The Press-Register and al.com are counting down the final days (34) until the first Saturday of the college football season on Sept. 4.
When Larry Blakeney accepted the head coaching position at Troy State University before the 1991 season, he had no idea all the changes that would take place during his tenure.
Blakeney, an assistant coach at Auburn for 14 seasons before to taking over the school now known as Troy, has led the Trojans from Division II to Division I-AA to the Football Bowl Subdivision, college football's top level of competition.
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And to celebrate Troy opening practice, which starts at 6 p.m. and is open to the public (barring a last-second miracle, I’ll be there), I wrote THIS STORY on Troy wideout Jason Bruce.
I feel like Bruce has the Z-receiver position locked up. But let’s take a very quick look at the positions heading into fall camp. It’s late, so bear with me. I forgot to mention a starter on my defensive backs preview (thanks HemiMan for the heads up), so any questions, please leave a comment
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By Drew Champlin | dchamplin@dothaneagle.com
Published: August 02, 2010
TROY — In the spring of 2008, Jamie Hampton had just been named Troy’s starting quarterback. A few months prior, Corey Robinson was on his way to setting a high school record with 91 touchdown passes in a single season.
This fall, they’re competing for that same starting quarterback spot. A lot has happened since the spring of 2008. That fall, Hampton suffered a serious knee injury in the Trojans’ fifth game. Robinson sat out that fall as a grayshirt, enrolled full-time in January 2009 and redshirted last year.
The two distanced themselves from a pack of four in the spring and enter this fall neck and neck for the No. 1 spot. Troy’s first practice was supposed to be Monday, but lightning derailed those plans and the offense did a walkthrough in Trojan Arena. The team will practice today at 6 p.m.
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A day later than anticipated, the Troy Trojans dealt with some intense humidity and held their first practice of the 2010 fall season on Tuesday night under the lights at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The team was on the field for a little over two hours and took its first step forward in preparation for a run at a fifth-straight Sun Belt Conference title.
"Glad to get a practice in and we were able to get through it even though it was muggy with a lot of humidity," head coach Larry Blakeney said. "We have a long way to go. You see good things here and bad things on both sides. I think the first practice is always a blur."
"We should start seeing within two or three practices if these guys can handle the heat and remember anything they see in meetings."
The Trojans will hit the field next on Wednesday evening at 6 pm and hold their first scrimmage on Saturday at 2:30 pm. For more updates on Troy's preparation for the 2010 season stay tuned to all of the Troy Trojans blog network found HERE. You can also keep up with everything Troy athletics on Twitter @TroyAthletics.
(This post was last modified: 08-03-2010 10:26 PM by trojanbrutha.)
TROY – Troy University has been named among the best in the southeastern United States by The Princeton Review.
The designation marks the sixth year in a row TROY has been named to the list that includes only 623 colleges and universities nationwide and 133 colleges and university in the Southeast.
“This distinction underscores our philosophy at TROY that the most important thing we do is serve our students,” said Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., the University’s chancellor.
The inclusion is the result of a survey that asks students to rate their schools on several topics and report on their experiences. Topics include: academics/administration, life at the school, their fellow students, and themselves. Surveys are conducted on campuses and via the Princeton Review website at which students have the option of completing a secure survey online.
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Here’s video with Blakeney. Notes are below the video
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It felt good when I got here this morning, but got hot and balmy in a hurry. Here’s some notes, and I’ll have video with head coach Larry Blakeney up later.
***Jamie Hampton ran with the 1s exclusively today. Corey Robinson did just that yesterday. From what I can tell, both look good with the 1s. Still too close to call.
***Jerrel Jernigan missed practice after his great aunt passed away. That allowed Jason Bruce to work at H and give Josh Jarboe and Jamel Johnson the snaps at Z. Johnson looks pretty good out there - made a diving catch on a Hampton pass where he fell on the ball and got the wind knocked out of him, but came back later and caught another deep ball from Hampton. Jarboe also made some nice plays.
***With Jernigan out, the main guys I saw returning kicks were Chris Anderson, Chip Reeves and DuJuan Harris.
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(This post was last modified: 08-05-2010 12:41 PM by trojanbrutha.)
TROY -- Troy wide receiver TeBiarus Gill came to camp weighing more than some defensive ends, but that hasn’t slowed him down.
Gill, who was inactive for much of the summer after suffering a concussion as a result of a car accident, checked in at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds – up 15 from last season when he established himself as a physical presence in the Trojan offense.
Yet there he was in the Thursday morning heat, burning a first-team defensive back for a touchdown on a fade route.
