get caught up in any other stuff. We play our best game, we will beat them.
We play Oklahoma State Friday at 2pm as Tyler Ray looks to get us rolling on the right tracks. Come out and support you don't want to miss a pitch. 5 more wins...and your Trojans are going to OMAHA!!
Riding back on the bus Saturday, not playing in the conference championship, left everybody questioning and hoping. We were in a situation that for some reason it was a question if we could or would get in. With the season we had there should have been no doubt, but there was.
The Trojans all gathered on the 4th floor of the stadium tower on Monday morning awaiting the news. Predictions all over the internet and TV had us going to such places as FSU and the ATL, some even had us at Rice. Then there were some predictions that didn't have us in at all. The bottom line is your Troy Trojans popped up on ESPN around 11:45 am and were placed in the Nashville, TN regional.
Being that we are in one of the toughest regionals out there, everybody is ready to bring their best games. Three wins and we move on.
The bottom line is we have to take it one pitch at a time and not get caught up in any other stuff. We play our best game, we will beat them.
We play Oklahoma State Friday at 2pm as Tyler Ray looks to get us rolling on the right tracks. Come out and support you don't want to miss a pitch. 5 more wins...and your Trojans are going to OMAHA!!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
2011 Sun Belt Conference Champions
What a finish to an unbelievable 2011 regular season in Mobile. The Trojans found a way to seal the regular season conference championship on the last day of the season with an improbable 10-7 win on the road. Tyson Workman stole the show with an incredible pitching effort that included his longest outing of his career with the highest pitch count of his career. He was exhausted in the heat of the day and the intensity of the game but kept competing until the last out was secured in deep center field by freshman Ali Knowles. That set off a celebration by a group of players that earned our first conference title since 2006.
This group of players has continued to show a steady resolve that has led them to this moment and allowed them to secure the championship they so desperately coveted from the first day of fall practice. For seniors Adam Bryant, Drew Hull and Daniel Peterson, all four year players in our program, their look of accomplishment after the game yesterday was something a coach will always remember. In particular, we were all proud that Drew was in Mobile as he was not active due to his surgery but was such a HUGE part of our team and our success this season. He will forever be known as a champion along with all of the 2011 Trojans. It's hard to truly quantify what Adam Bryant means to me personally and to this team. He will go down as one of the best players to ever wear the Trojan uniform and for him to lead our team to the championship on his 22nd birthday will be a cherished memory for many years to come.
Each player on the roster had their bright moments throughout the season in the 40-win season and the championship. Tyler Ray started the year as the Friday night starter and his work led us to win the first game of each series for 13 weeks in a row, which has never been done before here at Troy. His regular season will long be remembered by all who follow the Trojans. The starting pitching was dominant early in the season as the bullpen and offense tried to find their groove. Down the stretch, the offense began to produce more consistently and the bullpen, led by Nate Hill and Workman, settled into their roles and carried the team.
As a former Trojan, it gives me great pride to see our players celebrate their achievements because I see their hard work and commitment each and every day. They earned this championship starting in the fall, fought off one of the best teams in the country playing their best baseball of the season in FIU to secure the title and deserve to be called CHAMPIONS! It's hard to explain how fortunate I am to be involved with the program I played for, work for such a quality person in Coach Pierce and be around the type of players we have here in Troy. It is with tremendous pride that we always say GO TROJANS!
This group of players has continued to show a steady resolve that has led them to this moment and allowed them to secure the championship they so desperately coveted from the first day of fall practice. For seniors Adam Bryant, Drew Hull and Daniel Peterson, all four year players in our program, their look of accomplishment after the game yesterday was something a coach will always remember. In particular, we were all proud that Drew was in Mobile as he was not active due to his surgery but was such a HUGE part of our team and our success this season. He will forever be known as a champion along with all of the 2011 Trojans. It's hard to truly quantify what Adam Bryant means to me personally and to this team. He will go down as one of the best players to ever wear the Trojan uniform and for him to lead our team to the championship on his 22nd birthday will be a cherished memory for many years to come.
Each player on the roster had their bright moments throughout the season in the 40-win season and the championship. Tyler Ray started the year as the Friday night starter and his work led us to win the first game of each series for 13 weeks in a row, which has never been done before here at Troy. His regular season will long be remembered by all who follow the Trojans. The starting pitching was dominant early in the season as the bullpen and offense tried to find their groove. Down the stretch, the offense began to produce more consistently and the bullpen, led by Nate Hill and Workman, settled into their roles and carried the team.
As a former Trojan, it gives me great pride to see our players celebrate their achievements because I see their hard work and commitment each and every day. They earned this championship starting in the fall, fought off one of the best teams in the country playing their best baseball of the season in FIU to secure the title and deserve to be called CHAMPIONS! It's hard to explain how fortunate I am to be involved with the program I played for, work for such a quality person in Coach Pierce and be around the type of players we have here in Troy. It is with tremendous pride that we always say GO TROJANS!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Kanorris Davis on ESPN.com
For those of you who don't have a subscription to the INsiders portion of ESPN.com, here is what Bruce Feldman had to say about Kanorris Davis.
5. Kanorris Davis, LB, Troy Trojans
The Trojans have a couple of guys who could've made the Freaks list Top 10. Defensive end Brandon Boudreaux is under 240 pounds and has repped 225 on the bench almost 50 times. But it's the 5-9, 203-pound junior linebacker who really gets Troy strength coach Richard Shaughnessy gushing. Yeah, Davis -- who has forced five fumbles in the past two seasons -- can run a 4.40; however, it's jumping ability that turns heads. Want proof? Check out this video of Davis, whose vertical has been measured at 42 inches, vaulting clear over 6-foot Troy punter Will Goggans (of Santa Claus beard fame) in the weight room. The Trojans' strength coach also points out that Davis even looks like a freak. "The guy needs to be modeling for Calvin Klein," says Shaughnessy, who predicts that Davis can make it to the NFL on his special-teams prowess alone.
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