Troy University Athletics
Troy Moves Forward, Focused On WKU
11/7/2008 6:00:00 AM | Football
The Troy Trojans have been on the road for the last two weeks since playing at home against FIU October 18. They have also been on the road for six of their first eight games this season, so Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium will be a welcomed site for the Trojan faithful Saturday afternoon.
The Trojans return home for the first of three remaining home games, facing Western Kentucky University on homecoming Saturday, with kickoff at 2:30 pm.
Troy will look to rebound from a disappointing loss to ULM 31-30 on Saturday, falling short as Sam Glusman's 56-yard field goal hit the crossbar as time expired.
"I have always believed in something from an old guy I used to work for with six letters in his name - Pat Dye," Troy coach Larry Blakeney said. "He always tried to prepare the kids that you always need to be prepared no matter what happens. In other words, you have to prepare to lose. You have to prepare to win and understand how to win, but you better be prepared to lose because you've got to take that too. And that is just a fact of life in college football. We've got to understand that we tried hard, we played hard, we just didn't get it done. Whatever we've got to do to get positive we have to do."
The Trojans will look to prepare themselves to win this weekend and not let the last game affect their progress. Not only will the Trojans be playing at home for the first time in three weeks, but they will also be playing in front of a raucous crowd on homecoming in just their second day game of the season.
“You can make homecoming what you want to make it,” Blakeney said. “You can make it a distraction or you can make it just another week as a player or coach. All of the games are big, every game you line up to play is a big game. The thing about this game is that we are nightcrawlers, we have to get our kids on a schedule that is going to have them ready to play for a 2:30 kick on Saturday.”
Troy (5-3, 4-1 Sun Belt) is just one win away from becoming bowl eligible for the third consecutive season, and will get that chance when they step out of conference play for the first time five weeks.
"It is an opportunity to get six wins, it is an opportunity to get that bad taste out of your mouth or whatever it is," Blakeney said. "It's all over my body, and I am sure it is on the players, too.
The biggest obstacle for the Trojans on Saturday will be not to focus on the remaining two conference home games that will decide the conference title, but to focus on WKU as they come into Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium.
“Obviously everyone points at the last two games as the most important since they are conference games,” quarterback Levi Brown said. “We just have to go out and prepare every week and be ready to play whomever is on our schedule. This week it happens to be Western Kentucky, so we need to prepare for them and not overlook anyone again."
Although Western Kentucky comes in with just two victories on the season, Blakeney knows that the Hilltoppers are a good team this season. They are also a team that will join the Sun Belt Conference as full-fledged members next season, and played the Trojans close in the first NCAA Division I-A football game in Bowling Green last season.
“We have to go back to the drawing board and come up with something for Western Kentucky,” Blakeney said. “They are a good team. They have only two wins, but they have been close in most of their games this season. They played Florida Atlantic close, and they had a chance to beat North Texas before they threw an interception late.”
Part of the preparation this week for Western Kentucky University will be looking at the personnel and see what will work and won't work.
“We certainly have to work on our match-ups and our game plan,” Blakeney said. “But the biggest thing is not to dwell on the what-ifs of last week's game against Louisiana-Monroe. We have to move forward, put our best foot forward so to speak, and it's going to be like that for the rest of the season. But we are excited because we have three out of our last four at home.”
Sophomore running back DuJuan Harris is coming off a 145-yard performance against Louisiana-Monroe last weekend, and he reiterates the importance of getting the last game out of the team's system and moving forward.
“The last game gets out of your system pretty quick,” Harris said. “You start forgetting about that game when you get film on the next team at the first of the week. We just have to go out and prepare the best we can, and be ready for the game on Saturday against WKU.”
After playing the last two games on the road and all the other road games that have come along with the beginning of the season, the Trojans are chomping at the bit to get back on the home surface.
“I can't wait to get out there and play,” Brown said. “I feel like we have flying and driving all over the country this season. It is going to be nice to get to play at home this weekend.”
Kickoff for Troy and WKU is set for 2:30 pm at Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium. The game can be heard on the Troy ISP Sports Network, and will also be televised by CSS Saturday afternoon.
