Troy University Athletics
Trojans Have Many Holes to Fill as 2010 Approaches
7/26/2010 2:47:35 PM | Football
Team set to report on Friday
In the spring of 1996, Trojans football coach Larry Blakeney was worried. Worried sick.
The 1995 Trojans had gone through an undefeated regular season, but had lost 25 seniors who were all major contributors to the success of that team. Entering the spring, Blakeney and the coaching staff was not sure what might lie ahead.
“That may have been the best football team we've had, and we were worried sick going into the spring,” Blakeney said as he opens his 20th spring practice as the Trojans head coach. “Guys like Stan Davis came in and a bunch of other players grew up and over-achieved, and that is what we need this year. I think we lost 25 seniors off the 1995 team and came back in 1996 and beat everyone we could beat before losing to Montana in the semifinals.”
The 2010 Trojans won't have to replace 25 seniors, but there are major holes to fill for the four-time defending Sun Belt Conference champions.
On offense, there aren't as many holes, but there are big ones. Two veteran offensive linemen, including a three-year starter at center, must be replaced. Then there is the matter of replacing the first 4,000-yard passer in school history at quarterback.
On defense, the holes are numerous and include all four starters on the defensive line, two all-time greats at linebacker and two safeties.
While the feeling around the Troy coaches offices isn't quite the same as the spring of 1996, there is an understanding that the spring of 2010 will be very important.
“We may have more holes than we have ever had,” Blakeney said. “I know all of those other teams in the league are licking their chops looking at all we lost.”
The Trojans will also have a new offensive coordinator for the third time since the run of four straight league titles started. Neal Brown left for Texas Tech and took running backs coach Chad Scott with him.
In their place, veteran assistant Kenny Edenfield will take over the coordinator duties, but will maintain his position as inside receivers coach. Chip Lindsey joins the staff to coach the quarterbacks and Jeff Beckles, who was on the opposite side of the field for the GMAC Bowl in January, takes over the running backs.
“I like this staff,” Blakeney said. “I think Chip Lindsey is the right guy to coach the quarterbacks because he is totally a system guy and he speaks the language. We have Shayne Wasden and John Schlarman returning, and have added Jeff Beckles, who is a solid guy. He has already put in some things that will help us academically. I think he was the right ingredient we needed to complete the staff.”
Wasden, who serves as Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator, will continue to coach the outside receivers on offense. Schlarman, who coaches the offensive line, has added the title of Running Game Coordinator, and will work the Beckles and the backs on pass protection and the ground game.
Even with the changes on the offensive staff, Blakeney does not expect much change in the offense.
“We tried to hire not to have any changes,” Blakeney said. “Everyone's personality is different. Neal Brown won't be calling this offense, so Kenny Edenfield's personality will come through. Neal was very open to suggestions and I think Kenny will be the same way.
“The personality will be different, the chemistry will be different and the players will be different.”
Any changes in the offense will come more from the change at quarterback than from any changes on the coaching staff. Levi Brown became the most prolific single-season passer in Sun Belt history last year, but the three men who will attempt to replace him each bring a different set of skills.
The group of candidates at quarterback includes junior Jamie Hampton, who opened the 2008 season as the starter before a knee injury ended his season. He redshirted last year and and has more experience in the offense than the other two players combined.
The two new players in the mix for the position are redshirt freshman Corey Robinson, who is two years removed from a record-setting career as a prep passer in Paducah, Kentucky. He sat out 2008 as a greyshirt and then redshirted last year.
Mid-term junior college quarterback Greg Jenkins completes the quartet of candidates. He comes from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and is cut from the same mold as former Trojan Omar Haugabook.
“Quarterback is a big job we have after losing Levi,” Blakeney said. “We have some good candidates to fill that job. We are going to open up the competition and give them all a chance. Normally, what will happen is you will rock along for a few days and then, once you get the gear on, they will start to separate a little bit.
“We know that Jamie is coming off knee surgery, but he has had more than a year to heal and he has had a lot of practice. He has gotten a lot bigger and a lot stronger and, if he can put the knee behind him, which I think he will, then he will be fine. He is a great kid, as are all of these guys. They are all workers. Greg, Jamie and Corey are all ballers. They all want to play. I think we have a bright future there if we can keep all of them well and get all of them enough reps.”
On the offensive line, three starters return, including both tackles. James Brown came on quickly as a sophomore at left tackle and had a great season in 2009 while Kyle Wilborn was solid as a redshirt freshman on the right side. Senior Tyler Clark, who has been a three-year starter since walking on, will make the move from guard to center this spring and will be the key to the revamped line.
“We want to have Tyler at center because we think he has a chance to be really good there,” Blakeney said. “If it hampers him, and if we can find someone else, then we will move him back. He is such a good player, he can do a lot of things. I think being at center will be good for him.”
One of the open jobs at guard will be in the hands of senior Tyler Graves, but he will get pressure from a host of young players during the fall.
“Our deal has always been to try to get the five best on the field,” Blakeney said. “We want to find the five best in the spring and get them in the best positions, and then find the three to five best backups. We have some young guys that will have a chance. I know we are starting to look like an offensive line.”
At the skill positions the Trojans are much more settled. Both top running backs return in senior DuJuan Harris and sophomore Shawn Southward, who is coming off a Sun Belt Freshman of the Year award last fall. That tandem will be bolstered by the return of Chris Anderson from a year at junior college and sophomore T.J. Mitchell. Sophomore D.J. Taylor also gives the Trojans a true fullback who can also provide the team with much bigger one back when the situation calls for that.
