Troy University Athletics
Trojans Ready To Get Back On The Field
9/13/2008 5:00:00 AM | Football
The Troy Trojans have been waiting 16 days since their season-opener against Middle Tennessee to get back on the football field against an opponent. They will get that chance Saturday evening in front of the Trojan faithful at Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium against Alcorn State.
The Trojans were scheduled to play defending national champion LSU last Saturday, but the game was changed to November 15 due to Hurricane Gustav.
“There has been a lot of down time,” Troy coach Larry Blakeney said. “We are ready to play, and we need to play. We feel like the LSU people did the right thing. Once we were notified that the game that the game was rescheduled, we knew it was the right thing to do and started to prepare for Alcorn State.”
Troy (1-0) will be playing at home for the first time this season, before hitting the road for three consecutive weeks, beginning next week at Ohio State.
“We need to play somebody and Alcorn is next,” Blakeney said. “It's our home opener and we are hopeful to get cooperation from Ike and get to play. It will be close to a regular week for us, and we will keep an eye on that. We are going to get ready to have a successful opener against Alcorn State.”
The Trojans must be ready to contend with an athletic Alcorn State team at 6 p.m. Saturday.
“I saw them play a little on TV against Grambling,” Blakeney said. “They are always highly skilled, they always have guys who can fly around and they always seem to have guys who can throw it. They have some personnel on defense who can run and make plays.”
Trojans sophomore quarterback Jamie Hampton will be making his first home start on Saturday against the Braves, and doesn't expect the game to be a walk in the park.
“Alcorn State has a bunch of good athletes,” Hampton said. “I think we are going to have to play pretty good ball to win. Hopefully we can win, maybe even win convincingly, and have good performances in all three phases of the game.”
Although Blakeney is ready to get back on the field, his players are more than ready to get back on the field for action.
“I am dying to play,” linebacker Bear Woods said. “I was itching on Saturday while watching all the other games. The off week was early, so no one was really beat up but, it doesn't matter because off weeks are always good.”
Woods led the Trojans defense with 24 tackles against Middle Tennessee, joining fellow linebacker Boris Lee as the two leading tacklers in the season opener. Against an Alcorn State team that will be wide open on offense, Woods knows he and his defensive teammates have to be ready.
“It seems like this is the first game all over again,” Woods said. “I think our defense did well against Middle Tennessee, and we are really ready to play again. We were able to work on fundamentals and techniques a lot more this past week, and that is good.”
After playing two weeks ago on the road and sitting for 16 days, Woods is ready to go.
“I am going to enjoy every minute of this first home game,” Woods said. “I hope we put on a good showing for our fans because we have a long road trip after this one.”
While everyone else in the world of college football played last week, the Trojans were watching games on television and, in the case of Blakeney, watching The Weather Channel.
“That has been my first look of late,” Blakeney said. “I am normally a pretty basic network guy, but The Weather Channel is way ahead of any post-convention talk or stuff like that.”
The only storm that will be in the area on Saturday will be the Trojans against the Alcorn State Braves at 6 pm. At halftime of the contest, Troy will honor its 1968 NAIA National Champions.
“We learned a long time ago that the football game is just a catalyst for all the other things that go on,” Blakeney said. “It is a good time for reunions and tailgating and to have a good band show.”
The game can be heard on the Troy/ISP Sports Network with Barry McKnight providing the play-by-play. There will be no television coverage of the game. Fans can watch the game live on the Troy Athletics web site, www.TroyTrojans.com, through the Trojan GamePass.
The Trojans were scheduled to play defending national champion LSU last Saturday, but the game was changed to November 15 due to Hurricane Gustav.
“There has been a lot of down time,” Troy coach Larry Blakeney said. “We are ready to play, and we need to play. We feel like the LSU people did the right thing. Once we were notified that the game that the game was rescheduled, we knew it was the right thing to do and started to prepare for Alcorn State.”
Troy (1-0) will be playing at home for the first time this season, before hitting the road for three consecutive weeks, beginning next week at Ohio State.
“We need to play somebody and Alcorn is next,” Blakeney said. “It's our home opener and we are hopeful to get cooperation from Ike and get to play. It will be close to a regular week for us, and we will keep an eye on that. We are going to get ready to have a successful opener against Alcorn State.”
The Trojans must be ready to contend with an athletic Alcorn State team at 6 p.m. Saturday.
“I saw them play a little on TV against Grambling,” Blakeney said. “They are always highly skilled, they always have guys who can fly around and they always seem to have guys who can throw it. They have some personnel on defense who can run and make plays.”
Trojans sophomore quarterback Jamie Hampton will be making his first home start on Saturday against the Braves, and doesn't expect the game to be a walk in the park.
“Alcorn State has a bunch of good athletes,” Hampton said. “I think we are going to have to play pretty good ball to win. Hopefully we can win, maybe even win convincingly, and have good performances in all three phases of the game.”
Although Blakeney is ready to get back on the field, his players are more than ready to get back on the field for action.
“I am dying to play,” linebacker Bear Woods said. “I was itching on Saturday while watching all the other games. The off week was early, so no one was really beat up but, it doesn't matter because off weeks are always good.”
Woods led the Trojans defense with 24 tackles against Middle Tennessee, joining fellow linebacker Boris Lee as the two leading tacklers in the season opener. Against an Alcorn State team that will be wide open on offense, Woods knows he and his defensive teammates have to be ready.
“It seems like this is the first game all over again,” Woods said. “I think our defense did well against Middle Tennessee, and we are really ready to play again. We were able to work on fundamentals and techniques a lot more this past week, and that is good.”
After playing two weeks ago on the road and sitting for 16 days, Woods is ready to go.
“I am going to enjoy every minute of this first home game,” Woods said. “I hope we put on a good showing for our fans because we have a long road trip after this one.”
While everyone else in the world of college football played last week, the Trojans were watching games on television and, in the case of Blakeney, watching The Weather Channel.
“That has been my first look of late,” Blakeney said. “I am normally a pretty basic network guy, but The Weather Channel is way ahead of any post-convention talk or stuff like that.”
The only storm that will be in the area on Saturday will be the Trojans against the Alcorn State Braves at 6 pm. At halftime of the contest, Troy will honor its 1968 NAIA National Champions.
“We learned a long time ago that the football game is just a catalyst for all the other things that go on,” Blakeney said. “It is a good time for reunions and tailgating and to have a good band show.”
The game can be heard on the Troy/ISP Sports Network with Barry McKnight providing the play-by-play. There will be no television coverage of the game. Fans can watch the game live on the Troy Athletics web site, www.TroyTrojans.com, through the Trojan GamePass.
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