Troy University Athletics
Photo by: Edward Fieder
Freshman Receiver Poised to Make Big Impact
8/19/2011 2:54:00 PM | Football
After losing five senior receivers off the 2010 squad, followed by the loss of two other veteran pass catchers to academics, there will be plenty of opportunities in 2011 for young receivers to make an impact.
One of the youngsters who has made an impression on the coaching staff during training camp is Chandler Worthy. With just two weeks remaining before the season-opener at Clemson, the Hampton, Ga., native has put himself in position to play and contribute right away.
Despite standing just 5-9, Worthy is built for speed. It is his break-away deep threat ability the Trojans hope will make the biggest early impact.
“Chandler is not the biggest guy in the world, but he can really run,” Troy offensive coordinator Kenny Edenfield said. “He's a track guy who also has strong hands and catches the ball well. I think there were six Division I signees off his high school team and he was the only one that never came off the field.”
Worthy came to Troy because he wanted to play on the offensive said of the ball. Most other schools that recruited him wanted him to play defense. Troy's coaches told him that he would have a chance to catch the ball, making his decision of where to go to school a lot clearer.
Worthy's transition from high school football to Division I has been somewhat difficult. Like all freshmen, Worth went from being an established star as senior in high school to starting off at the bottom of the depth chart.
“Playing in high school as a senior, everyone loves you. You are the town's superstar,” Worthy said. “It's a hard transition.”
Worthy knew the difficulties that awaited him once training camp opened, so he trained every day during the summer in order to be prepared physically. His hard work in the weight room before coming to Troy did not go unnoticed.
“Worthy was noticeably different than all of the other freshman," Trojans strength coach Richard Shaughnessy said. “It's clear over the summer who's in good shape and who's not. He was able to join the upper class early. He is going to be a good asset for this program.”
In the weight room the freshman are separated from the other players because most need special one-on-one time to build and develop certain muscles. Shaughnessy moved Chandler away from the freshmen after a short period of time.
“Football is a different thing [at Troy] because the quarterbacks throw harder and the speed of the game is a lot faster, so that took a while to get use to,” Worthy said. “I am glad that I came this summer to get use to the transition so I'll be ready for this upcoming season.”
Apparently, that extra work in the summer is paying off.
“He has the skill set to really help us early on,” Edenfield said.
Trojans to Hold Second Scrimmage
Saturday will mark the beginning of a busy weekend for the Troy football program. The Trojans will take to the field at Veterans Memorial Stadium at 10:30 a.m. for their second, and final, scrimmage of preseason camp.
After wrapping up the scrimmage, the Trojans will begin to turn their attention toward the season-opening game at Clemson when practice resumes on Monday.
The scrimmage will likely feature many of the younger Trojans who are fighting to earn positions on the depth chart and travel squad. The scrimmage is open to the public.
Football Appreciation Night/Fan Day
After the scrimmage, the 2011 Troy Football Appreciation Night is set for Saturday evening. The annual fund-raising event for the Trojans Football program will begin at 6 p.m. A very limited number of tickets are still available for $125 per couple by calling 334-670-3683 or 334-670-3682.
On Sunday, the Troy football team will be joined by the players for the Trojans Soccer and Volleyball squads, as well as both Cross Country squads and the Trojans cheerleaders for Fan Day. The event will start at 2 p.m. at Sartain Hall. The student-athletes and coaches will be on hand to pose for pictures and sign autographs. Admission to Fan Day is free and free hot dogs and soft drinks will be available for all fans, while supplies last.
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Donnie Smith - T-Day
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Gerad Parker - T-Day
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Gerad Parker - April 16
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