Troy University Athletics
2021 Football Roster
Roster
Pettus, Dell
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Jersey Number 31
Dell Pettus
- Position:
- S
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-0 / 200
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Harvest, Ala.
- High School:
- Sparkman HS
Bio
2023 All-Sun Belt Second Team
2020 All-Sun Belt Third Team
2019 Freshman All-American (Pro Football Focus)
2019 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention
2023 (Senior): Earned All-Sun Belt Third Team honors … Started 61 consecutive games in his Troy career … Finished one tackle shy of the team lead with 74 on the season, added four tackles for loss and a sack … Broke up four passes and had a fumble recovery … Played 834 snaps, this second most on the Troy defense … Finished his Troy career ranked 12th in program history with 315 career tackles … Played more than 3,000 career snaps; ranked as the fifth most among active players during the 2023 season … Had the game of his career in Troy’s victory over App State in the Sun Belt Championship Game; 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack … Season-high 13 tackles and a half tackle for loss at Texas State
2022 (Junior): Started all 14 games for the Trojans at strong safety … Ranked 12th per Pro Football Focus among all Group of Five defenders with a 77.7 tackle grade, second-best among safeties … Finished season with 66 tackles, a half tackle for loss, two pass break ups and a fumble recovery … Per PFF, 29th among all G5 defenders in overall defense … Missed just eight tackles all season, 10.5 percent missed tackle rate 13thamong G5 defenders … Limited opponents to receptions on 57.7 percent of targets (15-of-26), 14th-best in the G5 and fifth-best among safeties … Had a season-high 11 tackles in Troy's victory over Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Championship Game … Broke up passes in wins over Alabama A&M and Western Kentucky … Played 847 defensive snaps, third most on the team … Also played the fifth-most special teams snaps with 136
2021 (Sophomore): Started all 12 games and finished the season fourth on the team with 54 tackles … Added a tackle for loss and blocked a field goal attempt against Liberty … Among Troy regulars, rated as the Trojans’ best tackler per Pro Football Focus … Ranked 23rd nationally (players min. 500 snaps) for his tackling efforts, 13th among defensive backs and eighth among safeties … Ranked 12th among all Group of Five defenders in tackling (min. 500 snaps) and second in the Sun Belt; seventh among all G5 defensive backs and first in the Sun Belt … Played 562 defensive snaps, fourth-most on the team … Missed just three tackles all season … Defended 8-of-24 pass attempts against him … Season-high nine tackles against both Liberty and South Alabama … Lone tackle for loss on the year came in a seven-tackle effort against Louisiana
2020 (Sophomore): Named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team … Started all 11 games at strong safety after playing free safety as a freshman … Finished fourth on the team with 58 tackles and second with five pass break ups … Returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown at Georgia Southern … Held opponents to a 64.3 completion percentage, including holding three teams to 50 percent or lower … Did not record a tackle at Arkansas State, but broke up a pass and allowed just one reception on five targets in the game … Season-high 10 tackles and a pass break up against Georgia State … Recorded eight or more tackles in four games and five or more in seven games … Rated as the 33rd best-tackling safety (min. 400 snaps) per Pro Football Focus with a 77.0 grade
2019 (Freshman): Named to the Pro Football Focus Freshman All-America Team … Led all freshmen in the Sun Belt Conference with 63 tackles after taking over the starting duties at free safety in the third week of the season – he averaged 5.9 tackles in his 10 starts … Ended the regular season ranked eighth nationally among all freshmen with his tackle total … Broke up a pass against both Texas State and Appalachian State … Recorded 10 tackles against Arkansas State and added nine against Missouri and App State … Finished with three or more tackles in the final 11 games of the season … Played the second most snaps on defense with 668 over his 12 games … Opponents completed just 65.4 percent of passes targeted against him; best on the team ... Named to the All-Sun Belt Team as an honorable mention selection
High School: Finished his career at Sparkman High School with 10 interceptions, 132 tackles, two forced fumbles and 17 tackles for loss … Named team captain for the Senators … Versatile player who also recorded more than 300 career return yards … Helped lead Sparkman to a 7-4 record as a junior and the school’s first trip to the playoffs since 2006 … Rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals and 247Sports; one of the top 50 players in the state of Alabama by 247Sports … Also lettered in track and baseball
Personal: Full name is Dell Pettus … Born June 2, 2001, in Huntsville, Ala. … Son of Tamara and Glenn Pettus … Has one brother, Micah, and one sister, Makayla … Father played football at Alabama A&M and mother played basketball at Alabama A&M ... Graduated with a degree in computer science
