Troy Tackles Sun Belt Media Day in NOLA Wednesday

TROY, Ala. – Football season is officially here as Sun Belt Football Media Day is underway in New Orleans at the New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District hotel. Teams from the East Division participated on Tuesday, while the West Division schools are set for Wednesday.

First-year head coach Gerad Parker, along with junior offensive lineman Eli Russ and junior linebacker Jordan Stringer, will represent Troy on Wednesday.

The Sun Belt will provide live coverage from the main stage throughout the day on ESPN+ and broadcast a live studio show hosted by Matt Stewart and Rocky Boiman on ESPN+. The main stage broadcast begins at 10 a.m., with the studio show airing at 9:30 a.m. and restarting at 1:30 p.m.

Troy is scheduled to hit the main stage at 11:30 a.m. before closing the day in the Sun Belt Studio at 3 p.m. In between, Parker, Russ and Stringer will take part in at least 15 other interview sessions in addition to photo and video shoots. Troy Football will have complete coverage on all its social media accounts.

Troy players report back to campus on July 30, and the Trojans open fall camp on July 31.

Troy Live SBC Media Day Hits (Click Bolded Link to Listen Live)

7:40 a.m. - Dima Mixon – SuperTalk Mississippi
Gerad Parker

8 a.m. - Karys Lay – KTSW Sports (San Marcos, Texas)
Gerad Parker, Eli Russ, Jordan Stringer

9:40 a.m. - Kara Richey, Matt Stoltz – The Ticket 96.9 FM (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Gerad Parker

10:20 a.m. - JC Cox – Red Wolves Roll Call Radio (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Gerad Parker

10:40 a.m. - JT Crabtree, Chris May – Jags Radio Network 99.5 FM (Mobile, Ala.)
Gerad Parker

11:30 a.m. - Sun Belt Main Stage - ESPN+
Gerad Parker, Eli Russ, Jordan Stringer

12:40 p.m. - Dave Riggert - JMU Radio Network 106.9 FM (Harrisonburg, Va.)
Gerad Parker

1:45 p.m. - Kara Richey, Matt Stoltz – The Ticket 96.9 FM (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Eli Russ, Jordan Stringer

2 p.m. - Dawson Eiserloch – ESPN 103.7 FM (Lafayette, La.)
Gerad Parker

3:00 p.m. - Sun Belt Studio – ESPN+
Gerad Parker, Eli Russ, Jordan Stringer

TROY FOOTBALL – SUN BELT MEDIA DAY NOTABLES

• Troy begins its first season under the direction of head coach Gerad Parker. Parker is Troy's fifth head coach in the last 11 seasons (Larry Blakeney, Neal Brown, Chip Lindsey, Jon Sumrall, Gerard Parker). Blakeney served as Troy's head coach for 24 seasons (1991-2014). This marks the first time since 1921-1931 that such an occurrence has happened at Troy.

• As of information reported by July 19, Troy has the fewest players (11) nationally in their final year of eligibility, and none of those 11 players began their career at Troy.

                         Fewest Players in Final Year of Eligibility
                         Troy                                     11
                         Illinois                                12
                         Iowa State                        14

                         Fewest Players in Final Year of Eligibility Who Began Career at Current School
                         Troy                                     0
                         Colorado                           1
                         Old Dominion                 3

• Troy and Michigan are the only two programs to have won conference titles in 2022 and 2023.

• Troy finished the 2023 season second nationally in sacks with 47, a new Sun Belt Conference single-season record; only Penn State (49) had more.

• Troy's All-Sun Belt receiver Chris Lewis announced on July 16 that he would miss the 2024 season and serve as a student assistant coach with the program. Lewis, who led the country averaging 22.97 yards per catch in 2023 (32/735/10 TDs) and ranked 16^th nationally in touchdown receptions, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in December and had a tumor surgically removed from his left femur this past spring.

• Troy enters the 2024 season with the fourth most wins in the country over the past two seasons.

Georgia (28), Michigan (28), Washington (25), Troy (23)

• Troy is 22-3 in its last 25 games, with two of the three losses coming by a combined nine points (2,7).

• Troy has won 12 straight games against Sun Belt West Division opponents.

• With its blowout of App State in the 2023 Sun Belt Championship Game, Troy has a league-best eight conference titles. Troy's eight league titles are tied with Clemson for the fifth most in the country since 2006.

• Entering the 2024 season, Troy has outscored its opponents by a 320-118 margin over its past 10 games.

• Troy has held 19 of its last 28 opponents to 19 points or fewer (third most in the country the last two seasons).

• Troy held eight of its 14 opponents to fewer than 300 yards of total offense last season, second nationally only to Michigan.

• Center Eli Russ was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team; last season (after transferring from Oklahoma State), he started at center in 13-of-14 games for the Trojans (missed one due to injury) and played 863 offensive snaps. Russ allowed just three sacks in 466 pass-blocking situations (three hits and six hurries) and did not allow a hit on the quarterback in 11-of-13 games. He recorded six games with a perfect 100 efficiency rating from PFF.

• Jordan Stringer started the final six games of the 2023 season and finished third on the team with 68 tackles (most among returning players). He recorded six or more tackles in six games, including eight in the 76 Birmingham Bowl against Duke and played 591 snaps, the most of any returning defensive player in 2024.

Troy University Athletics

Troy Tackles Sun Belt Media Day in NOLA Wednesday

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