At receiver, no fewer than six players with considerable game experience return along with junior college signee Brett Moncrief and several redshirts who will be looking to make an impression on the coaches.
The key guy among the receivers will be senior Jerrel Jernigan, who has a chance to finish his Troy career as the top receiver in school history.
“We have a good contingent of skill players,” Blakeney said. “Of course, Jerrel is a guy we are going to try to find ways to get the ball too. He'll line up inside, outside, at quarterback. Jason Bruce is another guy who can lineup inside or outside that we will try to get the ball too. We are looking at the Y or Z position for Brett Moncrief. We have some guys with big presence and size that can go up and get jump balls.”
Those other receivers include seniors TeBiarus Gill and Austin Silvoy, junior Chip Reeves, sophomore Josh Jarboe and redshirt freshmen Felton Payton and Anthony Williams.
The other opening on the offensive side of the ball is at tight end where Travis Boyd served as the starter for the last two seasons. With heir-apparent Matt Stidham having missed the spring following shoulder surgery, talented senior Donnie Crosby and big redshirt freshman Gavin Ellis had a solid opportunity to display their skills prior to fall camp.
On the defensive side of the ball, the holes are numerous and gaping.
Gone are all four starters on the defensive front, all of whom may end up playing in the NFL next year. Ends Brandon Lang and Cameron Sheffield are both sure draft picks while tackles Kevin Dixon and Eugene Kinlaw, who decided to leave school early to pursue a professional career, will both be in NFL camps in July.
Also gone is the heart and soul of the Troy defense for the last two years, linebackers Boris Lee and Bear Woods. Both will also be in NFL camps and leave an emotional and leadership void on the defense in addition to the loss of their considerable combined skills.
Throw in the loss of veteran safeties Courtland Fuller and Chris Bowens, plus veteran linebacker David McDowell, and it is obvious that the Troy coaches have a huge rebuilding job on their hands.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Blakeney said. “We have some guys who I think are ready to play, but it is going to be an important set of practices for our defense.
“We are going to look to guys like Mario Addison at defensive end because he has leadership qualities as well as ability. Xavier Lamb has always been a player. He played behind one of the best in the league (Lee) and I am looking forward to seeing him and Donnell Golden.”
In addition to all of the losses, two returning seniors will also missed the spring following off-season shoulder surgery. Linebacker/nickel back Daniel Sheffield started 12 games last year and is a known commodity, but safety Bryant McKissic has been plagued by shoulder woes his entire career and could have used the spring to establish himself.
Along with Addison, a senior, the Trojans will look for sophomore Jonathan Massaquoi, who redshirted last year, to step in at defensive end to fill the void left by the graduation of Lang and Sheffield. Depth behind those two is limited, meaning their health will be a key in the fall.
Inside on the line there are a lot of young, talented players, but only few with playing time. Junior Sidell Corley, who arrived at Troy late during camp last year from LSU, will be counted on to be a key cog inside. Seniors Emmanuel Dudley and Riley Flowers both missed time due to injury last year and will be joined by sophomore Tony Davis and redshirt freshmen Aaron Williams and Shermaine TeArt.
“Aaron Williams is a key guy who has to come on,” Blakeney said. “Jonathan Massaquoi needs to step up and be a man because he has ability. Sidell Corley needs to be a horse for us and the two inside guys, Dudley and Flowers, need to be ready.”
At linebacker, juniors Xavier Lamb and Donnell Golden have served as understudies to Lee and Woods for the last two seasons. Both have shown that they can play, but they now must show that they can be leaders as well as players.
They will be joined in the linebacker mix this spring by sophomores Jacoby Thomas and Kanorris Davis, along with redshirt freshman Johnny Thompson. Sophomore Brannon Bryan, who redshirted last year, will also be in the mix for playing time.
In the secondary, Freshman All-American Bryan Willis returns at one corner, and seniors Willard Ross and Barry Valcin, who both saw considerable playing time in 2009, return to the safety spots. Valcin started most of the 2009 season at corner, but was recruited to play safety.
The other corner spot is open to competition, with mid-term junior college transfer Jimmie Anderson getting first shot. He will likely be pushed by junior Chris Blanton and sophomore KeJuan Phillips, who both redshirted last year.
Freshman Caleb Massey will vie along with senior Sam Sellers for playing time behind Ross and Valcin at safety.
“We have high hopes for Barry Valcin and Willard Ross at safety,” Blakeney said. “We get KeJuan back and that is good. Jimmie Anderson, who is coming in from junior college, is one we hope will step right in.”
Special teams must replace one of its two long snappers with just Wes Henry returning, but both kickers – junior punter Will Goggans and junior placekicker Michael Taylor – also are back in the fold in 2010. Holder Austin Silvoy is also returning this year.
In the return game, Jernigan, Southward and Harris are all back with experience on kickoffs and Gill returns as the punt returner, although Jernigan will get work there this season.
This season will be one to remember for the Trojans as they look to reload after winning their fourth consecutive Sun Belt Conference Championship last season. Although they will be young in some places, they are well-versed in experience at other positions that could prove to be beneficial as the season goes on.
The Trojans open the year at home against Bowling Green on September 4 before hitting the road for games at Oklahoma State and UAB. The home slate will be a challenge as the Trojans will welcome the likes of Arkansas State and Louisiana-Layette; while one of the biggest games of the year comes against Middle Tennessee on the road in October on ESPN2.
