Troy University Athletics
Troy Football - Inside the Numbers
1/15/2020 4:36:00 PM | Football
TROY, Ala. – Troy rising junior Carlton Martial turned in one of the best defensive seasons in school and conference history in 2019, but how good was it? Let's put it this way. Over the last 20 years of FBS football, only 11 players and no underclassman had finished a season with 100 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and three interceptions – Martial finished with 126 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions.
The odds have always been against Martial at the FBS level. Overlooked out of high school because of his height, 5-foot-9 on a good day, Martial came to Troy as a walk-on and earned a scholarship before he ever took a snap following a redshirt season.
A nominee, but somehow not a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy (presented to the nation's best former walk-on), Martial finished his sophomore campaign as an All-American for the second straight year and his 126 tackles stand as the most by a Troy player since 2000. That is significant because the NCAA changed the rule how defensive stats were measured prior to the 2004 season.
Added to the rule book in 2004 was the statement – "Defensive numbers compiled by the coaching staff or other university/college personnel using game film will not be considered 'official' NCAA statistics."
Layman's terms? Prior to 2004, schools would adjust defensive tackle numbers quite considerably based on the loose definition by coaches when they broke down the game film on Sundays after games – players tackle totals would regularly double from Saturday to Monday and clog up the record books with totals that seem unreachable.
Case in point … Martial's 10.5 tackles per game ranked eighth nationally and his 126 tackles sit as the 12thmost in Sun Belt Conference history, but the number doesn't even crack the Troy top 10 which is loaded with players prior to the 2004 rule change.
Barker Goes Ham
Kaleb Barker tore his ACL on Oct. 4, 2018, in the middle of a record-breaking performance against Georgia State … it was the third time that the Troy quarterback had been handed that fate since high school. Determined that would be his legacy, Barker returned to the same field 331 days later to begin a remarkable comeback season that finished as one of the best in the country and in Troy history.
Barker finished third nationally in completions per game (24.92), fifth in yards per game (302.3), fourth in 300-yard passing games (6) and 14thin touchdown passes (30). Among the Troy all-time greats to play the position, Barker finished third in touchdown passes and passing yards (3,628) and fourth in completions (299).
Offense in Overdrive
Chip Lindsey's reputation for high-powered offenses played out in his first season at Troy. The Trojans topped the 500-yard mark in total offense on six different occasions to tie the program's DI record and scored 35-plus points eight times; the second most in program history and fourth most in Sun Belt Conference history.
It's a Sack Party
Looking back at Troy's performance against Georgia Southern and more specifically the nine sacks by Trojan defense set the wheels in motion for a look at sacks allowed by triple option teams over the year.
It was the first time since at least 2000 that a Georgia Southern team had yielded more than five sacks in a game and just the seventh time the Eagles allowed four or more sacks in a game in the last 20 years.
Looking at the other triple option teams, the numbers were similar among Army, Georgia Tech, and Navy. The most sacks allowed by Army and Georgia Tech over that 20-year period was five, while Navy surrendered seven sacks in a game against Rutgers in 2006.
Troy has smothered an opposing quarterback 112 times for a sack since the start of the 2017 season – the sixth most in the country and most among all Group of Five programs.
All But Five Catches Back
Troy returns a staggering amount of production at the wide receiver position in 2020. Players responsible for 98.4 percent of the catches and 99.4 percent of the receiving yards in 2019 are due back. Additionally, every player that caught a touchdown pass returns plus the Trojans return 89.5 percent of their rushing yardage from this past season.
Speaking of Guys Back
A remarkable amount of talent was on the sidelines instead of the field during the 2019 season several reasons. The Troy defense alone welcomes four players who sat out the year that would have potentially been starters for a unit wrecked by injuries – the Trojans started 21 different players on that side of the ball.
Junior cornerbacks Terence Dunlap and Monte' McGary are back in 2020 after missing last season, while transfers Richard Jibunor (Auburn) and Jayden McDonald (Iowa) will be a welcomed presence at bandit and linebacker, respectively, after sitting out due to transfer rules.
