Troy University Athletics
Trojans Gear-up for 2007 Season
7/31/2007 5:00:00 AM | Football
They are often the most unknown, unrecognized and unappreciated members of a football team. The only time they ever hear their names called is when a penalty flag is thrown in their direction or when the quarterback is being helped up in the backfield.
For the Troy Trojans to successfully defend their Sun Belt Conference title in 2007 it will be the offensive line that is the key. The Trojans rolled to their first league title and first bowl victory, a 41-17 thrashing of Rice in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, in 2006 thanks in large part to five senior offensive linemen.
With only one starter, junior Chris Jamison (Columbus, Ga.), returning, rebuilding that offensive line was a major emphasis during spring drills. With at least four new linemen joining the competition in August, Troy coach Larry Blakeney likes his chances of giving Sun Belt Conference player of the year Omar Haugabook (Belle Glade, Fla.) the protection he will need to run the Trojans' spread attack this fall.
“We made a couple of moves late in the spring that I think made us better up front,” Blakeney said. “We moved Dion Small (Americus, Ga.) to right tackle and Chris Jamison to left tackle. That looked good the last couple of days of the spring.
“We flipped Will Chambliss (Catula, Ga.) and Jamison at guard and tackle, and they look like they should be the other way, but I think that move worked for both of them.”
Jamison started every game in 2006 at left guard, but will shift to tackle this fall even though he looks more like a guard at 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds. Chambliss, a junior with limited playing time, looks more like a tackle at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, but adjusted well to moving inside.
On the right side, Small, a mid-term transfer from Georgia Military Academy, quickly found a home at right tackle, despite being similar in size (6-3, 280) to Jamison. Sophomore Steven Merkel (Pensacola, Fla.) came out of spring as the starter at right guard despite being bigger (6-5, 298) than Small.
The key change up front will be at center where sophomore Danny Franks (Bartow, Fla.) replaces two-year starter Zach Yenser. Franks saw playing time last year at center, guard and tackle, but was limited in the spring by a foot injury. In addition to settling in at center, Franks will also be responsible for calling all of the Trojans' protection schemes as well as the snap count.
“As much as we run up front you have to be able to optimize your speed,” Blakeney said. “Danny Franks has really worked hard to improve in that area and become our center.”
Even with all of the changes up front, the line is far from settled entering the fall. All five jobs will be up for grabs at the beginning of August with the addition of a new crop of players.
“If things turn out like we think, we are going to be OK up front,” Blakeney said. “I like the high school guys we signed. Jamarr Thompson (Reserve, La.) is a big guy who played guard in high school, but may be a tackle. He can run. Micah Grimes (Ft. Meade, Fla.) is a guy who looks like he may be ready to play.”
Other newcomers who will get a close look in August include junior college signees Tyrell Curtis (Delta, UT) and Wesley Potter (Bellevue, Wash.), as well as mid-term signee Windham Rotunda (Brooksville, Fla.).
Haugabook Returns To Trigger Attack
Settling the situation up front on offense should open the door for Haugabook, the returning Sun Belt Player of the Year, to expand on his successes last year. As a junior, Haugabook completed 61.3 percent of his pass attempts for 2,401 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also rushed for 313 yards and five scores. The only area where the Trojans would like to see improvement is the 17 interceptions he allowed.
“Omar, from day one, looked like the same guy, he just got better,” Blakeney said. “Omar got better as the year went along last season and we need him to be a running part of our offense, especially in the misdirection stuff where he can do some zone reads. He is going to have to carry more of the load this year.”
That increased load will come in the form of leadership as well as production. With an inexperienced line, and limited experience at receiver, he and the three other seniors on offense ? receiver Gary Banks (Melvin, Ala.), and backs Kenny Cattouse (Keyport, NJ) and Sean Dawkins (Lawrenceville, Ga.) ? will need to serve as coaches on the field.
Fortunately for the Trojans, Banks and Cattouse return after leading the team in receiving and rushing, respectively, while Dawkins returns after sitting out 2006 as a redshirt following a knee injury last spring.
“Gary and Omar have both taken those young receivers under their wing,” Blakeney said. “You don't hear much out of either one of them, but they are both salty, veteran players. Having Dawk back this year, along with Cattouse, gives us a very good one-two punch in the backfield. They compliment each other very well.”
The X-factor in the running game for the Trojans could be junior Xavier Moreland (Williamson, Ga.) who moved over from the secondary in the spring.
“Xavier Moreland is a sheer speed guy who can pop a crease and be gone,” Blakeney said. “If he can ever get on top, he's gone. He needs to work on being more of a cut and slash guy. He has to realize that he can get past guys quicker by cutting inside rather than trying to beat everyone to the corner. He made a couple of good runs in the spring and I think Tony (Franklin) and Chad (Scott) have done a good job with him. He will still be a special teams guy because of his speed.”
Behind the top three, the rest of the backfield will be made up of freshman and walk-on Josh Brownell (Geneva, Ala.). Both saw playing time last fall and will have a chance to earn more this year.
