Troy University Athletics
The Trojan Trio - Cain, Lloyd & Lucas
10/24/2016 2:26:00 PM | Football
This story originally appeared in the Georgia State edition of GAMEDAY -- Troy's official football game program
The Troy defense has been turning heads this season. In the second year of the Coach Neal Brown era, the pieces are starting to come together. Three big pieces of this Trojan defense? William Lloyd, Demetrius Cain, and Justin Lucas.Â
When these guys are on the field, they expose all the weaknesses of the opposing offense. Why does this trio work so well together on the field? Well, they have done this side-by-side for a few years. Before they were Trojans, Lloyd, Cain and Lucas went 24-0 and won two national championships together at junior college powerhouse East Mississippi Community College. However, their relationship goes back even farther. Â
"The first time William and I actually met was my junior year of high school when our schools played each other," said Lucas. "And I met Demetrius at the all-star game when we all played together."
Lucas, a senior linebacker from Aberdeen, Miss., is no stranger to making hard hits and getting the job done. Prior to transferring to Troy, Lucas finished his sophomore season at EMCC with 85 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. He earned first team all-state honors and was named defensive MVP in the 2014 NJCAA Football Championship Game. Given to him at a young age, his nickname "Bull" is more relevant than ever.Â
"I was playing pee-wee football when I was like nine, and I was a running back," said Lucas. "I got hit really hard and got up crying. Coach came up to me and said I had to get back in there. So I got back in the game, and the next play I got the ball and just ran everybody over. Everybody just started calling me bulldozer and then my coach shortened it to 'Bull.' It is weird that it has stuck with me since I was nine."
Committing to a school with a new coaching staff always has its concerns. But for this group, they understood the process and the vision Brown had to "rebuild the wall." The choice to come play for Troy was easy for Lucas, Lloyd and Cain.Â
"A lot of these guys have experience," said Lloyd. "I just want to do my part to help this program get back and be the winning team that I know we can be. We believe in these coaches and Coach Vic Koenning's philosophy. I think we are going to do great things this year."
Knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses is a vital aspect in the way this trio performs together. Lucas, Lloyd and Cain thrive on having strong communication and respect for one another.Â
"Having such great communication skills is probably the biggest thing that helped us out at East Mississippi, and now here at Troy," said Cain. "We just have love for each other and always have each other's back."
Cain, a Hazlehurst, Miss. native, transferred to Troy a few months after Lloyd and Lucas.Â
"Those guys are one of the big reasons I came to Troy," said Cain. "I knew I wouldn't be alone down here. I knew I would be good if I were playing with those two."
Cain has already written himself into Troy's record books. The linebacker is the first player in Troy's FBS history to return two fumbles for a touchdown in a single season. Last season, Cain proved he belonged at the Division I level with 45 tackles on the year.Â
Lloyd also made an immediate impact with the Trojans. In his first game in a Troy uniform, Lloyd made 15 tackles at NC State, the most ever in a debut game by a Trojan. Following an impressive debut season, Lloyd was named to the 2015 All-Sun Belt Newcomer Team. Lloyd knows he has the skills to make it at the Division I level.Â
"I feel at home here," said Lloyd. "I knew Troy University would be a great opportunity for me to make a difference."
Also making a difference in the Trojan defense is defensive tackles coach Jordan Lesley. Lesley served as the defensive coordinator at East Mississippi for three years, and has returned to his alma mater.Â
"I was pretty excited when I heard Coach Lesley was hired," said Lucas. "He is a great coach. He is very hard on you and has high expectations. He has done a great job with the defensive line and the defensive tackles this year."
While Lucas, Cain and Lloyd missed out on being in the spotlight in Netflix's documentary Last Chance U, the trio took in the experience first hand.
Living in Scooba was often a challenge for them, but winning football games was not.Â
"I think that was the real deal," said Cain about the documentary. "That's how it was when we were there, but we didn't lose when we were there, so we didn't have a lot of that drama that they showed. There wasn't much to do in Scooba, but it was fun because football was always the talk of the town."Â
For these three seniors, determination and hard work have proven to make a difference. Fans can see the havoc the trio wreaks on the field. But what they might not see is the bond and brotherhood that the game has established.Â
"These guys are out here playing for each other, said Lloyd. "Every one bought into the process. We all want to do big things and win. Those guys are my family, and we all have each other's backs."
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