Troy University Athletics
Trojans Picked Third By Sun Belt Coaches, Pair Named to Preseason All-Sun Belt team
7/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Troy received a pair of first-place votes, but was ranked third overall in the 2006 Preseason Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll, the league office announced today.
The announcement came at the start of the annual Media Day event, being held at the league offices Monday and Tuesday. Head coach Larry Blakeney and junior Gary Banks are representing the Trojans. Voice of the Trojans Barry McKnight will host his SportsRadio 740 morning show, Budweiser SportsLine, from New Orleans tomorrow, previewing the conference race with coaches and league officials.
Louisiana-Lafayette garnered three first-place votes and 58 points to earn the role of favorite. Arkansas State (two first-place votes) was second with 50 points, while Troy had 48 points. Louisiana-Monroe gained the other first-place vote, but was fifth with 31 points, behind North Texas' 37 points. Middle Tennessee (29 points), Florida Atlantic (19 points) and Florida International (16 points) rounded out the rankings.
The Trojans did not have any position players selected to the preseason all-conference team, but was represented by kick returner Leodis McKelvin and kicker Greg Whibbs on special teams.
"Third is about where I thought we would be," said Blakeney. "But this league is so even, it could be topsy-turvy by the end of the year. I really like our league schedule with four of the seven games at home. It we are still alive in September (after road games at Florida State, Georgia Tech, Nebraska and UAB), we will have a chance. But we are also not throwing in the towel on those games, either. We need them to get ready for the league run."
In other news announced by the conference office, Troy is scheduled to have eight of its games on regional television. Fox Sports Network will televise the Florida State game on Sept. 9, while CSS will air games at Georgia Tech (Sept. 16), at Florida Atlantic (Nov. 11), at Middle Tennessee (Nov. 25) and at Florida International (Dec. 2).
Home games against Louisiana-Monroe (Oct. 14), Louisiana-Lafayette (Nov. 4) and Arkansas State (Nov. 18) will be aired by ESPN Regional Television as part of the Sun Belt Conference package.
