Troy University Athletics
Saturday, September 1
Birmingham, Ala.
11:00 a.m.
Troy University
at
UAB
Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer
Troy Ready for First Test of 2012
8/30/2012 10:33:00 PM | Football
GAME DAY CENTRAL
TROY, Ala. – Led by an explosive offensive and a defense with something to prove, Troy opens its 22nd season under Hall of Fame head coach Larry Blakeney on Saturday at in-state rival UAB. Kickoff in the 10th meeting between the two schools is set for 11 a.m. at Legion Field.
The game will be televised live by Fox College Sports and the Troy IMG Sports Network, led by “Voice of the Trojans” Barry McKnight, will broadcast the game live on Troy's 11-station radio network.
The Trojans will turn to junior quarterback Corey Robinson to lead an offense that has ranked in the top 26 in the nation in scoring in four of the past five seasons. Robinson enters Saturday's contest already with the Troy career completion record in his corner and is within striking distance of the attempts (25), passing yards (551), touchdown passes (31) and total offense (416) career marks.
“Corey is a guy that we closely scrutinize through practice. Every practice he is graded and he is a guy that we count on,” Blakeney said. “He knows the offense and he has a great throwing stroke.”
Robinson paced a Trojan passing attack that led the Sun Belt Conference and ranked 16th in the NCAA a season ago. His favorite target from last season returns in junior Eric Thomas and a dangerous deep threat in Chip Reeves is back after sitting out the 2011 season. Thomas led the Sun Belt with nine touchdown catches last year, while Reeves averaged 17.2 yards per catch in 2010.
The Trojan defense enters the season with a new scheme, new faces and a new attitude. Also back are a trio of players who were named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team in defensive end Tony Davis, linebacker Kanorris Davis and safety Brynden Trawick.
“It's hard to compare them,” Blakeney said. “We've had some pretty good players here over the years. When we were good enough to get off the field on defense, there was always three of four guys over there to make plays for you. We're young in some areas, but I think we're good enough and deep enough in the front seven. We are certainly more gifted in the secondary across the board. It's a matter of executing, getting the call and getting after it on defense.”
The series has been tightly contested over the past two years with both games decided by one point. The Trojans defeated the Blazers 24-23 last year in Troy after they scored 10 points in the game's final six minutes. UAB connected on a 44-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the 2010 contest to claim a controversial 34-33 victory after it appeared that Jackie Williams was down before reaching the end zone.
“We as players try to treat it as any other game,” Robinson said. “We're trying to treat each game one step at a time and get as many wins as possible. We always like to get after UAB just like they want to get after us.
“We want to get off to a better start than we did last year. That's what we've been working for, for the past six or seven months. We're tired of seeing the same defense, just like they are tired of seeing us every day. I think we are ready to get up there and play somebody else.”
TROY, Ala. – Led by an explosive offensive and a defense with something to prove, Troy opens its 22nd season under Hall of Fame head coach Larry Blakeney on Saturday at in-state rival UAB. Kickoff in the 10th meeting between the two schools is set for 11 a.m. at Legion Field.
The game will be televised live by Fox College Sports and the Troy IMG Sports Network, led by “Voice of the Trojans” Barry McKnight, will broadcast the game live on Troy's 11-station radio network.
The Trojans will turn to junior quarterback Corey Robinson to lead an offense that has ranked in the top 26 in the nation in scoring in four of the past five seasons. Robinson enters Saturday's contest already with the Troy career completion record in his corner and is within striking distance of the attempts (25), passing yards (551), touchdown passes (31) and total offense (416) career marks.
“Corey is a guy that we closely scrutinize through practice. Every practice he is graded and he is a guy that we count on,” Blakeney said. “He knows the offense and he has a great throwing stroke.”
Robinson paced a Trojan passing attack that led the Sun Belt Conference and ranked 16th in the NCAA a season ago. His favorite target from last season returns in junior Eric Thomas and a dangerous deep threat in Chip Reeves is back after sitting out the 2011 season. Thomas led the Sun Belt with nine touchdown catches last year, while Reeves averaged 17.2 yards per catch in 2010.
The Trojan defense enters the season with a new scheme, new faces and a new attitude. Also back are a trio of players who were named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team in defensive end Tony Davis, linebacker Kanorris Davis and safety Brynden Trawick.
“It's hard to compare them,” Blakeney said. “We've had some pretty good players here over the years. When we were good enough to get off the field on defense, there was always three of four guys over there to make plays for you. We're young in some areas, but I think we're good enough and deep enough in the front seven. We are certainly more gifted in the secondary across the board. It's a matter of executing, getting the call and getting after it on defense.”
The series has been tightly contested over the past two years with both games decided by one point. The Trojans defeated the Blazers 24-23 last year in Troy after they scored 10 points in the game's final six minutes. UAB connected on a 44-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the 2010 contest to claim a controversial 34-33 victory after it appeared that Jackie Williams was down before reaching the end zone.
“We as players try to treat it as any other game,” Robinson said. “We're trying to treat each game one step at a time and get as many wins as possible. We always like to get after UAB just like they want to get after us.
“We want to get off to a better start than we did last year. That's what we've been working for, for the past six or seven months. We're tired of seeing the same defense, just like they are tired of seeing us every day. I think we are ready to get up there and play somebody else.”
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