Troy University Athletics
Trojans Turn Focus Toward New Orleans and USM
12/12/2008 6:00:00 AM | Football
Troy University football coach Larry Blakeney has made it a point all year to issue challenges.
He has challenged his players, he has challenged his coaching staff and, on occasion, he has challenged Trojan fans. Thursday, at a news conference prior to the start of the Trojans' preparations for the 2008 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, Blakeney was again issuing challenges.
The Trojans (8-4) will face Southern Miss (6-6) on Sunday night, Dec. 21, at the Louisiana Superdome, with kickoff set for 7:15 p.m. The game will be televised live on ESPN and will be rebroadcast on CSS on Christmas Day at 5 p.m. and on Dec. 26 at 11:30 a.m.
"I have heard thousands of people say that when we had eight wins last year and lost to FAU, that they had reservations in New Orleans," Blakeney said. "They have all said that they wanted us to carry them back there. Well, we are back there, and I want to challenge all of them to go with us.
"They all need to be in New Orleans with us, spend some time there with us, buy their tickets from us and have a good time with this football program and this university's people in New Orleans."
The goal for the Trojans from the very start of the season was to capture an outright Sun Belt title and return to the New Orleans Bowl. After sharing the league crown with Middle Tennessee (2006) and FAU (2007), capturing a solo championship was the primary concern of the players all year.
"This is awesome," junior linebacker Bear Woods said."This is right where we wanted to be ? outright champs and going to another New Orleans Bowl. We are looking forward to it, and we are looking forward to another win."
Junior quarterback Levi Brown echoed those sentiments.
"That was our goal all year," Brown said. "Before we started the season, our goal was to win the Sun Belt and go to the New Orleans Bowl. We are excited to finally have reached our goals."
Getting back to New Orleans was the goal from the start, but the road back to the Superdome was certainly not an easy one.
"These players and coaches have certainly done a great job," Blakeney said. "When you think back to July 28, when we first reported, and all of the things we had to do to be champions.
"The price is always paid, it doesn't matter how you get there. You have to be resilient and overcome a lot of things that go into being a competitive student-athlete in this day and age."
But just getting to the New Orleans Bowl is not all the Trojans want to accomplish. There is still one game left to play, and the players all agree that is the most important part of the coming trip.
"A lot of the younger guys are expecting to go down there and have a really good time, but we are there for business," senior receiver Mykeal Terry said. "It is a reward, but we are there for business. There is no point in going there and not doing what we need to do at the end of the week."
The challenge on the field at the end of the week for the Trojans comes in the form of a Southern Miss team that, despite its overall record, presents a huge challenge. The Golden Eagles posted four consecutive wins to close the year, winning by an average score of 35-9.
Like the Trojans, USM ranks among the top 40 teams in the nation in all four major offensive categories (rushing, passing, total offense and scoring). Unlike Troy, the Golden Eagles are in their first year under head coach Larry Fedora, who served most recently as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State.
On Thursday, before the Trojans opened preparations for the game, the players didn't yet know much about their opponents, but they were eager to get to work in preparation for the game. Part of the reason for the excitement is that many of the Troy players have played with, or against, many of the players from USM in the past.
"I think it (playing Southern Miss) is great," Woods said. "They are in the region, and there is a guy on their team that I played with in high school. I am sure there are other guys on our team who have teammates on their team. I know it will be a big game and, hopefully, there will be a big crowd there in the Superdome."
Sophomore Jerrel Jernigan said he started getting calls from friends at USM right after the Trojans beat Arkansas State to earn the big.
"I have two friends over there that I played against in high school ? Cameron O'Neal (Citronelle) and William Spight from Jeff Davis," Jernigan said. "They called me early in the week to talk some smack. They said they can't wait to try to guard me."
But, before the game there will be plenty of distractions for the Trojans. After four days of practice on campus, the team will travel to New Orleans on Wednesday where there will be plenty of official, and unofficial, activities that might take focus away from the game.
"We have tried to be fair with them and let them have a little fun," Blakeney said. "This time of year you just need four or five practices, and that is what we will have. We're not going to just turn them loose (on Bourbon Street). I think that how you conduct yourself in a situation like this shows the kind of maturity and leadership you have as a team."
The players said they understand the responsibility they have.
"I am going to stay away from Bourbon Street until after the game," Woods said. "That is just me, though."
Brown said that will be the key for the entire team.
"The key is probably to not stay out too late before the game," Brown said. "I am not really a young guy, but this is my first time to go to a bowl game, and that is what some of the guys have told us. We have great senior leaders on this team and they have helped the rest of us know what to expect once we get there."
If the Trojans conduct themselves in the same manner they did in 2006, then there will be plenty of time for Bourbon Street after notching that ninth victory of the year.
"I think we are playing well and it can translate to the bowl if we continue to build on those last two wins," Blakeney said. "Coming from a championship season and understanding how we got there and why we got there is still a process we have to go through to get there to play Southern Miss. We want to be playing at our optimum on December 21st."
Tickets for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl will remain on sale through the Troy University Athletics Ticket Office through next week. Call 877-878-9467 or 334-670-3681 to purchase your tickets and join the Trojans in New Orleans.
