Football Opens 2021 Slate Saturday against Southern

Saturday, September 4

Troy, Ala.

6 p.m.

Troy University

Southern

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Football Opens 2021 Slate Saturday against Southern

9/3/2021 8:55:00 AM | Football

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

TROY, Ala. – Football is back in The Vet as Troy opens its 2021 season against Southern on Saturday at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 with radio coverage on the full Troy Sports Radio Network.

"It is an exciting time here with week one of college football season and for us an opportunity to get back in our home stadium and hopefully in front of a full crowd," Troy head coach Chip Lindsey said. "We've had a great preseason. This has been a build-up for us, and our players are excited about our opportunity this year, and it starts this week against Southern."

The Trojans return a wealth of talent from last year's squad, with nine returning starters on offense and 10 on the defensive side of the football. Sun Belt Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Carlton Martial easily stands out amongst the crowd, but the Trojans are loaded with playmakers defensively.

Up front, Will Choloh ranked fourth nationally among interior defensive linemen with 31 pressures, while Richard Jibunor and Javon Solomon combined for 56 pressures from the bandit position. Additionally, KJ Robertson led all linebackers nationally with just two missed tackles, while Jayden McDonald ranked seventh nationally in pressuring the quarterback from the linebacker position.

On offense, Taylor Powell takes the reigns of Chip Lindsey's playbook after transferring into the program from Missouri in January. Powell will have a solid arsenal of players to choose from with a stable of running backs led by Kimani Vidal and B.J. Smith and a wide receiver corps paced by Reggie Todd.

Vidal became the first true freshman in Troy history to rush for more than 100 yards in consecutive games last year and ranked second nationally among freshman backs averaging 3.83 yards after contact. Todd enters the season with 11 career touchdown receptions in his two years with the Trojans and is averaging 14.8 yards per reception.

"Taylor has great pocket awareness and can escape inside the pocket and keep his eyes downfield," Lindsey said. "One of the things that showed up over and over was his ability to make plays on the move."

Know Your Foe
Southern enters the 2021 season after posting a 5-1 record this past spring, and the Jaguars are loaded with talent across their roster. Defensive back Chase Foster, tight end Ethan Howard, defensive lineman Jordan Lewis and running back Jarod Sims were all named to the Black College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List. Additionally, quarterback Ladarius Skelton is a three-time MVP of the Bayou Classic and earned the Landers Award (top player in Arkansas) the year before Troy quarterback Taylor Powell took home the award.

Notable
• Troy's offensive line featured some of the best pass blockers in the country at their positions last season ... Austin Stidham was fifth among offensive tackles, Dylan Bradshaw was 15th among centers, Grant Betts was 12th among guards and Jake Andrews was ninth overall and fourth among guards in Pro Football Focus' pass block efficiency rating

• Will Choloh ranked third nationally last season among interior defensive linemen with a 90.3 pass rushing grade from Pro Football Focus, while his 31 pressures were the fourth most

• Troy was 5-1 last season when Kimani Vidal carried the ball at least nine times; in Troy's wins, Vidal averaged 82.4 yards, in the three losses (missed two games), just 26.0 yards

• Troy held four of its last six opponents to 20 points or fewer last season; in those games, the Trojans allowed an average of just 12.5 points per game

• In Troy's five wins last season, the Trojan defense held its opponents to just 14.0 points, 4.4 yards per play and 307.8 yards per game

• Troy has 15 players on its roster who have already earned their undergraduate degrees -- QB Taylor Powell, LB Carlton Martial, WR Luke Whittemore, LB Jordan Anthony, CB Devan Barrett, P Luke Magliozzi, OL Bubba Hudson, OL Austin Stidham, WR Reggie Todd, P Kyle Coale, DE John Hines, OL Dylan Bradshaw, LS Cameron Kaye, DT Cherokee Glasgow, RB B.J. Smith