Troy Football Breakdown – Outside & Inside Receivers

Troy returns 10-of-12 starters on offense from last year's squad; however, the two wide receiver positions were the ones that saw the two departures – one on the outside and one on the inside. Despite those losses, the Trojan receivers are poised to be one of the stronger receiving corps in the Sun Belt Conference thanks to veteran guys on the outside and explosive playmakers in the slot.

They Said It
Assistant Head Coach / Inside Receivers Coach John Carr
"We've got some guys that can run, and they all have excellent ball skills. You're going to see us take some shots down the field and play in space. Tez (Johnson) and Jabre (Barber) are explosive players and great route runners, while true freshman Peyton Higgins has come in and added some toughness and grittiness to the group. Orlando Lacey is the veteran in the group and can play both positions for us as a physical blocker and good route runner.

"We give our guys a lot of option routes and there is a lot of gray area in the route running to find space. They've got to be able to run and process a lot of information at the same time, such as where the pressure is coming from and where the defender is to be able to adjust on the fly."

Outside Receivers Coach Gary Banks
"Starting out camp, you want to progress and get better, and we've done that. This past week we've been more consistent with our attitude, energy and mental focus. Guys like Reggie Todd and Luke Whittmore have been here, and they've been solid all throughout camp. Deshon Stoudemire, who moved outside in camp, has been a pleasant surprise out there making plays. Demontrez has come on strong this past week and is one of those guys who needs to take advantage of this opportunity.

Players to Watch
Reggie Todd, Tez Johnson and Luke Whittemore are all poised for big seasons. Todd led Troy with six touchdown receptions a year ago and has found the end zone 11 times in his two-year career. A nice balance of size, speed and physicality (see the stiff arm of Teddy Gallagher against Coastal Carolina), Todd is coming off a season with 43 catches for 530 yards; a Troy-best 12.3 yards per catch.

"Reggie has the tools with his size and speed to be an elite guy at the position," Banks said. "He has to be a more consistent player and be that guy that we can count on play in and play out. He has the talent and ability to take over this league."

Whittemore, who earned Troy's top overall honor at the Athletic Department's Trojan Tribute Awards last spring, battled injuries last year and finished with seven catches for 75 yards and a score. However, he should enter week one as the starter at the "Z" position and relish in a starting role. Johnson, a second-year freshman, is a threat to find the end zone every time he touches the football. He averaged 11.7 yards per catch a year ago (18/211) and figures to factor heavily into Troy's special teams.

Others in the Mix
The Trojans have a couple of intriguing names behind Todd and Whittemore on the outside in Deshon Stoudemire and Demontrez Brown. Stoudemire joined the Trojans in the spring from junior college and immediately turned some heads. However, an injury to his former JUCO teammate Marcus Rogers forced the Troy coaches to shuffle guys around and Stoudemire found himself at the "X" position on the outside.

Brown is another guy who has battled injuries throughout his career and has been limited to just five games the past three seasons. A high school teammate of former Trojan Deandre Douglas, Brown was a standout at Bob Jones High School and represented the state in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. Jaden Warren and Kyran Griffin-Isom, a former United States Marine, will also factor into playing time at the outside positions.

Position Notes
• Tez Johnson was responsible for the longest reception by a Trojan last year with a 58-yard grab against Middle Tennessee.
• The Trojans will have to replace four of their top five receivers last year in terms of receptions. Khalil McClain is currently in camp with the Miami Dolphins; Kaylon Geiger transferred out of the program, while Tray Eafford and Bret Clark earned their degrees and retired from football.
• Troy's top three returning receivers – Reggie Todd, Tez Johnson and Luke Whittemore – all averaged more than 10 yards per reception in 2020.
• Reggie Todd was clutch for the Trojans last year with 12 catches on third down that resulted in a first down; that number led the Sun Belt and ranked 12^th nationally.

Parting Shot
"We'll have a lot of explosive plays," Carr said. "Anytime you can run the football, and we've got some talented backs, it is going to open up areas of the field where the slot guys can take advantage of things in the middle because the linebackers and safeties have to play the run. It gives you a lot of 1-on-1 opportunities in the slot. The more we can run the football and open up softer coverages, it's going to allow the inside guys to have some explosive ball games."

Troy University Athletics

Troy Football Breakdown – Outside & Inside Receivers

Players Mentioned

Demontrez Brown

Bret Clark

Tray Eafford

Kaylon Geiger

Kyran Griffin-Isom

Peyton Higgins

Tez Johnson

Orlando Lacey

Khalil McClain

Marcus Rogers

Deshon Stoudemire

Reggie Todd

Jaden Warren

Luke Whittemore

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