On offense, Preseason Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year B.J. Smith is slated back after a season-ending injury cut his season short following two games, while former Texas A&M running back Charles Strong is eligible after fulfilling his transfer obligations.
The odds have always been against Martial at the FBS level. Overlooked out of high school because of his height, 5-foot-9 on a good day, Martial came to Troy as a walk-on and earned a scholarship before he ever took a snap following a redshirt season.
A nominee, but somehow not a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy (presented to the nation's best former walk-on), Martial finished his sophomore campaign as an All-American for the second straight year and his 126 tackles stand as the most by a Troy player since 2000. That is significant because the NCAA changed the rule how defensive stats were measured prior to the 2004 season.
Added to the rule book in 2004 was the statement – "Defensive numbers compiled by the coaching staff or other university/college personnel using game film will not be considered 'official' NCAA statistics."
Layman's terms? Prior to 2004, schools would adjust defensive tackle numbers quite considerably based on the loose definition by coaches when they broke down the game film on Sundays after games – players tackle totals would regularly double from Saturday to Monday and clog up the record books with totals that seem unreachable.
Case in point … Martial's 10.5 tackles per game ranked eighth nationally and his 126 tackles sit as the 12thmost in Sun Belt Conference history, but the number doesn't even crack the Troy top 10 which is loaded with players prior to the 2004 rule change.
Barker Goes Ham
Kaleb Barker tore his ACL on Oct. 4, 2018, in the middle of a record-breaking performance against Georgia State … it was the third time that the Troy quarterback had been handed that fate since high school. Determined that would be his legacy, Barker returned to the same field 331 days later to begin a remarkable comeback season that finished as one of the best in the country and in Troy history.
Barker finished third nationally in completions per game (24.92), fifth in yards per game (302.3), fourth in 300-yard passing games (6) and 14thin touchdown passes (30). Among the Troy all-time greats to play the position, Barker finished third in touchdown passes and passing yards (3,628) and fourth in completions (299).
Offense in Overdrive
Chip Lindsey's reputation for high-powered offenses played out in his first season at Troy. The Trojans topped the 500-yard mark in total offense on six different occasions to tie the program's DI record and scored 35-plus points eight times; the second most in program history and fourth most in Sun Belt Conference history.
It's a Sack Party
Looking back at Troy's performance against Georgia Southern and more specifically the nine sacks by Trojan defense set the wheels in motion for a look at sacks allowed by triple option teams over the year.
It was the first time since at least 2000 that a Georgia Southern team had yielded more than five sacks in a game and just the seventh time the Eagles allowed four or more sacks in a game in the last 20 years.
Looking at the other triple option teams, the numbers were similar among Army, Georgia Tech, and Navy. The most sacks allowed by Army and Georgia Tech over that 20-year period was five, while Navy surrendered seven sacks in a game against Rutgers in 2006.
Troy has smothered an opposing quarterback 112 times for a sack since the start of the 2017 season – the sixth most in the country and most among all Group of Five programs.
All But Five Catches Back
Troy returns a staggering amount of production at the wide receiver position in 2020. Players responsible for 98.4 percent of the catches and 99.4 percent of the receiving yards in 2019 are due back. Additionally, every player that caught a touchdown pass returns plus the Trojans return 89.5 percent of their rushing yardage from this past season.
Speaking of Guys Back
A remarkable amount of talent was on the sidelines instead of the field during the 2019 season several reasons. The Troy defense alone welcomes four players who sat out the year that would have potentially been starters for a unit wrecked by injuries – the Trojans started 21 different players on that side of the ball.
Junior cornerbacks Terence Dunlap and Monte' McGary are back in 2020 after missing last season, while transfers Richard Jibunor (Auburn) and Jayden McDonald (Iowa) will be a welcomed presence at bandit and linebacker, respectively, after sitting out due to transfer rules.
On offense, Preseason Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year B.J. Smith is slated back after a season-ending injury cut his season short following two games, while former Texas A&M running back Charles Strong is eligible after fulfilling his transfer obligations.
Players Mentioned
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