Experience at Receiver a Concern
With the four-receiver set being deployed more often than not, the Trojans will have holes to fill outside with the loss of seniors Smokey Hampton and Toris Rutledge from last year. Banks is the steady hand at the Z position and will be on the field as much as he wants again this year.
Junior Mykeal Terry (Fullerton, Calif.) showed big-play ability last year when he averaged 17.7 yards per reception. He's back as the starter at the X position. He'll have help there from sophomore Justin Bray (LaGrange, Ga.) and senior Clarence Denmark (Jacksonville, Fla.), who is the fastest of the Troy receivers.Justin Bray" style="WIDTH: 153px; HEIGHT: 160px" height=160 alt="Justin Bray" src="http://www.troytrojans.com/pics22/160/BF/BFPZCGAIASBCBEH.20070731161218.jpg" width=153 align=right>
“Denmark can run, but he hasn't figured out how to finish plays,” Blakeney said. “He has been able to get deep and Omar puts it right there but he has not been able to find a way to bring it in. He needs to finish plays because he can run.
“Demark, Bray, Terry and Andrew Davis (Pelham, Ala.) are all fast guys who can get deep. Gary is sneaky fast, but knows how to get open. He doesn't look fast, but he know how to get on top of you quick.”
Davis saw playing time as a spot starter last year as a true freshman, but will be counted on to contribute more this fall. He is set as the starting H receiver and will be supported there by senior Gerald Tate (Venice, Fla.) and redshirt freshman Patrick Cherry (Live Oak, Fla.) who both had good springs.
The fourth receiver spot is the one that is still up for grabs. The group in the chase includes sophomore Cornelius Williams (Hoover, Ala.), redshirt freshman Austin Silvoy (St. Augustine, Fla.), senior Josh Allen (Tifton, Ga.) and sophomore Randy Underwood (Jasper, Ala.) who moved over from linebacker in the spring.
“Between Williams, Silvoy and Underwood, those guys are all pretty good, but they are all young,” Blakeney said. “We've got to find a way for them to be productive as a group or for one of them to step forward and establish themselves. I think Cornelius had the best production in the spring and there were signs that the other two were going to step up and be big play type of guys.”
Veteran Unit Returns on Defense
On the defensive side of the ball, the losses to graduation were not quite as dramatic in numbers, but were big in terms of leadership and experience. The Trojans lost just three starters ? nose tackle Franklin Lloyd, linebacker Ryan Babb and safety Brannon Condren ? and have a wealth of talent returning.
“All three of those guys were walk-ons when they came here,” Blakeney said. “When you lose guys who had to earn their way into college scholarships you lose a lot of integrity, as well as losing very good players. But, we have people who had good springs in those areas.”
Despite the loss of Condren, the secondary should be the strength of the defense this fall. No fewer than six defensive backs have extensive experience on the field, including two who will be returning from injuries. The group is so deep and talented that the Troy coaching staff will likely deploy a nickle package on defense most of the time this fall.
“We are going to go with a lot of nickle because of the trend in college football and because of our personnel,” Blakeney said. “We have a high number of safety type of guys and I think Jeremy Rowell and the defensive coaches have done a good job of shaping the defense to fit our strengths.”
Leodis McKelvin" style="WIDTH: 106px; HEIGHT: 160px" height=160 alt="Leodis McKelvin" src="http://www.troytrojans.com/pics11/160/QL/QLGMFCXRIPYHXIN.20070801150540.jpg" width=106 align=left>The headliners in the secondary are the two senior corners. Leodis McKelvin (Waycross, Ga.) is known more for his exploits as a kickoff and punt returner, but became a legitimate shutdown corner last season while also finishing second on the team in tackles (66). His efforts in the New Orleans Bowl, along with those of fellow senior Elbert Mack (Wichita, Kan.) were the reason Troy was able to completely shutdown the vaunted Rice passing attack.
Mack also made his presence known in the win over Rice, recording a pair of interceptions in the game. Both McKelvin and Mack will get help from impressive redshirt freshman Chris Bowens (Columbus, Ga.) and junior transfer Travis Ford (Miami, Fla.), who sat out last season after arriving from Florida State.
As deep as the corner positions are, the safety spots are even deeper. That group has so much returning talent that junior Sherrod Martin (Griffin, Ga.), who was an All-Conference caliber player in 2005 but redshirted in 2006 after surgery on both shoulders, will serve as the primary nickle back.
“Sherrod has two more years and was a gray shirt,” Blakeney said. “He came in January (of 2004) and was a starter by mid-season that first year. We had the redshirt available and wound up doing surgery on both shoulders, which we knew would put him into a redshirt role last year.”
While Martin and senior Derick Pendergrass (Manning, SC), who saw action in just three games before an ankle injury ended his season, worked to return from surgery, several other Trojans stepped up to fill the void.
