Troy University Athletics
Troy University
FIU
Troy Remains Atop League Standings
10/18/2008 5:00:00 AM | Football
TROY, Ala. ? On a night when the Trojans played with a new quarterback and new center, it was a sophomore receiver who stole the show.
Jerrel Jernigan scored on a long TD pass from first-time starter Levi Brown, threw for another score and had 221 yards of total offense in leading Troy to a 33-23 victory over visiting FIU Saturday night at Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium.
“Jerrell is a dynamic player when he has the ball in his hands,” coach Larry Blakeney said. “He is a play-maker and I am never disappointed when his number is called.”
Troy (4-2, 3-0) used three different quarterbacks to replace injured starter Jamie Hampton on the opening drive, with Brown getting the start, freshman Dan Parker pulling off his redshirt to play for the first time, and Jernigan taking snaps.
“All three quarterbacks did what we wanted them to do tonight,” Blakeney said. “Levi played a good game. If you look at his numbers, they don't lie. Parker took care of the ball in short yardage situations and we were pleased with that position tonight and they did not turn the ball over a single time.”
The loss for FIU (3-4, 2-1) snapped a three-game win streak, which tied for the longest in school history.
Brown finished with 253 passing yards on 18-of-28 and threw for two touchdowns. Jernigan only made five catches in the game, but made them count for a career-high 131 yards. Parker ran four times for just five yards, but did score a touchdown on the ground.
Brown completed his first four pass attempts, but a sack by FIU's Quentin Newman followed by the first incompletion of the game, left Troy with a 47-yard field goal attempt. Junior Sam Glusman, who entered the game perfect on the year on both field goals and PATs, missed the kick, but was hit by the Panthers' Dezariah Johnson. FIU was flagged for roughing the kicker, giving Troy new life.
After failing to gain on the first play, Brown connected with junior Cornelius Williams for a 15-yard TD pass at the 11:14 mark of the first quarter. Glusman did see his streak of consecutive successful kicks end when his PAT attempt hit the right upright, leaving Troy with a 6-0 lead.
After holding FIU without a first down, the Trojans were flagged for an illegal block penalty on the punt, giving Troy the ball at its own 10.
After a four-yard gain by DuJuan Harris on first down, Brown hit Jernigan on a slant, and the sophomore raced, untouched, 86-yards for a touchdown. It was the longest pass play for the Trojans since a 90-yard pass from Brock Nutter to Heyward Skipper against Cal State-Northridge during the 2001 season.
Glusman connected on the PAT, giving Troy a 13-0 lead with 8:52 left in the opening quarter.
The Troy defense again forced FIU off the field after three plays, and again the Trojans found themselves pinned deep when Williams fair caught the punt from Carlos Munera at the Troy four.
After an incomplete pass on first down, junior Steven Adams, starting at center for the first time in place of injured regular Danny Franks, snapped the ball over Brown's head and through the end zone for a safety.
Following the free kick, the Panthers got their offense going after a 35-yard run by Daunte Owens followed by a 22-yard pass from Paul McCall to Greg Ellingson. Facing a third and goal from the eight, McCall hit Junior Mertile for a touchdown with 4:36 left in the quarter, cutting the Troy lead to 13-9.
Troy answered right back, needing just four plays to drive inside the FIU 10. But, the drive stalled there and the Trojans settled for a 20-yard field goal from Glusman, his 10th consecutive made attempt of the year, to take a 16-9 lead after one quarter of play.
The second quarter was quiet until the Trojans pinned FIU inside its own five on a 40 yard Goggans punt. The Panthers were unable to get out of the hole and punted the ball back to Troy. Jorrick Calvin set the Trojans up at the FIU 28 with a 21-yard return.
“We knew coming in the FIU was a good football team and that they were much improved for the year before.” Blakeney said. “We jumped out early and it wasn't enough.”
The Trojans failed to move the ball, but Glusman was good from 44 yards out, giving the Trojans a 19-9 lead with 3:58 left in the half.
The Panthers got their offense going late in the half, driving 80 yards in nine plays, ending on a one-yard TD run by Owens with 20 seconds left in the half. The big play in the drive was a 40-yard pass from McCall T.Y. Hilton on a third and seven.
After failing to force a turnover in the first half, the Trojans started the second half quickly after junior Cameron Sheffield striped McCall at the Panthers' 17 and recovered the loose ball there.
