Johnson's Journal - Football Season Opening Notebook

Being named a permanent captain for the Troy football team is quite an honor and especially noteworthy considering two of the four this season are newcomers to the squad.

Boston College transfer Ty Clemons and Furman transfer Luke Petit join returning senior quarterback Goose Crowder and returning senior Bandit linebacker Donnie Smith as captains chosen by their teammates heading into the season.

"You've got two guys that came in in January, and it was pretty quick to see they had leadership capabilities," Troy head football coach Gerad Parker said.

"I don't know if there is a better compliment to have as an athlete and a teammate than to be named a captain by your teammates."

The Trojans open play at home Saturday night against Sam Houston. Kickoff is set for 6 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

For Clemons, a defensive tackle, being chosen a captain isn't taken lightly.

"To be a captain means everything," Clemons said. "Obviously everyone wants to have that title, but it means a lot to me for my teammates to feel that way about me.

"I just try to give guys tips here and there. Coach Parker always sets the standard, and I just do my best to try and uphold it on the field and off the field."

Parker has taken note of Clemons' work ethic.

"How he's produced in practice and shown the maturity it takes to lead a group - especially the D-line group - is pretty awesome to see," Parker said.

Petit, who has earned the starting left guard role, is honored to be chosen a captain.

"I'm just very blessed to be in a situation where people view me like that," Petit said. "I'm very thankful that I've had a lot of people who have poured into me and helped me become that. Words can't really describe what it feels like to have your teammates trust you and view that way."

Petit stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 299, which is just a bit on the light side for a college lineman. However, he makes up for it in other ways.

"My play style is going to be hard, aggressive … kind of like a gnat you're trying to swat away," Petit said. "Just being annoying, pesky, staying on guys - don't let your guy make the play (on defense).

Petit came Troy's way after being highly recommended by a former college teammate of Parker's at Kentucky.

"His offensive line coach (when at Furman) was a guy named Matt McCutchan, who was a college teammate of mine," Parker said. "When Matt McCutchan described him the way he did, I trusted him as a past teammate and it turns out he was spot on.

"Luke Petit is a former wrestler from high school who has a no-nonsense approach with an awesome personality. He's tough, he's durable, he's smart - he's in this building as much as any of our coaches are and has earned the right to be a captain as well."

Veteran leader at QB
It should be no surprise that Crowder and Smith were also chosen as captains by their peers. Crowder is entering his sixth season at Troy and made a quick impression on Petit.

"Goose is a guy who is steady, he's level-headed, he's consistent," Petit said.
"You know every day he's going to be a good leader - doing the right things in the right place at the right time.

"He's an older leader as well and when he speaks, people listen. He's doing a good job of getting everybody on the offense going in the right direction."

Leading the defense
Smith is in his second season at Troy after transferring in from East Central (Miss.) Community College. He made an immediate impact a year ago as a big-play rusher in leading the Sun Belt and ranking eighth nationally with 11 sacks.

Parker believes Smith is primed for an even bigger season.

"He's about 14 pounds heavier, so he looks different - he no longer looks slim," Parker said. "He's become far more explosive than he even was last year.

"Instead of now maybe being a third-down guy, or ways to get him on the field for pass rush, he's an all-down player. His body looks different, so he's able to play on every down. I know it's something he's worked on."

Up front is pivotal
Improved play across the offensive front this season is something Parker believes is totally necessary if the Trojans are to achieve the lofty goals being sought.

In a change this year, Troy assistant coaches Caleb Carbine and Kevin Reihner will share coaching duties for the offensive line.

Tyler Cappi returns as a starter at center, but the other four will be new starters - Petit at left guard and Patrick Screws at right guard, while Darion Rivers will be at left tackle and Jordan Jones at right tackle.

"I'll be candid here, that lineup needed to look different," Parker said of the offensive front. "We didn't play good enough at that position. That group is much improved. I think you'll see that as we start.

"If we don't play productively at the O-line and D-line, we're not going to be where we want to be as a football team."

Screws, a native of Eufaula who transferred to Troy from Georgia Tech before last season, has been a pleasant surprise during spring and fall camps.

"His body has changed," Parker said. "He's lost a bunch of weight and put himself in a better position to play at a higher level. And he's been very committed. I think it's improved his footwork in sustaining blocks and has given him a reason to be a starter."

New-look offense
New offensive coordinator Adam Austin comes to Troy after leading the highest-scoring offense in the FCS ranks at Tarleton State a year ago as the Texans averaged 42.4 points per game.

"I do think it's going to be an exciting thing to watch," Parker said. "I think our guys are able to play faster in this offense with what we've changed.

"I think our fans will enjoy seeing our style of play on how we're going to push the ball vertically but still run the football."

Churning it out
Running the football on offense effectively and stopping it on defense were problem areas at times last season for the Trojans.

Parker expects things to be much better this year.

"We've got to run the football better," Parker simply puts it. "There is breaking tackles and all the things that are involved in that, but I will say this too, sack yardage and loss yardage plays kill rushing as well, and that's something that was huge for us last year. Our quarterback was hit too much and sacked too much, and that killed rushing yards as well.

"And then on defense, as good as we were at times, we had some gap integrity issues that gave up big runs at times that put us in a position to not be very good against the run on defense as well."

Catching on
While there will be plenty of new faces at wideouts, Parker believes the group has a chance to be special.

"It's been as competitive a room from spring practice through fall camp that we've had on our team," Parker said. "Certainly, it's the deepest room we've had at wideout in our three years here.

"These guys have practiced the right way. It's now a matter of letting them find where their roles will be and what this ends up turning into."

Kicking it around
West Virginia transfer Ethan Head has won the starting placekicker and kickoff duties ahead of Hayden Wolfe and Jalen Ballard.

"Right now, Ethan Head has separated himself to start the year," Parker said. "All those will continue to get opportunities in practice and sometimes in games, but right now going in Ethan Head will be our guy to go out there first if we kick a field and kick off."

Preseason All-American 5th year punter Evan Crenshaw and veteran snapper Colton Walls give the Trojans two of the best in the country at their positions.

"We've been in this three years now," Crenshaw said of the two working together. "Coming into Troy in 2024, he's always been a great friend of mine. He's super reliable. He cares about his craft; he's super detail-oriented when it comes to all of that stuff.

"He makes my job way easier, and that's a big reason why I stayed here as well."

What Parker hopes to see
Parker wants to see his team get off to a fast start against Sam Houston and never let the foot off the pedal.

"I want us to play with extreme discipline and urgency when we go out on the field," Parker said. "I expect us to play well in every category. The quicker we get to the standard that we expect to play at and the way we practice at, the better off we're going to be.

"You should see a tough, physical football team that plays extremely disciplined and hard. We've defined discipline better around here. What is discipline to us? It's very simple. Do your job repeatedly for team glory. That's it.

"We were too penalized of a football team early in the year last year in the first four games. That's been addressed; that's been coached. Now we've got to make sure it's put on display in Game 1."

Troy University Athletics

Johnson's Journal - Football Season Opening Notebook

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Players Mentioned

Jalen Ballard

Tyler Cappi

Ty Clemons

Evan Crenshaw

Goose Crowder

Ethan Head

Luke Petit

Darion Rivers

Donnie Smith

Colton Walls

Hayden Wolfe

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