“Bryant McKissic (Phenix City, Ala.), Terrence Moore (Columbus, Ga.), Derick Pendergrass and Sherrod Martin give us a lot of depth at safety,” Blakeney said. “Tavares Williams (Gainesville, Fla.) is a guy that we often take for granted, but he has done a really good job back there for us. Courtland Fuller (Columbus, Ga.) has come a long way and Darryl Watts (Selma, Ala.) has done a good job.”
Linebackers Must Stay Healthy
With that depth in the secondary, the pressure should be somewhat taken off a linebacking corps that is not as experienced. Seniors Marcus Richardson (Pensacola, Fla.) and Romanique Lewis (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) are both hoping to stay healthy for their final seasons. Richardson missed a big chunk of the 2006 season after breaking his collar bone while tackling Georgia Tech All-American Calvin Johnson. Lewis, who has suffered a variety of injuries during his career, went through the spring in good shape.Marcus Richardson" style="WIDTH: 140px; HEIGHT: 200px" height=200 alt="Marcus Richardson" src="http://www.troytrojans.com/pics15/200/ZK/ZKOXNPYBTPKJXRE.20070801151025.jpg" width=140 align=right>
“The big thing that we did on defense is move Marcus Richardson from the Sam to the Will so that he is not the one who comes out in nickle situations,” Blakeney said. “Romanique had a solid spring and the main reason was that he stayed healthy for the first time that I can remember. I hope that he is getting ready to have a great senior year.”
The third linebacker for the Trojans will be sophomore Boris Lee (Fargo, Ga.), who came on after Richardson's injury last season and finished as the teams' third leading tackler (62) as a true freshman. His nose for the ball ? three interceptions, four pass breakups and a forced fumble ? make him a force in the middle of the Troy defense.
“We really found that we can count on Boris Lee in the middle,” Blakeney said. “He did the same things this spring that he did last fall and that was get his hands on a lot of balls as a linebacker than anyone we've had.”
Behind the starting trio, only senior Josh Maxwell (St. Mary's, Ga.) has much playing experience, and he has seen only limited time. Junior college transfer Jonathan Reese (Americus, Ga.), who redshirted last fall, junior Trinidy Thomas (Panama City, Fla.) and sophomore walk-ons Bear Woods (Maclenny, Fla.) and Nathan Nolin (Graceville, Fla.) have only limited special teams experience.
“We are also looking to get some help from the recruiting class in those areas,” Blakeney said. “We signed a middle linebacker who is a big, strong guy from Butler Community College.”
Defensive Line Talent Is Deep
Up front, the Trojans have a chance to be as deep, and as talented, as any Troy defensive line in many years. Six returning linemen have extensive playing experience and another, senior Chris Bradwell (Jacksonville, Fla.), started as a true freshman at Florida State.
A pair of seniors, end Shawn Todd (Crestview, Fla.) and nose tackle Marcus Pittman (Broadway, NC) will be the leaders up front, but junior tackle Steve McLendon (Ozark, Ala.) and junior end Kenny Mainor (Brunswick, Ga.) are veteran contributors as well. Mainor led the Trojans with 6.5 sacks last year and his backup, sophomore Brandon Lang (Tucker, Ga.) had 4.5 more.
The return of Bradwell and junior tackle Maurice Coleman (Eufaula, Ala.), who both missed last season, bolsters the front line even more. Throw in junior college signee Dion Gales (New Orleans, La.), who was rated as a five-star recruit, and the Trojans' defensive line gets deep in a hurry.
“Bradwell gives us a boost with his sheer ability and Coleman should give us some reliability and some football smarts,” Blakeney said. “Bradwell gives us an edge type of guy who can play on the inside.
“Gales is a three technique and he gives you a chance to mix and match in passing situations to get your best pass rushers out there. Pitt is probably more of a natural three and McLendon is more of a natural nose, but they are both pretty tall and can play both positions.”
A couple of younger players, sophomore Akeem Brown (Brunswick, Ga.) and junior Brandon Suggs (Russelville, Ala.) also showed improvement in the spring and may find their way into the mix.
Filling Void at Punter A Concern
The only major question mark, other than the offensive line, entering the fall is at punter. Senior Adrian Vera (Houston, Tx.) has the best leg, but has struggled with consistency. Senior place kicker Greg Whibbs (Pensacola, Fla.) could challenge for the job in the fall, but so could freshman signee Will Goggans (Douglas, Ga.) and a group of walk-ons.
“It looks like Adrian Vera will be the punter, but Whibbs is certainly an accomplished kicker and we are looking for him to have his best year,” Blakeney said. “We also are replacing our snapper and holder, and those are very important jobs.”
Sophomore Derrick Thomas (Elba, Ala.) emerged as the replacement as the long snapper for graduated Zach Yenser while Silvoy is the leading candidate to be the holder with another receiver, Zack Marcum, serving as the backup.
“We have to refine that area and make sure we are on top of that situation,” Blakeney said. I have asked all of those guys to get on a good work schedule this summer and I think the kicking game will be good.”
The return game will again be in the capable hands of McKelvin, who has returned punts, kickoffs and interceptions for touchdowns in his career. Mack will again serve as his backup on punt returns and will be the other deep man on kickoffs.
