Troy Trojans

NT03 · July 16, 2007

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COACH AND PROGRAM

It was an extreme makeover, offensive edition in 2006 for Troy. After a disappointing showing in 2005, Larry Blakeney fired a pair of offensive coaches and brought in Tony Franklin to take over as offensive coordinator and Matt Moore to oversee the offensive line.

Of course, a juco quarterback named Omar Haugabook had a lot to do with the offensive renaissance, but it was Franklin who helped hatch the four-receiver spread offense that allowed Haugabook to flourish.

After lining up and trying to ram the football down everyone's throat, the new offense opened holes and allowed the position players to make plays.

It's hard to tell by looking at the 1-4 start, but the excitement was already building before the Trojans hit the Sun Belt schedule.

Troy went on the road to Tallahassee and had Florida State on the ropes deep into the fourth quarter before losing by a touchdown.

Haugabook's 1-yard touchdown run put the Trojans up by a touchdown with 11 minutes remaining, but Florida State's depth eventually wore Troy down in the final minutes.

It was the same story at Georgia Tech, where the game was tied at 14 after three quarters before the Yellow Jackets pulled away in the final quarter.

But the Trojans learned some valuable lessons from the close calls and ripped through the conference at a 6-1 clip, winning the tiebreaker over Middle Tennessee and earning a trip to the R+L Carrier New Orleans Bowl.

Troy unleashed a 41-17 whipping upon Rice, giving the Trojans plenty of momentum heading into the 2007 season.

After signing a strong recruiting class, the Trojans have more quality depth than they had last year. Haugabook is back along with plenty of experienced receivers and backs.

While the offensive line is a work in progress, the defense returns virtually everybody and is looking to atone for an uncharacteristically poor effort in 2006.

With their newfound confidence, their new recruits and more weapons than they had a year ago, the Trojans are eyeing Oklahoma State and Georgia, two of their non-conference opponents from BCS schools.

Another conference title is the ultimate goal, but the big schools on the Trojans' schedule had better come to play, because nobody at Troy is planning on letting anyone off the hook this time around.

QUARTERBACKS

Before last season, the term "Troy's offense" was an oxymoron. The line allowed 35 sacks, the offense averaged just 280 yards per game and the Trojans went 3-4 in conference play despite having the best defense in the league.

But all that changed last fall when Omar Haugabook (6-2, 220) took over at quarterback. The juco transfer jump-started the stagnant offense by completing 61 percent of his throws for 2,401 yards and 21 touchdowns.

With such a talented quarterback at the controls, Blakeney spread four receivers out and let Haugabook pick the defense apart.

But for all Troy's newfound success on the offensive side of the ball, there is room for improvement as Haugabook enters his senior year.

For starters, he needs to take better care of the football after throwing 17 interceptions in 2006. The offense turned the ball over at least once a game, and with an inexperienced offensive line this year, Haugabook needs to make better decisions with the football.

But to be fair, Haugabook made some major strides in limiting his turnovers during the second half of the season as the Trojans made their run to the conference championship.

If the senior can make better decisions consistently in 2007, the offense will be hard to stop.

No offense to Tanner Jones (6-2, 200), but nobody in Troy wants to see him on the field in 2007 unless it's the fourth quarter and the Trojans are up by four touchdowns.

Jones is a feel-good story -- the walk-on has worked his way to number two on the depth chart and stands to be the starting quarterback in 2008. But as compelling as the redshirt freshman's tale is, it will have to wait another year -- the offense will live and die with Haugabook this year.

RUNNING BACKS

After being the centerpiece of the Troy's offense for years, the running game became a supplement to the passing attack, and as a result, the Trojan running backs had some room to run in 2006.

In the past, the backs had to run into the teeth of defenses that stuffed eight men in the box and waited for the inevitable handoff.

But with Haugabook hitting receivers all over the field, opposing defenses were honest and Kenny Cattouse (5-10, 207) took advantage, finishing with 810 rushing yards and four scores.

The senior made a bulk of the carries last year, but he will have some company with former starter Sean Dawkins (5-10, 225) returning from injuries.

Dawkins missed all of 2006 with a broken foot and a nagging knee injury, but he is healthy and ready to make a solid rushing attack a whole lot tougher.

