Troy University Athletics
Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer
With Drive For Five Complete, Trojans Ride Momentum into Big Easy
12/12/2010 1:00:00 PM | Football
R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL GUIDE
From the beginning of the 2010 football season, the goal for the Troy Trojans was simple – win the Sun Belt Conference championship to line up five consecutive trophies next to each other.
The route the Trojans took to get that fifth championship was difficult and unpredictable. The mountainous task seemed to be almost unattainable after a homecoming loss to FIU, but coaching and work ethic prevailed as Troy resiliently ended the season with wins and help.
“We did it,” receiver Jason Bruce said. “We completed the 'Drive for Five'. That was the main thing on my mind. Middle Tennessee came through to beat FIU. A lot of guys that graduated before wanted us to keep the legacy alive. They wanted us to keep the things going that they started which was winning the conference.”
The next challenge for the Trojans is to ride the wave of momentum into the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl against Ohio. The Trojans and Bobcats will square off on Saturday night at 8 p.m. in the Louisiana Superdome.
“From the first game on, Coach Blakeney told us there would be ups and downs,” receiver Jerrel Jernigan said. “He told us to ride the ups and forget the downs. That's basically what we did. We came into this year, and lost to Monroe and FIU. Coach told us to keep battling and everything would work out.”
Everything did work out in the end, and the Trojans got by with a little help from some friends. Middle Tennessee's victory over the FIU Panthers helped Troy win a share of the title, and now the Trojans are looking for more help from the Trojan Nation in New Orleans.
“What more can you ask for, to be playing in the Superdome,” Jernigan said. “A great crowd is going to come, and I'm pretty sure we'll bring a great crowd with us. I'm not ready to get it over with, but it has been a great four years here.”
Jernigan will finish his storied Trojan career in the bowl game, and he and the others in the senior class are itching to end on a winning note. The underclassmen are looking forward to trying to earn another “W” as well, and the game in New Orleans can help them begin their own legacy at Troy.
“I think we have a lot of momentum going to the bowl game,” linebacker Xavier Lamb said. “We've got to finish where we picked up against Western Kentucky. Coach told us we needed two good games, and now we get to make it three. It gives a lot of the young guys confidence.”
The Trojans gained confidence in the latter part of the season, and it came from a multitude of areas of hard work. Receiver Tebiarus Gill said it best when he put the Trojans' season into perspective with one word.
“Dedication,” Gill said. “There are a lot of guys that want to be in our shoes. It's unbelievable that we could win five straight titles and keep our composure about it too. This is a great program. We're thankful for the players that our coaches recruit. They are all great guys, and we play as a team.”
The search to peg a name for next season's attempt at six consecutive league titles is under way, and the Trojans are hoping a bowl win will bring them into the 2011 season on a high.
Troy fans can answer the call from the Trojans by purchasing tickets for the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl through the Troy Athletic Ticket Office. Tickets for the game are $40 each. Troy University students can purchase a single student ticket for the game for $20 by presenting a valid student ID at the Athletics Ticket Office.
Even fans who cannot, for whatever reason, attend the game can still support the Trojans by buying tickets to cover costs for the Sound of the South to attend the game or to help underprivileged children in the New Orleans area go to the game. All donated tickets are eligible for a tax deduction.
Fans have three ways to purchase tickets – in person at the Athletics Ticket Office in Davis Fieldhouse, by calling 877-878-WINS or by logging on to www.TroyTrojans.com and buying online.
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