Troy University Athletics
Memories Of 2006 Revisit Trojans Saturday Afternoon
9/18/2010 5:47:03 PM | Football
Last time the Trojans visited Birmingham, good things happened at end of season
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Ninety-nine yards separated UAB from the goal-line trailing Troy by six on Saturday. The Blazers accomplished the yardage and the game-winning score, while burning out the final 69 seconds in the game.
Troy left Legion Field in heartbreak fashion after a 44-yard UAB touchdown pass to end the game sank an opportunity for victory.
The Trojans previous trip to Legion Field ended in a loss too, as the 2006 Troy football team fell 21-3 to UAB, capping off a four-game losing skid. That Troy team responded though, and the response was with a Sun Belt Championship and the school's first ever bowl victory.
“I told the team about it,” Troy head coach Larry Blakeney said. “In 2006 we lost 21-3 up here. That team went on the win the league and won a bowl. That will be the challenge to these guys to try to do the same thing.”
That challenge will be issued at a pivotal time of the year for the Trojans too. Troy enters Sun Belt Conference play next week when they host Arkansas State at home.
“Conference play starts next week, and this one is a bitter pill to swallow,” Blakeney said.
The Trojans have swallowed two bitter pills in two consecutive weeks, and getting back on a winning note is priority number one.
“It's real devastating,” wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan said. “I'm not saying that we gave up, but we kind of went a little conservative towards the end of the fourth quarter. I think we should have kept our intensity up. We just relaxed a little bit, and they kept fighting.”
The Trojans are looking to respond, and quarterback Corey Robinson said the only way is by sticking with what they know best, heart and hard work.
“We've got to come together and get ready for Sun Belt play next week,” Robinson said. “A lot of our guys on our team have got heart. We've just got to come together. Coach Blakeney is a great coach. We're a family, nd we've got to come together and get this one next week.”
For Troy, “The drive for five” has started in familiar fashion as the Trojans have started three conference championship seasons with a 1-2 record in the current stretch. The goal for this team now is to be no different than the others.