Although he will line up at the running back slot, the senior is built like a fullback and will be tough to slow down on third and short situations. Dawkins is a hard charger, and if he stays healthy, he will take some of the burden off of Cattouse's shoulders and give the running game more of a physical presence.

With Dawkins on the shelf last year, freshman Justin Brooks (5-10, 190) was forced into limited action and performed well. Brooks carried the ball 17 times for 72 yards and three scores in nine games in 2006, giving the sophomore a boost of confidence and making him a viable option in the running game if Dawkins can't stay healthy.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Before last year, starting wide receiver at Troy would have been a good occupation for somebody in the witness protection program. With a string of weak-armed quarterbacks and a run-first mentality, wide receiver was a place you could go to disappear.

But that all changed last season, and a strong group of returning talent will see plenty of action again in 2007.

The unit is led by returning starters Gary Banks (6-1, 196) and Mykeal Terry (5-10, 175).

Banks was Troy's leading receiver and Haugabook's favorite target a year ago, catching 68 passes for 603 yards and eight scores.

While he may develop into one of the top receivers in the league this year, the junior's main claim to fame is being drafted before Dontrelle Willis in the 2000 Major League Baseball draft.

Banks actually played in the Chicago Cubs organization for three years before giving football a try.

After a conference title and a victory in the New Orleans Bowl, it appears the curse of the billy goat doesn't extend to football.

Terry was the team's third-leading receiver last season, hauling in 27 catches for 477 yards and five touchdowns.

While Banks emerged as the team's possession receiver, Terry developed into a big play threat as the year went on, averaging a team-high 17.7 yards per catch.

The junior didn't get off to such a hot start, but he came on late in the year, earning eight starts and giving the offense a spark during the Trojans' title run.

Terry will need to be consistent from start to finish in 2007 as Toris Rutledge, the team's second-leading receiver is absent from the mix.

Despite Banks' stint as a professional baseball player and Terry's flair for the dramatic, the most famous receiver on the team is Cornelius Williams (6-1, 180).

Viewers of MTV's Two-a-Days will remember him as Ross Wilson's favorite target at Hoover High School.

But Williams showed some signs of being a solid Division I-A receiver in 2006, and he should be a starter after a productive spring. The sophomore gained some experience last year, catching six passes in limited action.

Williams' biggest assets are his size, quickness and the fact that he knows what it takes to win -- the sophomore was a member of four straight state title teams at Hoover.

When there are four receivers on the field -- and it will happen quite a bit -- Andrew Davis (5-9, 165) will probably be that fourth guy. Although the sophomore is a bit undersized, he makes up for it with pure speed. Davis caught 18 passes for 132 yards and two scores last year.

A mix of young guys and veterans will provide the depth, but the group is headlined by redshirt freshman Austin Silvoy (6-3, 180). Silvoy was a 1,000-yard receiver as a senior at Nease High School in Florida back in 2005, grabbing 63 receptions and scoring seven times.

Troy includes tight ends on its roster, but lists four receivers, labeled H, X, Y and Z, on its depth chart.

OFFENSIVE LINE

While the Trojans are stocked with experienced position players, the offensive line is a different story. How well the unit comes together will go a long way in deciding how good Troy can be in 2007.

The only returning starter is junior Chris Jamison (6-3, 285), who started at right guard a year ago. With so many new faces joining the starting lineup, Jamison moved all over the line in the spring as Blakeney tried as many different combinations as he could in search of some chemistry.

As things stand after the spring, Jamison will make the move to left tackle while junior Will Chambliss (6-6, 292) takes over at the right guard slot.

Chambliss lacks the speed to play tackle, but his size could make him an asset at guard. The junior will need to keep getting better in the fall, but his size will make up for what he lacks in technique.

Zach Yenzer took over the starting center job early in the 2005 season and did an excellent job before departing after last season.

Now it will be up to redshirt freshman Danny Franks (6-4, 320) to make the most of his opportunity to start. Franks has size, but the redshirt shirt sophomore will need to get better every day in the fall if he hopes to hold onto his job.

Dion Small (6-3, 280) and Steven Merkel (6-5, 298) are slated to round out the starting lineup. Small, a transfer from Georgia Military Academy, is expected to start at right tackle, while Merkel, a junior, should start at left guard.

But that all could change when the recruiting class hits campus in the fall. Troy brought in some large lineman that will quickly enter the mix for playing time.