2020 All-Sun Belt Third Team
2019 Freshman All-American (Pro Football Focus)
2019 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention
2023 (Senior): Earned All-Sun Belt Third Team honors … Started 61 consecutive games in his Troy career … Finished one tackle shy of the team lead with 74 on the season, added four tackles for loss and a sack … Broke up four passes and had a fumble recovery … Played 834 snaps, this second most on the Troy defense … Finished his Troy career ranked 12th in program history with 315 career tackles … Played more than 3,000 career snaps; ranked as the fifth most among active players during the 2023 season … Had the game of his career in Troy’s victory over App State in the Sun Belt Championship Game; 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack … Season-high 13 tackles and a half tackle for loss at Texas State
2022 (Junior): Started all 14 games for the Trojans at strong safety … Ranked 12th per Pro Football Focus among all Group of Five defenders with a 77.7 tackle grade, second-best among safeties … Finished season with 66 tackles, a half tackle for loss, two pass break ups and a fumble recovery … Per PFF, 29th among all G5 defenders in overall defense … Missed just eight tackles all season, 10.5 percent missed tackle rate 13thamong G5 defenders … Limited opponents to receptions on 57.7 percent of targets (15-of-26), 14th-best in the G5 and fifth-best among safeties … Had a season-high 11 tackles in Troy's victory over Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Championship Game … Broke up passes in wins over Alabama A&M and Western Kentucky … Played 847 defensive snaps, third most on the team … Also played the fifth-most special teams snaps with 136
2021 (Sophomore): Started all 12 games and finished the season fourth on the team with 54 tackles … Added a tackle for loss and blocked a field goal attempt against Liberty … Among Troy regulars, rated as the Trojans’ best tackler per Pro Football Focus … Ranked 23rd nationally (players min. 500 snaps) for his tackling efforts, 13th among defensive backs and eighth among safeties … Ranked 12th among all Group of Five defenders in tackling (min. 500 snaps) and second in the Sun Belt; seventh among all G5 defensive backs and first in the Sun Belt … Played 562 defensive snaps, fourth-most on the team … Missed just three tackles all season … Defended 8-of-24 pass attempts against him … Season-high nine tackles against both Liberty and South Alabama … Lone tackle for loss on the year came in a seven-tackle effort against Louisiana
2020 (Sophomore): Named to the All-Sun Belt Third Team … Started all 11 games at strong safety after playing free safety as a freshman … Finished fourth on the team with 58 tackles and second with five pass break ups … Returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown at Georgia Southern … Held opponents to a 64.3 completion percentage, including holding three teams to 50 percent or lower … Did not record a tackle at Arkansas State, but broke up a pass and allowed just one reception on five targets in the game … Season-high 10 tackles and a pass break up against Georgia State … Recorded eight or more tackles in four games and five or more in seven games … Rated as the 33rd best-tackling safety (min. 400 snaps) per Pro Football Focus with a 77.0 grade
2019 (Freshman): Named to the Pro Football Focus Freshman All-America Team … Led all freshmen in the Sun Belt Conference with 63 tackles after taking over the starting duties at free safety in the third week of the season – he averaged 5.9 tackles in his 10 starts … Ended the regular season ranked eighth nationally among all freshmen with his tackle total … Broke up a pass against both Texas State and Appalachian State … Recorded 10 tackles against Arkansas State and added nine against Missouri and App State … Finished with three or more tackles in the final 11 games of the season … Played the second most snaps on defense with 668 over his 12 games … Opponents completed just 65.4 percent of passes targeted against him; best on the team ... Named to the All-Sun Belt Team as an honorable mention selection
High School: Finished his career at Sparkman High School with 10 interceptions, 132 tackles, two forced fumbles and 17 tackles for loss … Named team captain for the Senators … Versatile player who also recorded more than 300 career return yards … Helped lead Sparkman to a 7-4 record as a junior and the school’s first trip to the playoffs since 2006 … Rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals and 247Sports; one of the top 50 players in the state of Alabama by 247Sports … Also lettered in track and baseball
Personal: Full name is Dell Pettus … Born June 2, 2001, in Huntsville, Ala. … Son of Tamara and Glenn Pettus … Has one brother, Micah, and one sister, Makayla … Father played football at Alabama A&M and mother played basketball at Alabama A&M ... Graduated with a degree in computer science
Behind the Wall - S10, E1
Friday, September 05
PODCAST - Josh Lauer
Thursday, September 04
Football Press Conference (Players) - Clemson Game
Monday, September 01
Gerad Parker Press Conference (Clemson Game)
Monday, September 01