After moving to the FIU two, Jernigan lined up behind center and rolled right before throwing his first collegiate pass, good for a two-yard touchdown to Justin Bray. Glusman's PAT increased Troy's lead to 26-16 with 13:22 left in the third quarter.
The Trojans got the benefit of an FIU mistake in the kicking game late in the third quarter in much the same manner as last weeks' game at FAU. Goggans' pooch punt attempt went off the helmet of the Panthers' Jonathan Jackson at the FIU 14 and, like the game at FAU, was recovered by Calvin at the nine.
Troy took advantage on the first play of the first quarter when Parker snuck into the end zone from the one, increasing Troy's lead to 33-16.
FIU had no intention of going down without a fight, driving the ball 69 yards in seven plays, with the final five coming on a pass from McCall to Jeremy Dickens with 9:27 to play. McCall stood tough in the pocket on the drive, taking hits from the Troy defense on 24 and 22-yard passes to Hilton to get into position for the score, cutting the Trojans' lead to 33-23.
Sheffield finished the game with a career-high eight tackles, including three tackles for a loss and two sacks. Fellow defensive linemen Brandon Lang and Maurice Coleman both added two sacks apiece, while Dion Gales registered a sack and a half.
“We played good enough to win and we did,” Blakeney said. “We must continue to improve and get better but a win means that it was a good night Troy Alabama.”
The Trojans return to action on the road at the University of North Texas next weekend, with kickoff set for 6 pm at Fouts Field.
Troy Notes
** Captains for today's game for Troy were Boris Lee, Xavier Moreland, Chris Jamison and Sherrod Martin.
** Started with a five receiver set.
** Danny Franks did not start the game.
** Quarterback Levi Brown made his first career start and completed his first pass to Jerrel Jernigan for nine yards.
** Freshman quarterback Dan Parker made the first appearance of his career and rushed for five yards. He rushed for his first career touchdown on a one-yard plunge in the fourth quarter.
** The Trojans used three quarterbacks on the first series with wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan taking a direct snap and running up the middle for five yards.
** Left tackle Chris Jamison made his 39th consecutive start.
** Sam Glusman missed a 47 yard field goal attempt, but a roughing the kicker penalty negated the miss to keep Glusman's perfect streak intact. Glusman later missed a point after to end his streak at 28 kicks and 19 extra points. Glusman converted a 20-yard and 44-yard field goal to run his streak to 11-for-11 on field goals.
** Levi Brown completed a 15-yard pass to Cornelius Williams for Williams' first touchdown of the season and Brown's first touchdown pass of his Troy career.
** Troy is now 25-for-26 in the red zone on the season.
** Maurice Coleman made his first career start against FIU. He finished the game with two sacks (a career-high).
** Career long 86-yard touchdown pass for Levi Brown and career long touchdown reception for Jerrel Jernigan. ** The play was the longest completion for Troy since October 20, 2001 when Brock Nutter connected with Heyward Skipper for a 90 yard touchdown against Cal State Northridge. The longest play for Troy since moving to the Spread offense in 2006 was a 70 yard reception by Toris Rutledge from Omar Haugabook against Florida Atlantic.
** Troy gave up their first safety of 2008 and their first since November 18, 2006 against Arkansas State. The safety was also the first points surrendered at home by the Trojans this year.
** Over the last 38 games leading up to Saturday the Trojans have been outscored in the first quarter of games 231-101. During that stretch Troy was shutout in the first quarter 19 times. Against Florida International, the Trojans put 16 points on the board and held FIU to nine.
** Jerrel Jernigan completed a two-yard touchdown pass to Justin Bray for Jernigan's first touchdown pass of his career and first pass attempt of his career. The TD reception was Bray's first of the season and third of his career.
** Courtland Fuller's third quarter sack was the first of his career and his second tackle for a loss of the year.
Jernigan went over 100 yards receiving for the first time in 2008 with a 15 yard reception in the third quarter. It was just the second time he had done so in his career, the first since November 3, 2007 at Georgia. He finished the game with 131 yards on five receptions.
** Jorrick Calvin recovered a ball on special teams that hit off the receiving team to retain possession for the second week in a row.
** Troy completed passes to 10 different receivers. Of the two quarterbacks that attempted passes, neither was intercepted, marking the first time a Troy quarterback was not intercepted since a trio of Trojan quarterbacks were not picked off against FIU on October 6, 2007.