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Aug. 5, 2010
By Chad Reuter
NFLDraftScout.com Senior Analyst
Last season, Jernigan caught 71 passes for 1,101
yards and four touchdowns for Troy. (US Presswire)
Don't tell Jerrel Jernigan that he can't do something. Eventually, he'll make you pay for your doubts.
Schools like Auburn considered offering a scholarship to the 5-foot-9, 180-pound Jernigan during his successful high school career. Then they reconsidered.
After his Eufaula High School team won the Alabama state 5A championship in 2006 as a quarterback, coaches projected him as a college receiver. And they weren't sure he could hold up to the rigors of an ACC or SEC schedule.
Three years and two first-team All-Sun Belt Conference seasons later, Troy is glad Auburn and many other programs decided to pass on Jernigan.
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By Drew Champlin | dchamplin@dothaneagle.com
Published: August 07, 2010
TROY, Ala. -- TROY — Early in the summer, Troy’s offense fared quite well against the defense in 7-on-7 drills.
That was when no one was watching. In the Trojans’ first scrimmage of the fall Saturday, the defense showed they’re no joke despite having to replace eight starters.
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TROY -- Saturday was supposed to be a showcase for the Troy offense, considering it was facing a defense that's looking for starters and shuffling its lineup.
Of course, offenses are rarely in a good rhythm in their first scrimmage.
The Trojan defense held the first- and second-team offenses out of the end zone, sending the offense back to the drawing board after a 90-minute workout at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
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Quarterback Dallas Tidwell of Gardendale gave a verbal commitment to Troy over the weekend.
Tidwell, who is 6-foot-6 and 203 pounds, had an offer from Memphis and received interest from Alabama, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Mississippi State and Arkansas State
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By Patrick Johnston, Extra Points
Published: August 09, 2010
Thanks in large part to Eufaulian Jerrel Jernigan, the Troy Trojans should once again contend for a Sun Belt championship.
Troy has established a nice niche in the world of non-BCS football. Yes, the Trojans struggled last year against SEC foes Florida and Arkansas (losing by a combined score of 112-26.) But they also went 9-2 against non-SEC teams. One of the losses was an overtime thriller against nationally-ranked Central Michigan in the GMAC Bowl.
Troy also went undefeated in conference play last season, and has won at least a share of the conference crown in the last four seasons. The team’s mantra for 2010 is “Drive for Five.”
Can Troy hold off the rest of the Sun Belt and earn another ring? Let’s see:
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By Drew Champlin | dchamplin@dothaneagle.com
Published: August 10, 2010
TROY, Ala. -- Troy defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi took a different approach when asked about the Trojans’ young defense.
Massaquoi, a redshirt sophomore, is one of eight new starters on a team that has won four straight Sun Belt championships. He’s expected to be a big part of a unit where many outsiders feel is a weakness.
“Who doesn’t lose about seven or eight starters per year? We lost them, and that’s why we have backup players,” Massaquoi said. “They’re ready and equipped to fill those positions.”
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TROY -- The Troy offense has piled up a lot of yards and points the last few seasons. That's one thing new offensive coordinator Kenny Edenfield doesn't plan to change.
Edenfield was handed the reins of the Troy offense when Neal Brown was hired by Tommy Tuberville at Texas Tech, but the former Troy receiver said it's doubtful any Trojan fan will notice the difference.
"I don't think they will," he said. "I think it will look very similar. Hopefully, it'll be as good as it's been in the past."
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Came to practice today to get some interviews for stories.
***Head coach Larry Blakeney said they’d like to have a QB by two weeks before the first game, but not sure if that’ll happen. At 4:05 p.m., Corey Robinson is running with the first group and Jamie Hampton the second, but they’re just doing drills now, not 11-on-11 stuff.
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***Scouts from the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings are here
Troy quarterbacks Corey Robinson, left, and Jamie Hampton are
in a close race for the starting job. (Amanda Sowards)
TROY -- Troy held its second scrimmage on Saturday morning and while the offense was vastly improved over its Aug. 7 performance, head coach Larry Blakeney wasn't ready to settle on a starting quarterback.
"I'm not sure we've got a quarterback that's ready to make a stand yet," he said. "We've just got to keep sawing wood."
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TROY — Chip Reeves spent last Tuesday at the hospital getting treated for dehydration. He spent Saturday burning his Trojan teammates on defense.
Reeves, a junior wide receiver, had three catches for 88 yards, one a 43-yard touchdown pass from Corey Robinson and another a 44-yard reception on a deep pass from Robinson that set up another score.
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