Troy Looks To Beat Powers, Join Them

MeanGreen61 · September 6, 2006

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/foo...9-06-troy_x.htm

Troy looks to beat powers, join them

By Jack Carey, USA TODAY

Troy athletics director Steve Dennis insists the Trojans football team has not bitten off more than it can chew.

An outsider looking at Troy's schedule for the next few weeks might beg to differ. Coming off a 38-0 victory Saturday against Division I-AA Alabama State, the Trojans embark on an ambitious three-game swing that at first glance looks like college football's version of the Bermuda Triangle.

Troy is at Florida State this Saturday, at Georgia Tech on Sept. 16 and at Nebraska on Sept. 23.

The three "guarantee" games for the program that moved to Division I-A in 2001 will add about $1.5 million to the school's athletics budget.

Beyond the obvious financial boost, Dennis says, the games can act as great advertising tools for the program and the Troy, Ala., school, a Sun Belt Conference member often in the shadow cast by Auburn and Alabama.

"We have an opportunity to attract outstanding young folks to our place, and this is a great opportunity for the athletic department to be the front porch for that effort," says Dennis, who was an assistant football coach at Georgia and Auburn and worked in Auburn's athletics department before heading to Troy last year.

And, Dennis points out, the Trojans have a history of being more than pesky when facing big-name opponents. In the last five years, Troy has won at Mississippi State and at home against Missouri and played tough in a 31-16 loss at Nebraska.

"The Missouri game was a jumping-off point for creating tremendous excitement around the program," Dennis says. "And it got us noticed on national TV."

The 2002 game at Lincoln was one of three recent trips the Trojans made to Nebraska. When the NCAA allowed teams to begin playing permanent 12-game schedules starting this year, the schools decided to fill the spot by playing each other again.

From Troy's standpoint that meant playing the Cornhuskers on the heels of Florida State and Georgia Tech.

But the possibility of wearing the players down was not really a concern, Dennis says.

"We're not a high school team," Dennis says of program that two years ago made the postseason with an appearance in the now-defunct Silicon Valley Classic.

"We're not going to put our players in any physical jeopardy. We've got 300-pounders, and we've got speed, and we're 85 strong. (NFL players) DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora came from this institution. You do the best you can from day to day and move on."

More of the same is on tap. Troy already had games on the 2007 schedule at Georgia, Florida and Arkansas and then jumped at an opportunity for a home-and-home series with Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys visit next season, and the Trojans go to Stillwater, Okla., in 2008.

Such games raise enough revenue to help fund the school's 15 other sports, Dennis says, but are also important in forging relationships with alumni.

"We're building a generation of young alums who want to stay and watch games here and say, 'I'm not going to go watch Auburn or Alabama,' " Dennis says.

"Are we where we want to be yet? To be honest, no. You can't snap your fingers at our level and get to the level of Nebraska. But can we move toward that goal? Yes, we can."

Mad Hatter · September 6, 2006

Wow! Great article!

untcampbell · September 7, 2006

Wow! Great ATTITUDE!

NT80 · September 7, 2006

[Troy....jumped at an opportunity for a home-and-home series with Oklahoma State. The Cowboys visit next season, and the Trojans go to Stillwater, Okla., in 2008.
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OK, now I'm mad. Where's the NEW STADIUM CAMPAIGN?

untcampbell · September 7, 2006

NT80...oh...NOW your mad. Knew we could push you over the top if we tried!

With you on the new stadium.

chrisfisher · September 7, 2006

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/foo...9-06-troy_x.htm
Troy athletics director Steve Dennis insists the Trojans football team has not bitten off more than it can chew.
Dennis says, the games can act as great advertising tools for the program and the Troy, Ala., school, a Sun Belt Conference member often in the shadow cast by Auburn and Alabama.
"We have an opportunity to attract outstanding young folks to our place, and this is a great opportunity for the athletic department to be the front porch for that effort,"
and, Dennis points out, the Trojans have a history of being more than pesky when facing big-name opponents. In the last five years, Troy has won at Mississippi State and at home against Missouri and played tough in a 31-16 loss at Nebraska.
"The Missouri game was a jumping-off point for creating tremendous excitement around the program," Dennis says. "And it got us noticed on national TV."
But the possibility of wearing the players down was not really a concern, Dennis says.
"We're not a high school team," Dennis says
"We're not going to put our players in any physical jeopardy. We've got 300-pounders, and we've got speed, and we're 85 strong.
Such games raise enough revenue...but are also important in forging relationships with alumni.
"We're building a generation of young alums who want to stay and watch games here
"Are we where we want to be yet? To be honest, no. You can't snap your fingers at our level and get to the level of Nebraska. But can we move toward that goal? Yes, we can."
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The above edited quotes are what I wish were coming out of DD's mouth, instead of that FSN interview where he said we have no chance b/c of our teams talent level. I especially like that the Troy coach said they are not worried about wearing their players down and that they are not a high school team. This coach plays to win no matter who they play, and understands that a hard fought loss can actually benefit recruiting. I bet he'd say the same thing if they played UT, OU, etc. We need to become a pesky team too!