Troy University Athletics
Troy Football Breakdown – Cornerbacks
8/27/2021 4:46:00 PM | Football
Under the watchful eye of coach Al Pogue, the Troy cornerbacks enter the 2021 campaign with a quality mix of veteran players and newcomers at the position. Pogue, the lone assistant to have coached during the Larry Blakeney, Neal Brown and Chip Lindsey eras, returns this season after stops at West Virginia and Auburn each of the last two years.
The Troy secondary improved across the board last season with decreases in passing yards per game (37.8), yards per completion (1.8) and touchdown passes (10). Those results fell in line with the overall improvement of the Trojan defense.
They Said It
Assistant Coach – Al Pogue
"The guys have been really receptive to coaching. Change is always hard, but they have been receptive to what I have been teaching them and what we've been trying to improve on. I really like this group because they are competitive. I haven't seen a lot of balls thrown over the top of their heads, which has been a big point of emphasis this year. The keys for us will be to keep the explosive plays down and go out every day and give us a chance by competing and being in place from an alignment and assignment standpoint.
"I want to show that we can play tight coverage in man-to-man situations, which is something that we haven't done in a while here. I want to show that we can play tight coverage out on the corners and challenge guys, which will make our zone coverages that much better. The guys have worked hard to master the man-to-man technique, and I think we're going to surprise a lot of folks."
Players to Watch
The Trojans are deep at the position with Reddy Steward, Zion Williams and O'shai Fletcher having locked down starting positions in the past, a trio of transfers who will make immediate contributions in Elijah Culp, Taiyon Palmer and Devan Barrett, plus an impact freshman in Caleb Ransaw.
Steward was Troy's top-rated cornerback last season per Pro Football Focus and finished the year with five pass break ups. Fletcher is the most experienced in the group, with 16 starts and 23 games under his belt in just two seasons. Culp has had a big fall camp for the Trojans after starting three games at Austin Peay last year as a true freshman, while Palmer and Barrett were both four-star recruits out of high school and began their careers at NC State and Auburn, respectively.
Position Notes
• Reddy Steward returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown against Georgia State. It was one of two defensive scores in the game for the Trojans and one of four on the season; Troy's four defensive touchdowns tied for the most nationally.
• Steward finished second on the Trojans' squad last year with five pass break ups.
• In 2016, with Al Pogue on staff, Troy finished second nationally in passes intercepted, fourth in turnovers forced, ninth in passes defended per game, 21st in scoring defense and 28th in third-down defense.
• O'Shai Fletcher is one of eight Trojans with at least 15 or more starts in their career on the defensive side of the football.
Parting Shot
Assistant Coach – Al Pogue
"The strength of our group is their competitive edge and the veteran presence they provide. We have some guys who are smart kids and are very knowledgeable about our defensive scheme. Our ability to compete and grasp what it is we're trying to do conceptually will carry us this year."
The Troy secondary improved across the board last season with decreases in passing yards per game (37.8), yards per completion (1.8) and touchdown passes (10). Those results fell in line with the overall improvement of the Trojan defense.
They Said It
Assistant Coach – Al Pogue
"The guys have been really receptive to coaching. Change is always hard, but they have been receptive to what I have been teaching them and what we've been trying to improve on. I really like this group because they are competitive. I haven't seen a lot of balls thrown over the top of their heads, which has been a big point of emphasis this year. The keys for us will be to keep the explosive plays down and go out every day and give us a chance by competing and being in place from an alignment and assignment standpoint.
"I want to show that we can play tight coverage in man-to-man situations, which is something that we haven't done in a while here. I want to show that we can play tight coverage out on the corners and challenge guys, which will make our zone coverages that much better. The guys have worked hard to master the man-to-man technique, and I think we're going to surprise a lot of folks."
Players to Watch
The Trojans are deep at the position with Reddy Steward, Zion Williams and O'shai Fletcher having locked down starting positions in the past, a trio of transfers who will make immediate contributions in Elijah Culp, Taiyon Palmer and Devan Barrett, plus an impact freshman in Caleb Ransaw.
Steward was Troy's top-rated cornerback last season per Pro Football Focus and finished the year with five pass break ups. Fletcher is the most experienced in the group, with 16 starts and 23 games under his belt in just two seasons. Culp has had a big fall camp for the Trojans after starting three games at Austin Peay last year as a true freshman, while Palmer and Barrett were both four-star recruits out of high school and began their careers at NC State and Auburn, respectively.
Position Notes
• Reddy Steward returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown against Georgia State. It was one of two defensive scores in the game for the Trojans and one of four on the season; Troy's four defensive touchdowns tied for the most nationally.
• Steward finished second on the Trojans' squad last year with five pass break ups.
• In 2016, with Al Pogue on staff, Troy finished second nationally in passes intercepted, fourth in turnovers forced, ninth in passes defended per game, 21st in scoring defense and 28th in third-down defense.
• O'Shai Fletcher is one of eight Trojans with at least 15 or more starts in their career on the defensive side of the football.
Parting Shot
Assistant Coach – Al Pogue
"The strength of our group is their competitive edge and the veteran presence they provide. We have some guys who are smart kids and are very knowledgeable about our defensive scheme. Our ability to compete and grasp what it is we're trying to do conceptually will carry us this year."
Players Mentioned
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