Troy University Athletics
Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer
Trojans Open Spring Football Drills
2/23/2011 4:00:49 PM | Football
SPRING DEPTH CHART
What do you do if you are the five time defending champion of your conference and are coming off a decisive bowl victory just two short months ago?
If you are the Troy Trojans, you get a jump on the competition by opening spring practice early. The Trojans took the turf at Veterans Memorial Stadium today for the first of 15 spring practice sessions.
Coach Larry Blakeney said there are several specific areas of concern the Trojans will work on this spring in preparation for his 21st season at Troy. Chief areas of concern are on replacing three senior receivers and three starting offensive lineman from a squad that ranked seventh in the nation in passing offense and 17th in total offense last year.
On the defensive side, where the Trojans will return eight starters, the focus will be on building depth and pushing some young, talented, players to step up so that they will be ready to contribute in the fall.
“We hope to be as good, offensively, as we were last year, but we will have to find ways to get that production back,” Blakeney said. “You don't just replace a player like Jerrel Jernigan with one guy, and we have to replace Jason Bruce and TeBiarus Gill as well.”
The Trojans have three returning receivers who were major contributors last year, but one, Brett Moncrief, will miss spring ball after suffering a foot injury while running routes just two days before spring practice.
The other two significant contributors who return are senior Chip Reeves and sophomore Jamel Johnson. Junior Chris Anderson, who saw action in all 13 games last year at running back, six as a starter, will get a look as a possible replacement for Jernigan.
On the offensive line, senior left tackle James Brown will be working with an entirely new cast of players this spring with junior guard Kyle Wilborn out after off-season surgery. That leaves a host of young players joining with several older guys returning from injury to battle for positions on the depth chart.
“We want to find out about Terrence Jones and Demarkus Underwood at right tackle, Andrew Phillips at center and we need Cody Jenkins to step up,” Blakeney said. “Dalton Bennett is another guy we want to see step up this spring.”
Unlike last spring, there will be no quarterback controversy this year with Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Corey Robinson set the return after being named MVP of the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. Even after his breakout freshman season, there are still areas where the coaches want to see Robinson improve.
“We want Corey to concentrate on improving his grasp of the total offense, improving his operation of fakes and things of that nature,” Blakeney said. “He has never been a big runner, but he can pull it down on you and make a play and we want to see him work on knowing when to do that.”
Behind Robinson, senior Jamie Hampton will be very limited in what he will be allowed to do in the spring while he continues to recover from the broken leg he suffered last October. Freshmen Luke Barnes and K.D. Edenfield will get extended looks in the spring to see if one, or both, might be able to step in next fall, if the need arises.
“We are very thin at that position right now, so we want to get both of those young guys as many reps as possible,” Blakeney said.
On defense, unlike last year, the Trojans return a wealth of experience, especially in the secondary. Four corners have extensive experience as starters as do returning safeties LaDarrius Madden and Cameron Hudson. Senior Barry Valcin will get back on the field for some work this spring but, like Hampton, will be very limited in what he is allowed to do while still recovering from a broken ankle.
Up front, senior tackle Emmanuel Dudley will miss spring practice after some off-season surgery, but there are a number of players inside who will get a chance to show they are ready to play.
“We have a lot of guys who can play either of those inside positions, but they have to show us something this spring,” Blakeney said. “I think there are some guys there who can help us, but we want them to show they are ready to help.”
That list of inside defensive linemen includes senior Sidell Corley, juniors Tony Davis, Jeremy Elder and Tony Gillespie, sophomores Shermane Teart and Aaron Williams and freshman Tommy Stephens.
On the outside, All-Sun Belt end Jonathan Massaquoi returns, but the job opposite him is open. Seniors R.J. Roberts and John Robles are the leading candidates to fill that opening.
The Trojans return a solid corps of linebackers, led by senior Xavier Limb at Mike. Junior Brannon Bryan took over as the starter at Will late in the 2010 season and played well and junior Kanorris Davis, along with sophomore Johnny Thompson, will plug the Sam/Nickel spot.
On special teams, like on offense, the key question will be in replacing Jernigan in the return game. Several players will get a chance to return kicks and punts during spring practice.
The Trojans will hold six practice sessions, including one scrimmage, before taking spring break off. The team will return after the break with nine more practice sessions, including two scrimmages.
The first of the three scrimmages is set for Thursday night, March 3, at 6 p.m. at Veterans Stadium.
The Trojans will hit the road for their second scrimmage of the spring, traveling to Phenix City for a March 19 scrimmage at Garrett-Harrison Stadium. That scrimmage is set for 2 p.m. (ET).
The final scrimmage of the spring, the annual T-Day scrimmage, will be held on March 26 at Veterans Memorial Stadium. That scrimmage is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start as a part of Troy University's Spring Reunion Weekend.
2011 Troy Football Spring Practice Schedule
| Feb. 23 | Spring practice #1 | Shorts |
| Feb. 25 | Spring practice #2 | Shorts |
| Feb. 26 | Spring practice #3 | Thud |
| Feb. 28 | Spring practice #4 | Full gear |
| March 2 | Spring practice #5 | Thud |
| March 3 | Spring practice #6 | Scrimmage (6 pm) |
| March 5-13 | Spring Break | |
| March 14 | Spring practice #7 | Shorts |
| March 15 | Spring practice #8 | Thud |
| March 16 | Spring practice #9 | Full gear |
| March 18 | Spring practice #10 | Thud |
| March 19 | Spring practice #11 | Scrimmage in Phenix City (2 pm et) |
| March 21 | Spring practice #12 | Full gear |
| March 23 | Spring practice #13 | Full gear |
| March 25 | Spring practice #14 | Full gear |
| March 26 | Spring practice #15 | Scrimmage/T-Day (1 pm) |
Goose Crowder - T-Day
Saturday, April 18
Donnie Smith - T-Day
Saturday, April 18
Gerad Parker - T-Day
Saturday, April 18
Gerad Parker - April 16
Thursday, April 16