Troy University Athletics
NOTEBOOK – Troy & South Carolina Filled with Momentum Swings
10/2/2021 9:11:00 PM | Football
NOTEBOOK – Troy & South Carolina Filled with Momentum Swings
Chip Lindsey was asked about the huge momentum swings against South Carolina. So was K.J. Robertson.
Both said, in essence, welcome to Troy football.
"Playing in the league we're in, the Sun Belt, it seems like we have a lot of those kind of games," Lindsey said.
"I've played in lots of games like this," Robertson added.
Still, the first play of the fourth quarter was wild, even no matter the league.
"You talk about an emotional roller-coaster," Lindsey said. "I went from excited, then mad, then relief, then 'OK, what's it going to be?'"
Troy was driving toward what would have been a go-ahead touchdown. Facing third-and-9 at the Carolina 18, Jaylan Foster had a strip sack against Trojan quarterback Taylor Powell.
Gamecock teammate Damani Staley picked the ball up, but in a scrum of players, Troy running back B.J. Smith ripped it away from Staley. However, it bounced straight to Jahmar Brown, who picked it up and ran 61 yards for an apparent touchdown.
Officials checked multiple replays of the play to make sure Smith had ripped it away from Staley before he hit the ground and then focused their attention on Brown. He flipped the ball into the air in celebration just before crossing the goal line.
No touchdown. Touchback. Troy's ball on its 29. Now, the play cost the Trojans 60 yards in field position, but at least it didn't cost them six points.
"That would have been another turnover for a touchdown," the head coach said. "I didn't see exactly what happened, but it worked out in our favor. We got the ball back."
Bouncing back: It wasn't just the chance of playing a team from the SEC that inspired a well-played game from Troy. Players were burning after last week's disappointing loss at ULM.
"They responded as well as you could and exactly like I thought they would," Lindsey said. "This team is special. They're built different than teams I've had before. They respond. They don't lay down when times get tough.
"We don't always play our best, or we don't always play as clean as we'd like, but nobody does. I'm really proud of the way we responded."
Running back B.J. Smith credited the play to a good week of practice.
"We responded the best way we could. We went out Sunday and didn't feel sorry for ourselves. We went back to practice," Smith said. "We gave ourselves a chance by the way we practiced. At the end of the day, when we practice well, we give ourselves a chance."
The way the game unfolded, with its big plays and momentum shifts, kept the players engaged.
"Those are the games you want to play in," Troy's Robertson said. "That's the best feeling after a win in those kinds of games. It's best for the fans. Everybody loves those types of games. I enjoyed it to the very end. I think our team enjoyed it to the very end. Those are the kind of games we want to be in and fight for."
Climbing the wall: B.J. Smith's 35-yard touchdown run was the 22nd of his career, moving him into seventh place in Troy history. It was his longest run of the season and second-longest by a Trojan this year.
It was also his seventh career 100-yard rushing game and his first since he gained 108 yards in the 2019 opener against Campbell. Smith also moved into 12th place in Troy history with 2,018 rushing yards in his career, while his 401 career attempts are the 13th most.
Stout vs. run: Troy held South Carolina to 102 yards rushing, the fewest rushing yards by a Power 5 team against a Troy defense since Florida State managed just 45 yards on the ground in 2006. It was the ninth time in the last 11 games that Troy's defense held its opponent to 21 points or fewer.
Troy entered the game fourth nationally in tackles for loss (9.5) and first in sacks (4.5). The Trojans had nine tackles for loss and three sacks against the Gamecocks.
Takeaways: Troy recovered three fumbles in the game, the most for the Trojans since recovering three in the Dollar General Bowl victory over Buffalo in 2018. In the fourth quarter, Richard Jibunor's forced fumble was his third in his 15th game as a Trojan.
Kaye's play: Long snapper Cameron Kaye recovered his first career fumble on a muffed punt by the Gamecocks. He extended his consecutive games started streak to 54 games, the most in Troy history.
The series: South Carolina improved to 4-0 against Troy, with all games being played in Columbia. Troy is 3-23 against the current makeup of the SEC. This is the first of two games in the state of South Carolina this month for Troy, which plays at Coastal Carolina on Oct. 28.
What's next: After a three-game road trip, Troy returns home next Saturday night to face Georgia Southern for a 6 p.m. kickoff at The Vet. After that, the Trojans visit Texas State on Oct. 16 and Coastal Carolina on Oct. 28.