Freshmen Jamarr Thompson (6-7, 335) and Micah Grimes (6-4, 300) should push for immediate playing time along with juco transfers Windham Rotunda (6-3, 310) and Tyrell Curtis (6-4, 290).

KICKERS

Greg Whibbs (5-10, 166) will be back to handle the kicking duties after hitting a pedestrian 11-of-19 field goal attempts in 2006. The junior doesn't have much range beyond 40 yards and has to launch the ball higher to avoid getting so many kicks blocked. He was 35-of-38 on PATs.

With the departure of punter Jason Wright, Whibbs could find himself pulling double duty this fall.

DEFENSIVE LINE

After relying on its defense for so many years, Troy won a conference title and the New Orleans Bowl with a defense that ranked seventh out of eight teams in the Sun Belt.

But with an overflow of returning talent, the Trojan defense is determined to show everyone that the 2006 season was a fluke.

It all starts up front, as Troy will rival Middle Tennessee for the best defensive line in the league. The big news is the arrival of tackle Chris Bradwell (6-5, 280) who transferred from Northeast Mississippi Community College. The senior started at Florida State as a true freshman before moving on to junior college and has more than enough talent to dominate offensive linemen in the Sun Belt, but it should be noted that he missed the entire 2006 season after running into some problems off the field.

But the senior is getting a second chance, and if he has learned from his mistakes, Bradwell could be the missing piece on a line that wasn't really missing any pieces to begin with.

Marcus Pittman (6-4, 290) is back at nose tackle after making 20 tackles in 13 games a year ago. But the stat sheet doesn't do the senior justice -- his ability to demand a double-team is what opens the lanes for everyone else to get into the backfield and make plays.

Kenny Mainor (6-4, 216) and Shawn Todd (6-3, 245) are back at the ends and looking to keep the heat on opposing quarterbacks.

Mainor spent plenty of time in the opposing backfield as 10.5 of his 47 tackles were for loss. The junior also added 6.5 sacks, using his speed to make up for his lack of size.

Todd added 31 tackles, seven of them for loss, to go along with 3.5 sacks. The senior was close to putting up even bigger numbers as he led the team in quarterback hurries. If he can find an extra step somewhere, 2007 could be a breakout year for Todd.

While the starters are solid, it's going to be hard for anyone to keep Dion Gales (6-6, 290) out of the lineup. The JUCO transfer originally signed with Ole Miss, and the prospect of this SEC-quality pass rusher going up against Sun Belt-quality offensive linemen has everyone in Troy excited.

Gales was a first-team All-Mississippi Junior College pick last season after making 68 tackles, including eight sacks and 13 for loss, for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

Brandon Lang (6-5, 220) and Steve McClendon (6-4, 280) are also part of the logjam of talent, but both will most likely be providing depth if everyone stays healthy and out of trouble.

LINEBACKERS

There were plenty of questions at linebacker going into last season, but Boris Lee (6-2, 210) went a long way toward answering most of them.

Lee took over the middle linebacker job as a freshman and anchored the group with 62 tackles, six of them for loss, to go along with three interceptions.

The sophomore is a bit smallish for a middle linebacker, but his speed gives him the mobility to cover the field, making plays from sideline-to-sideline.

Marcus Richardson (6-3, 214) is back after starting for a good part of the 2006 season. Richardson missed some time after breaking his collarbone against Georgia Tech, but he still made 40 tackles in 11 games.

The senior will make the move to weak-side linebacker this year, a position that should put his speed to better use.

The only new starter is strong-side linebacker Romanique Lewis (6-2, 225), but after five years at Troy the senior is hardly new.

Injuries have kept Lewis from making more of an impact so far -- he took a medical redshirt early in his career to have his shoulder operated on -- but he performed well as a backup last year and appears ready to make his last go-round a good one.

The senior had 26 tackles last year in limited action, and he provides some physicality to a unit that lacks a heavy hitter.

As good as Lee was in the middle last year, his challenge will be to keep juco transfer David McDowell (6-3, 245) watching from the sidelines. McDowell has all of the size Lee lacks to go along with good speed, so it will be hard to keep him from breaking into the rotation at some point

DEFENSIVE BACKS

In a league that lacks lockdown corners, Leodis McKelvin (5-11, 187) is the exception to the rule. But in addition to keeping the ball out of the hands of the guy he's covering, McKelvin can also tackle.

