Troy University Athletics
Troy’s Front Seven Taking Shape
4/5/2023 3:18:00 PM | Football
TROY, Ala. – It's no secret that Troy had one of the nation's top defensive units last year, and it is also no secret that Troy will have to replace some of the key cogs in the front seven that made the Trojan machine churn in 2022.
The Trojans held all 14 of their opponents to under their season average in scoring, including three of the top 25 scoring teams in the country – UTSA, Western Kentucky and App State. The Trojans limited UTSA to just 10 offensive points in the Cure Bowl, with three of those 10 points coming on a 4-play, 7-yard drive following a turnover; the Roadrunners entered the game averaging 38.7 points per game. In addition, the Trojans held eight of its 14 opponents scoreless in the fourth quarter and allowed an average of just 3.64 points in the final 15 minutes of the game.
What does that mean for the 2023 team? Not a whole lot, but it is a starting point. However, head coach Jon Sumrall and new defensive coordinator Greg Gasparato have some holes to plug with the loss of three starters among the front seven in linebackers Carlton Martial and KJ Robertson, plus tackle Will Choloh. The trio combined to start 139 games in their Troy careers and earn 11 All-Sun Belt honors.
"I like where we're at from our two deep," Sumrall said of his defensive line. "We probably want to add one more piece there just to create the right kind of depth, but I think we're heading in the right direction."
Javon Solomon is moving to field end from bandit to allow for more plays where he and Richard Jibunor will be on the field at the same time. Buddha Jones and TJ Jackson are back in the interior after starting 26 combined games on last year's Sun Belt championship team.
Troy added two major pieces in the offseason with the addition of Raymond Cutts from the JUCO ranks and Louisville transfer Zach Edwards on the edges. In addition, Luis Medina is back after missing the majority of last season due to injury, while Julian Peterson has impressed in the spring.
At linebacker, Troy must replace the NCAA's all-time tackles leader in Martial and a three-time All-SBC selection in Robertson.
"You know who Jordan Stringer and Jayden McDonald are, and we have a pretty good feel for who Terry Thomas is," Sumrall said. "Steven Cattledge has flashed this spring; he is long, he is athletic, he is intelligent and he's physical, and I think he has a really bring future. Luke Hodge has had a solid spring, and we're just trying to see who will step up."
McDonald, like Medina, missed most of 2022 with an injury and is still rehabbing this spring along with Stringer, which is providing more snaps for the likes of Thomas and Cattledge. The latter led the JUCO circuit with 120 tackles in 2022, including 21 tackles for loss and 10 sacks for East Mississippi. McDonald transferred to Troy from Iowa prior to the 2019 season and was the nation's No.7 rated linebacker in pressuring the quarterback as a sophomore in 2020.
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