Chip Lindsey was asked about the huge momentum swings against South Carolina. So was K.J. Robertson.
Both said, in essence, welcome to Troy football.
"Playing in the league we're in, the Sun Belt, it seems like we have a lot of those kind of games," Lindsey said.
"I've played in lots of games like this," Robertson added.
Still, the first play of the fourth quarter was wild, even no matter the league.
"You talk about an emotional roller-coaster," Lindsey said. "I went from excited, then mad, then relief, then 'OK, what's it going to be?'"
Troy was driving toward what would have been a go-ahead touchdown. Facing third-and-9 at the Carolina 18, Jaylan Foster had a strip sack against Trojan quarterback Taylor Powell.
Gamecock teammate Damani Staley picked the ball up, but in a scrum of players, Troy running back B.J. Smith ripped it away from Staley. However, it bounced straight to Jahmar Brown, who picked it up and ran 61 yards for an apparent touchdown.
Officials checked multiple replays of the play to make sure Smith had ripped it away from Staley before he hit the ground and then focused their attention on Brown. He flipped the ball into the air in celebration just before crossing the goal line.
No touchdown. Touchback. Troy's ball on its 29. Now, the play cost the Trojans 60 yards in field position, but at least it didn't cost them six points.
"That would have been another turnover for a touchdown," the head coach said. "I didn't see exactly what happened, but it worked out in our favor. We got the ball back."
Bouncing back: It wasn't just the chance of playing a team from the SEC that inspired a well-played game from Troy. Players were burning after last week's disappointing loss at ULM.
"They responded as well as you could and exactly like I thought they would," Lindsey said. "This team is special. They're built different than teams I've had before. They respond. They don't lay down when times get tough.
"We don't always play our best, or we don't always play as clean as we'd like, but nobody does. I'm really proud of the way we responded."
Running back B.J. Smith credited the play to a good week of practice.
"We responded the best way we could. We went out Sunday and didn't feel sorry for ourselves. We went back to practice," Smith said. "We gave ourselves a chance by the way we practiced. At the end of the day, when we practice well, we give ourselves a chance."
The way the game unfolded, with its big plays and momentum shifts, kept the players engaged.
"Those are the games you want to play in," Troy's Robertson said. "That's the best feeling after a win in those kinds of games. It's best for the fans. Everybody loves those types of games. I enjoyed it to the very end. I think our team enjoyed it to the very end. Those are the kind of games we want to be in and fight for."
Climbing the wall: B.J. Smith's 35-yard touchdown run was the 22nd of his career, moving him into seventh place in Troy history. It was his longest run of the season and second-longest by a Trojan this year.
It was also his seventh career 100-yard rushing game and his first since he gained 108 yards in the 2019 opener against Campbell. Smith also moved into 12th place in Troy history with 2,018 rushing yards in his career, while his 401 career attempts are the 13th most.
Stout vs. run: Troy held South Carolina to 102 yards rushing, the fewest rushing yards by a Power 5 team against a Troy defense since Florida State managed just 45 yards on the ground in 2006. It was the ninth time in the last 11 games that Troy's defense held its opponent to 21 points or fewer.
Troy entered the game fourth nationally in tackles for loss (9.5) and first in sacks (4.5). The Trojans had nine tackles for loss and three sacks against the Gamecocks.
Takeaways: Troy recovered three fumbles in the game, the most for the Trojans since recovering three in the Dollar General Bowl victory over Buffalo in 2018. In the fourth quarter, Richard Jibunor's forced fumble was his third in his 15th game as a Trojan.
Kaye's play: Long snapper Cameron Kaye recovered his first career fumble on a muffed punt by the Gamecocks. He extended his consecutive games started streak to 54 games, the most in Troy history.
The series: South Carolina improved to 4-0 against Troy, with all games being played in Columbia. Troy is 3-23 against the current makeup of the SEC. This is the first of two games in the state of South Carolina this month for Troy, which plays at Coastal Carolina on Oct. 28.
What's next: After a three-game road trip, Troy returns home next Saturday night to face Georgia Southern for a 6 p.m. kickoff at The Vet. After that, the Trojans visit Texas State on Oct. 16 and Coastal Carolina on Oct. 28.
Players Mentioned
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