The senior was second on the team with 66 tackles, and he also broke up seven passes and intercepted another.

But McKelvin's physicality makes him special -- he tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles last season.

With McKelvin back in the lineup, Elbert Mack (5-10, 168) should see quite a bit of action on the other side of the field.

Mack started at corner last year and made 33 tackles while appearing in every game. The junior broke up six passes and intercepted two more, making teams pay for trying to pick on him.

Although Mack is small, he proved he's capable of holding his own when challenged.

Tavares Williams (6-1, 190) will return to his free safety spot, and he'll be joined by junior Terrence Moore (6-3, 195).

Williams made 58 tackles a year ago, and the junior will try to make even more of an impact this time around.

Moore had 29 tackles and a pair of interceptions in limited time last year. He will need to keep it up in order to keep Sherrod Martin (6-1, 187) from snagging his job. Martin missed all of last year with an injury, but his 146 career tackles show that he can get the job done when healthy enough to compete.

While Moore tries to secure his starting spot, Mack will also have a hard time keeping his position with Trevor Ford (6-1, 195) pushing for time at corner.

Ford, a transfer from Florida State, made 13 tackles for the Seminoles in 2005 before leaving the program and walking on at Troy.

The junior will be eligible this fall, and his quickness and leaping ability won't be left sitting on the sideline for long.

PUNTERS

Say what you want about Jason Wright's lack of leg strength, he was consistent, and that counts for a lot in the kicking game. How much, you ask? Well, the Trojan faithful might end up learning how much the hard way this season.

Adrian Vera (6-1, 201) will get the first crack at the job. The senior has a strong leg, but the knock on him is that his accuracy leaves something to be desired.

If Vera faulters, look for place-kicker Greg Whibbs to possibly pull double duty.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Along with being a phenomenal cover-corner, Leodis McKelvin also happens to be quite the return man. McKelvin averaged 23.5 yards on kick returns and 11.5 yards on punt re-turns in 2006, providing the Trojans with a spark on more than one occasion.

McKelvin didn't find the end zone on a kick return, but he did run one punt back for a score last year. With opposing teams looking to kick away from McKelvin when possible, look for Elbert Mack to see some kickoffs flying his way. If that happens, Mack will have to improve on his 16 yards-per-return average.

Also, don't be surprised if Trevor Ford gets a shot at returning kicks or punts at some point. He may be the fastest guy on the roster.

Grading the Trojans Unit Grade Offense B+ Special teams A- Defense A Intangibles A-

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

Clearly, the offensive line is an issue, especially when you consider Haugabook's tendency to turn the football over when rushed. Also, the defensive front that is so good at get-ting to opposing quarterbacks needs some work on stopping the run.

That being said, it's hard to look at Troy and imagine a scenario in which the Trojans don't return to the New Orleans Bowl this year.

By the time the Trojans get to the conference schedule, the newcomers will have settled in on the offensive front, and they have the size to give most teams fits. Also, Haugabook cut back on his turnovers as the 2006 season progressed, and another summer and fall of studying film ought to help him have a better handle on when to force the issue and when to ease up.

As for the defense, key transfers up front, at linebacker and in the defensive backfield take a defense that was shaping up to be scary enough and move it to the next level. Opposing offenses will be hard-pressed to stack up with the athletes waiting across the line of scrimmage.

So as long as the injury bug doesn't bite Haugabook, don't expect the tiebreaker to be necessary this time around.

For the most comprehensive previews available on all 119 Division I teams, order the "Bible" of college football, the 2007 Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, at www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).

<H4 class=io-title>Troy Trojans</H4>LOCATIONTroy, Ala.CONFERENCESun BeltLAST SEASON8-5 (.615)CONFERENCE RECORD6-1 (t-1st)OFF. STARTERS RETURNING6DEF. STARTERS RETURNING9NICKNAMETrojansCOLORSCardinal, Silver & BlackHOME FIELDMovie Gallery Stadium (30,000)HEAD COACHLarry Blakeney (Auburn '70)RECORD AT SCHOOL127-65-1 (16 years)CAREER RECORD127-65-1 (16 years)ASSISTANTS• Tony Franklin (Murray State '81), Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks