Troy University Athletics
Nine Trojans Earn Preseason All-Sun Belt Honors by Phil Steele
6/13/2023 10:17:00 AM | Football
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TROY, Ala. – The preseason honors continue to roll in for the defending Sun Belt champions as nine Troy players were named to the Phil Steele Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, the prominent college football preseason publication announced Tuesday.
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T.J. Jackson, Richard Jibunor, Quentin Skinner, Javon Solomon and Reddy Steward were named to the first team; Dell Pettus earned a second team nod, while Daniel King, Grant Betts and Kimani Vidal were all selected to the third team.
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Jackson and Steward were both All-Sun Belt First Team selections last season, while Jibunor and Vidal were second team picks.
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Troy finished the 2022 season on a 12-game winning streak, second-longest only to National Champion Georgia. Additionally, the Trojans defeated UTSA in the Cure Bowl in the only matchup in bowl season featuring a pair of conference championships. Troy earned a No. 19 ranking in the final AP Top 25, its first-ever postseason ranking.
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Troy's First Team Selections
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T.J. Jackson
One of just 16 players nationally to record at least 14.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and two forced fumbles on the year … Recorded 1.5 tackles for loss in five different games, tied for the 15th most in the country … Tied for fourth nationally with 1.5 sacks in three different games
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Richard JibunorÂ
Tied for 17th nationally with a tackle for loss in 10 different games and was third with a sack in nine games … Finished the season with 11 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, an interception, two pass break ups, seven quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles … One of five players in the country with at least three forced fumbles, 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and an interception
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Quentin SkinnerÂ
Started 13-of-14 games as Troy's long snapper; handled 117-of-127 snaps … Perfect on all of his 117 attempts … Troy kicker Brooks Buce was 17-of-19 on field goal attempts behind his snaps
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Javon Solomon
Named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team … Finished the season with 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries and 44 tackles … One of just 20 edge defenders in the Sun Belt to play 500-plus snaps; finished the year with 575 total snaps … Ranked third among those 20 players per Pro Football Focus in pressuring the quarterback
Reddy Steward
Top-rated cornerback in the Sun Belt per PFF, second-rated corner in the G5 and in the country with an overall 90.7 grade ... Ranked second nationally holding opponents to 8.7 yards after the catch and his NFL Passer Rating Against is the ninth best nationally ... Returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown at Arkansas State and added another pick late in the fourth quarter to lock in Troy's Sun Belt West Title
TROY, Ala. – The preseason honors continue to roll in for the defending Sun Belt champions as nine Troy players were named to the Phil Steele Preseason All-Sun Belt Team, the prominent college football preseason publication announced Tuesday.
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T.J. Jackson, Richard Jibunor, Quentin Skinner, Javon Solomon and Reddy Steward were named to the first team; Dell Pettus earned a second team nod, while Daniel King, Grant Betts and Kimani Vidal were all selected to the third team.
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Jackson and Steward were both All-Sun Belt First Team selections last season, while Jibunor and Vidal were second team picks.
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Troy finished the 2022 season on a 12-game winning streak, second-longest only to National Champion Georgia. Additionally, the Trojans defeated UTSA in the Cure Bowl in the only matchup in bowl season featuring a pair of conference championships. Troy earned a No. 19 ranking in the final AP Top 25, its first-ever postseason ranking.
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Troy's First Team Selections
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T.J. Jackson
One of just 16 players nationally to record at least 14.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and two forced fumbles on the year … Recorded 1.5 tackles for loss in five different games, tied for the 15th most in the country … Tied for fourth nationally with 1.5 sacks in three different games
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Richard JibunorÂ
Tied for 17th nationally with a tackle for loss in 10 different games and was third with a sack in nine games … Finished the season with 11 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, an interception, two pass break ups, seven quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles … One of five players in the country with at least three forced fumbles, 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and an interception
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Quentin SkinnerÂ
Started 13-of-14 games as Troy's long snapper; handled 117-of-127 snaps … Perfect on all of his 117 attempts … Troy kicker Brooks Buce was 17-of-19 on field goal attempts behind his snaps
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Javon Solomon
Named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team … Finished the season with 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries and 44 tackles … One of just 20 edge defenders in the Sun Belt to play 500-plus snaps; finished the year with 575 total snaps … Ranked third among those 20 players per Pro Football Focus in pressuring the quarterback
Reddy Steward
Top-rated cornerback in the Sun Belt per PFF, second-rated corner in the G5 and in the country with an overall 90.7 grade ... Ranked second nationally holding opponents to 8.7 yards after the catch and his NFL Passer Rating Against is the ninth best nationally ... Returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown at Arkansas State and added another pick late in the fourth quarter to lock in Troy's Sun Belt West Title
Players Mentioned
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