Troy University Athletics
J-Rock is a Mindset: Jordan Stringer’s Nickname That Means So Much More
11/7/2025 4:00:00 PM | Football
TROY, Ala. – Growing up in Augusta, Georgia, Jordan Stringer's childhood was defined by family, football and spending some time at one of the top sporting events in the country — the Masters.
Stringer was a kid hustling outside Augusta National, selling water bottles to patrons who flocked to the tournament each spring. He remembers his time on the course well, saying he will never forget the day that a man gave him a crisp $100 bill for two waters and told him to keep the change.
"I realized then it was just a different level out here," Stringer said. "That made my whole day."
From a kid just selling water bottles at the Masters — even though he admittedly sucks at golf — to now one of the biggest names in the Troy community, most people around here know him affectionately as "J-Rock."
The name first surfaced in fifth grade. Stringer, then a stockier kid playing defensive end, had a big game. His recreation league coach knew his family called him "J," and after watching him dominate, the coach added his own twist.
"He was like, I'm gonna start calling you J-Rock. Your family calls you J, and you know how to hit," Stringer said.
The nickname stuck. By the time Snapchat and high school rolled around, "J-Rock" became not just a handle but an identity. By the time he arrived at Troy, it was the only name people knew.
And in many ways, it fits perfectly. For Stringer, being "solid" is more than a nickname — it's a mindset.
"I'm always gonna be solid and make sure this team's solid," Stringer said. "You never have to question that. That's what being J-Rock means."
On the field, he's become exactly that: the rock of Troy's defense. Teammates know they can count on him to show up every day, even if it is him having a bad day.
"I know how it is to have a bad day," Stringer said. "But being a leader means I can't really show it. My team needs me to be that guy for a few hours, and I can deal with my stuff later. The one thing I never want is for a teammate to say they can't count on me. I make sure they can."
His influence doesn't stop at the locker room doors. Around Troy, "J-Rock" has become more than a player — he's a staple of the community. From fans to faculty, everyone knows his name, and that support means the world to him.
"The Troy community took me in from day one," he said. "They've been with me through everything, and I couldn't ask for a better atmosphere to be in. Troy will always have a special place in my heart."
Even on his toughest days, he finds strength in his circle. Sometimes it's a phone call home to his mom or brother. Other times, it's just being in the locker room with teammates, laughing and unwinding.
"It's really these guys [that are my rock], like, whenever I'm having a bad day, the thing I want to do the most is come up here. I just know when I'm up here, around these guys, we got so many different personalities to take my mind off things. Coming up here really is my relaxing point. I get to be who I really am. I get to be the chill guy. I get to be the rock, but these guys are my rock. They make me who I am."
When his time at Troy is over, Stringer hopes people will remember more than just his tackles or his leadership on the field. He hopes people remember him as someone this community could count on.
"I want people to say I showed up every day and did my job," he said. "That I kept my team together and never gave up on Troy. Because I never did."
Stringer was a kid hustling outside Augusta National, selling water bottles to patrons who flocked to the tournament each spring. He remembers his time on the course well, saying he will never forget the day that a man gave him a crisp $100 bill for two waters and told him to keep the change.
"I realized then it was just a different level out here," Stringer said. "That made my whole day."
From a kid just selling water bottles at the Masters — even though he admittedly sucks at golf — to now one of the biggest names in the Troy community, most people around here know him affectionately as "J-Rock."
The name first surfaced in fifth grade. Stringer, then a stockier kid playing defensive end, had a big game. His recreation league coach knew his family called him "J," and after watching him dominate, the coach added his own twist.
"He was like, I'm gonna start calling you J-Rock. Your family calls you J, and you know how to hit," Stringer said.
The nickname stuck. By the time Snapchat and high school rolled around, "J-Rock" became not just a handle but an identity. By the time he arrived at Troy, it was the only name people knew.
And in many ways, it fits perfectly. For Stringer, being "solid" is more than a nickname — it's a mindset.
"I'm always gonna be solid and make sure this team's solid," Stringer said. "You never have to question that. That's what being J-Rock means."
On the field, he's become exactly that: the rock of Troy's defense. Teammates know they can count on him to show up every day, even if it is him having a bad day.
"I know how it is to have a bad day," Stringer said. "But being a leader means I can't really show it. My team needs me to be that guy for a few hours, and I can deal with my stuff later. The one thing I never want is for a teammate to say they can't count on me. I make sure they can."
His influence doesn't stop at the locker room doors. Around Troy, "J-Rock" has become more than a player — he's a staple of the community. From fans to faculty, everyone knows his name, and that support means the world to him.
"The Troy community took me in from day one," he said. "They've been with me through everything, and I couldn't ask for a better atmosphere to be in. Troy will always have a special place in my heart."
Even on his toughest days, he finds strength in his circle. Sometimes it's a phone call home to his mom or brother. Other times, it's just being in the locker room with teammates, laughing and unwinding.
"It's really these guys [that are my rock], like, whenever I'm having a bad day, the thing I want to do the most is come up here. I just know when I'm up here, around these guys, we got so many different personalities to take my mind off things. Coming up here really is my relaxing point. I get to be who I really am. I get to be the chill guy. I get to be the rock, but these guys are my rock. They make me who I am."
When his time at Troy is over, Stringer hopes people will remember more than just his tackles or his leadership on the field. He hopes people remember him as someone this community could count on.
"I want people to say I showed up every day and did my job," he said. "That I kept my team together and never gave up on Troy. Because I never did."
Players Mentioned
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