Troy University Athletics
New Year, New Challenge – Troy Football Opens Camp Aug. 3
7/27/2018 3:37:00 PM | Football
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TROY, Ala. – The message from Troy head coach Neal Brown at Sun Belt Football Media Day earlier this week at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome was clear. The word repeat will not be used around the Troy football offices when the Trojans open fall camp on Aug. 3.
"It's a great time to be a Troy Trojan," Brown told the assembled media in New Orleans. "We're 21-5 over the last two years, the eighth most wins in college football. We don't ever use the word repeat, this is a new year with a new challenge and this is a new football team. I think one of the most exciting things about being a football coach is you never know what the ebbs and flows are going to be; what kind of adversity you're going to hit."
Troy returns nine of 13 starters on offense and five starters on defense from last year's 11-win Sun Belt and New Orleans Bowl championship team. The Trojans led the league with 11 Preseason All-Sun Belt selections, including seven on the defensive side of the football – four of Troy's five returning starters on defense were named to the preseason first team.
"I'm fired up to see who has gotten better over the last three months," Brown said. "I'm fired up to see who is going to make that big jump because someone in our program is going to make a tremendous jump over the next two weeks."
Troy's newcomers report to campus on Wednesday, Aug. 1, while the veterans are scheduled to show up the following day with the first practice set for Friday, Aug. 3, at 9 a.m.
One of the biggest storylines in the Sun Belt Conference during fall camp will be Troy's quarterback situation. Brandon Silvers is gone after starting 48 of Troy's 50 games the last four seasons and the competition to replace him has come down to junior Kaleb Barker and redshirt-sophomore Sawyer Smith.
Barker has completed 11-of-17 passes for a touchdown while rushing 30 times for 282 yards and three scores in two years in a reserve role. Smith redshirted the 2017 season after completing 18-of-25 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown with 73 rushing yards and a score on 19 carries in 2016.
"It is a unique situation as neither one of them has been our starting quarterback, but both have game experience as our backup quarterback," Brown said. "Something that is forgotten is that Brandon Silvers missed all of spring 2017 (due to injury) so Kaleb and Sawyer split reps (as the No. 1 quarterback) that spring. They are going to be ready. My thoughts on quarterback competitions is that somebody is going to win that job in fall camp. It's not necessarily going to be a coach's decision, but somebody is going to win the job, and I fully expect that to happen here."
Troy carries the nation's fourth-longest active winning streak of seven games into the season opener against Boise State on Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. in The Vet.
Troy Football Fall Camp Schedule
Dates & Times Subject to Change Without Notice
Friday, Aug. 3 – 9:10 a.m.
Saturday, Aug. 4 – 9:10 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 5 – 5:10 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 6 – 11:05 a.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 7 – 9:10 a.m.
Thursday, Aug. 9 – 7:25 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 10 – 3:35 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 11 – 10:30 a.m. – SCRIMMAGE & MEDIA DAY
Sunday, Aug. 12 – 6:10 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 13 – 9:10 a.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 14 – 9:10 a.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 15 – SCHOOL STARTS
Thursday, Aug. 16 – 4 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 17 – 5 p.m. – STUDENT APPRECIATION SCRIMMAGE
Saturday, Aug. 18 – 9:40 a.m. | FAN DAY (1-3 p.m.) | FOOTBALL KICKOFF PARTY (6 p.m.)
TROY, Ala. – The message from Troy head coach Neal Brown at Sun Belt Football Media Day earlier this week at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome was clear. The word repeat will not be used around the Troy football offices when the Trojans open fall camp on Aug. 3.
"It's a great time to be a Troy Trojan," Brown told the assembled media in New Orleans. "We're 21-5 over the last two years, the eighth most wins in college football. We don't ever use the word repeat, this is a new year with a new challenge and this is a new football team. I think one of the most exciting things about being a football coach is you never know what the ebbs and flows are going to be; what kind of adversity you're going to hit."
Troy returns nine of 13 starters on offense and five starters on defense from last year's 11-win Sun Belt and New Orleans Bowl championship team. The Trojans led the league with 11 Preseason All-Sun Belt selections, including seven on the defensive side of the football – four of Troy's five returning starters on defense were named to the preseason first team.
"I'm fired up to see who has gotten better over the last three months," Brown said. "I'm fired up to see who is going to make that big jump because someone in our program is going to make a tremendous jump over the next two weeks."
Troy's newcomers report to campus on Wednesday, Aug. 1, while the veterans are scheduled to show up the following day with the first practice set for Friday, Aug. 3, at 9 a.m.
One of the biggest storylines in the Sun Belt Conference during fall camp will be Troy's quarterback situation. Brandon Silvers is gone after starting 48 of Troy's 50 games the last four seasons and the competition to replace him has come down to junior Kaleb Barker and redshirt-sophomore Sawyer Smith.
Barker has completed 11-of-17 passes for a touchdown while rushing 30 times for 282 yards and three scores in two years in a reserve role. Smith redshirted the 2017 season after completing 18-of-25 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown with 73 rushing yards and a score on 19 carries in 2016.
"It is a unique situation as neither one of them has been our starting quarterback, but both have game experience as our backup quarterback," Brown said. "Something that is forgotten is that Brandon Silvers missed all of spring 2017 (due to injury) so Kaleb and Sawyer split reps (as the No. 1 quarterback) that spring. They are going to be ready. My thoughts on quarterback competitions is that somebody is going to win that job in fall camp. It's not necessarily going to be a coach's decision, but somebody is going to win the job, and I fully expect that to happen here."
Troy carries the nation's fourth-longest active winning streak of seven games into the season opener against Boise State on Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. in The Vet.
Troy Football Fall Camp Schedule
Dates & Times Subject to Change Without Notice
Friday, Aug. 3 – 9:10 a.m.
Saturday, Aug. 4 – 9:10 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 5 – 5:10 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 6 – 11:05 a.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 7 – 9:10 a.m.
Thursday, Aug. 9 – 7:25 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 10 – 3:35 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 11 – 10:30 a.m. – SCRIMMAGE & MEDIA DAY
Sunday, Aug. 12 – 6:10 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 13 – 9:10 a.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 14 – 9:10 a.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 15 – SCHOOL STARTS
Thursday, Aug. 16 – 4 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 17 – 5 p.m. – STUDENT APPRECIATION SCRIMMAGE
Saturday, Aug. 18 – 9:40 a.m. | FAN DAY (1-3 p.m.) | FOOTBALL KICKOFF PARTY (6 p.m.)
Players Mentioned
Behind The Wall - S10, E4
Thursday, September 25
Gerad Parker - SBC Media Zoom
Monday, September 22
Gerad Parker Postgame Press Conference - Buffalo
Saturday, September 20
Player Postgame Press Conference - Evan Crenshaw, Jordan Stringer, Tucker Kilcrease
Saturday, September 20