Football Opened Spring Practice Tuesday

TROY, Ala. – Back on the football field for the first time since winning its 11^th straight game, a Cure Bowl title, the Troy Football team opened spring practice Tuesday morning with a two-hour workout on the grass fields behind Trojan Arena.

"It was exciting to get back on the grass and have a starting point," head coach Jon Sumrall said. "The journey of 1,000 miles starts with a step, and today was the first step into phase two of what we do – offseason/winter conditioning, spring ball, the summer and the season. I thought there were some really good things out here energy-wise. We looked like a better, more efficient operation as a whole than we did a year ago. Good starting point, good day one."

The champs are back! pic.twitter.com/mdqHNQceDp
— Troy Trojans Football 7x⚔️ (@TroyTrojansFB) March 7, 2023

Troy signed 38 new players during the two signing periods following the conclusion of the 2022 season, with 21 of those players hitting the practice field on Tuesday. Additionally, Troy's two new coaches, defensive coordinator Greg Gasparato and offensive line coach Joe Bernardi, were both visible features on day one of the spring.

"The biggest thing I've seen (in time at Troy) is the people, and the culture that Coach Sumrall has created here is incredible, and it bleeds into the coaching staff and the players," Gasparato said. "Watching them run around today was fun. They were playing fast, talking and doing all the little things they are supposed to do. I want us to be aggressive. We're going to talk; we're going to run and we're going to hit. Those are the three non-negotiables that we talked about as a defense; it's guys understanding what they are supposed to do and not overcomplicating it."

📸 - Day 1#RiseToBuild | #OneTROY ⚔️🏈 pic.twitter.com/jAraXb8lHT
— Troy Trojans Football 7x⚔️ (@TroyTrojansFB) March 7, 2023

It was a typical Jon Sumrall practice for the Trojans as they spent the two hours devoting time to all three phases of the game in team, 7-on-7 and individual position settings. Troy returns to the practice fields on Thursday morning, again in helmets and shorts, before taking off for spring break next week.

Instant reaction from HC @CoachJonSumrall following day ☝️ of spring practice. #RiseToBuild | #OneTROY ⚔️🏈 pic.twitter.com/ElNi2lw2uq
— Troy Trojans Football 7x⚔️ (@TroyTrojansFB) March 7, 2023

Season Tickets
Season tickets for the 2023 home slate featuring six home games, including the "Battle for the Belt" and matchups with Sun Belt East favorite James Madison and New Orleans Bowl champion Western Kentucky, are on sale now by visiting TroyTrojans.com/FBTickets. Season packages for the defending Sun Belt champions start at just $75.

T-Day Saturday
T-Day is no longer just a spring game on Troy's campus as Troy Athletics announced earlier a jam-packed day full of activities for Trojan fans of all ages.

The day opens with the second annual Lunch with Legends beginning at 11 a.m. in the Stadium Club. Troy's annual youth clinic follows on the turf of The Vet beginning at noon and is free to all kids 12 and under, thanks to a partnership with Troy Regional Medical Center. The Troy Athletics Yard Sale on the West Concourse of The Vet is back by popular demand at 1 p.m. and the spring game, presented by The Vance Law Firm, is set for 2 p.m.

The celebration concludes that evening at 7 p.m. in Trojan Arena with the induction of seven Troy greats into the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame. Tickets and tables are available by visiting TroyTrojans.com/HOFTickets.

Troy University Athletics

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