Troy University Athletics
Troy Hits the Stage at Sun Belt Football Media Day on Thursday
7/15/2026 9:57:00 AM | Football
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 Wednesday, while the West Division schools are set for Thursday.
Head coach Gerad Parker, along with Sun Belt Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year Evan Crenshaw and Sun Belt Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Donnie Smith, will represent Troy on Wednesday.
The Sun Belt will provide live coverage from the main stage throughout the day on ESPN+. Additionally, the SBC will have whip-around coverage featuring a live studio show hosted by Matt Stewart and Rocky Boiman and podium coverage on a separate feed 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 will be in the Sun Belt Studio at 10:30 a.m. and then hit the main stage at 1:30 p.m. In between, Parker, Crenshaw and Smith will take part in at least 14 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 August 4, and the Trojans open fall camp on August 5.
TROY FOOTBALL – SUN BELT MEDIA DAY NOTABLES
• Troy is coming off its third Sun Belt West Division title in the last four seasons after finishing 8-6 overall and 6-2 in the Sun Belt in 2025.
• Troy was the runaway pick to repeat as Sun Belt West Division champions; the Trojans received 12 of the 14 possible first-place votes and were picked second on the other two ballots in the vote by the league's head coaches. Troy received 96 overall points, while James Madison received 11 first-place votes and 94 overall points on the East side. Troy and JMU meet in Harrisonburg, Va., on Thursday, Oct. 29, in a rematch of last year's Sun Belt Championship Game.
• Troy returns the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Year in Evan Crenshaw. The senior punter was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award and the first Trojan to earn multiple first team All-America honors (FWAA, Sporting News) at the FBS level.
• Troy also returns Donnie Smith, the Sun Belt leader in sacks in 2025 (ranked eighth nationally).
• Evan Crenshaw and Donnie Smith are the first pair of All-Sun Belt First Team teammates to return since the 2023 season.
• Overall, Troy returns just nine starters from the 2025 squad – six on offense, one on defense and two on special teams.
• Troy's roster is comprised of 54 returning players and 50 newcomers.
• Goose Crowder (All-SBC Preseason Second Team) averaged 241.8 yards per start last season (removing Memphis and bowl game; just nine attempts combined due to injury) … Threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns in first start (Georgia State) in return from injury.
• Troy has recorded multiple sacks in 35 games since the start of the 2022 season (26-9), the 18th most in the country. Troy has four or more sacks 18 times (16-2), the sixth most nationally, and five or more sacks 11 times (10-1), the sixth most in the country.
• Troy's 81 wins since the start of the 2016 season are the 21st most in the country and fifth most among Group of Six teams.
• Troy enters the 2026 season with substantial winning streaks against several of its upcoming opponents – Sam Houston (five games), Alabama State (11 games) and Southern Miss (five games).
• All of Troy's defensive coaches have served as a defensive coordinator at the collegiate level - Chris Boone (Samford / East Miss CC / Murray State / Northwestern State / Jacksonville State / UT Martin / East Central CC), Nathan Burton (Kennesaw State / Georgia Tech / West Alabama / Shorter), Justin Manning (Tufts), Brandon Cooper (Samford / Charlotte / Austin Peay).
• Troy ended the 2025 season with three of its original five starting offensive linemen lost to season-ending injuries … a fourth opted out for the bowl game.
• Troy has won eight of its last nine games when rushing for 100 yards or more. Conversely, Troy has lost 10 of its last 13 games when rushing for less than 100 yards.
• Troy has ranked in the top four in the Sun Belt in four of the last five seasons in scoring defense; the Trojans allowed 23.9 points last season, the third fewest.
• Troy has ranked in the top four in the Sun Belt in five straight seasons in total defense; the Trojans allowed 373.0 yards last season, the third fewest.
• Since the start of the 2022 season, Troy has held 26 of its 53 opponents (22-4) to 19 points or fewer, the 13th most in the country.
Head coach Gerad Parker, along with Sun Belt Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year Evan Crenshaw and Sun Belt Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Donnie Smith, will represent Troy on Wednesday.
The Sun Belt will provide live coverage from the main stage throughout the day on ESPN+. Additionally, the SBC will have whip-around coverage featuring a live studio show hosted by Matt Stewart and Rocky Boiman and podium coverage on a separate feed 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 will be in the Sun Belt Studio at 10:30 a.m. and then hit the main stage at 1:30 p.m. In between, Parker, Crenshaw and Smith will take part in at least 14 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 August 4, and the Trojans open fall camp on August 5.
TROY FOOTBALL – SUN BELT MEDIA DAY NOTABLES
• Troy is coming off its third Sun Belt West Division title in the last four seasons after finishing 8-6 overall and 6-2 in the Sun Belt in 2025.
• Troy was the runaway pick to repeat as Sun Belt West Division champions; the Trojans received 12 of the 14 possible first-place votes and were picked second on the other two ballots in the vote by the league's head coaches. Troy received 96 overall points, while James Madison received 11 first-place votes and 94 overall points on the East side. Troy and JMU meet in Harrisonburg, Va., on Thursday, Oct. 29, in a rematch of last year's Sun Belt Championship Game.
• Troy returns the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Year in Evan Crenshaw. The senior punter was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award and the first Trojan to earn multiple first team All-America honors (FWAA, Sporting News) at the FBS level.
• Troy also returns Donnie Smith, the Sun Belt leader in sacks in 2025 (ranked eighth nationally).
• Evan Crenshaw and Donnie Smith are the first pair of All-Sun Belt First Team teammates to return since the 2023 season.
• Overall, Troy returns just nine starters from the 2025 squad – six on offense, one on defense and two on special teams.
• Troy's roster is comprised of 54 returning players and 50 newcomers.
• Goose Crowder (All-SBC Preseason Second Team) averaged 241.8 yards per start last season (removing Memphis and bowl game; just nine attempts combined due to injury) … Threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns in first start (Georgia State) in return from injury.
• Troy has recorded multiple sacks in 35 games since the start of the 2022 season (26-9), the 18th most in the country. Troy has four or more sacks 18 times (16-2), the sixth most nationally, and five or more sacks 11 times (10-1), the sixth most in the country.
• Troy's 81 wins since the start of the 2016 season are the 21st most in the country and fifth most among Group of Six teams.
• Troy enters the 2026 season with substantial winning streaks against several of its upcoming opponents – Sam Houston (five games), Alabama State (11 games) and Southern Miss (five games).
• All of Troy's defensive coaches have served as a defensive coordinator at the collegiate level - Chris Boone (Samford / East Miss CC / Murray State / Northwestern State / Jacksonville State / UT Martin / East Central CC), Nathan Burton (Kennesaw State / Georgia Tech / West Alabama / Shorter), Justin Manning (Tufts), Brandon Cooper (Samford / Charlotte / Austin Peay).
• Troy ended the 2025 season with three of its original five starting offensive linemen lost to season-ending injuries … a fourth opted out for the bowl game.
• Troy has won eight of its last nine games when rushing for 100 yards or more. Conversely, Troy has lost 10 of its last 13 games when rushing for less than 100 yards.
• Troy has ranked in the top four in the Sun Belt in four of the last five seasons in scoring defense; the Trojans allowed 23.9 points last season, the third fewest.
• Troy has ranked in the top four in the Sun Belt in five straight seasons in total defense; the Trojans allowed 373.0 yards last season, the third fewest.
• Since the start of the 2022 season, Troy has held 26 of its 53 opponents (22-4) to 19 points or fewer, the 13th most in the country.
Players Mentioned
Monday, June 29
Thursday, June 25
Tuesday, June 23
Thursday, May 28