Pre-spring look: Wide receivers


March 15, 2009

By Drew Champlin




This is the seventh of eight position previews

WHAT’S GONE: The Trojans lost three outside receivers, including two starters, with the biggest loss being Kennard Burton. The Trojans’ second-leading receiver (47 catches, 492 yards, 1 TD) played bigger than his 5-foot-6 frame and put together a solid two-year career. Mykeal Terry (23-210-4), the starter at Z, and reserve Fred Turner (9-77-1) also depart. One inside receiver, Gerald Tate, Troy’s fourth-leading receiver (23-238-1) has graduated.

WHAT’S HERE: Plenty. We’ll start with the outside receivers. Junior Jerrel Jernigan, the single-season record-holder with 77 catches last year, will start off at the X after moving from an inside position. The potential starter at Z is redshirt freshman Josh Jarboe, who gives the Trojans a legitimate deep threat with great size (6-foot-3). Other outside guys include redshirt junior TeBiarus Gill, sophomore Chip Reeves, senior Justin Bray, senior Zack Marcum and grayshirt freshman Felton Payton, who enrolled in January. There’s plenty of depth on the inside also. Senior Cornelius Williams and junior Austin Silvoy rotated at the Y last year and senior Andrew Davis should get first crack at the H. Senior Patrick Cherry is a bigger inside guy with experience. Junior Jonathan Chandler moved over to H last year from quarterback. Coaches think sophomore Willie McDowell, who came in as a walk-on, can get into the mix this year. Two newcomers will figure in as junior college transfer Jason Bruce and grayshirt freshman Gavin Ellis, though Ellis will probably get his first look at tight end. Speaking of tight end, senior Travis Boyd returns as his third year as a starter and backup Matt Stidham, a sophomore, also returns.

OUTLOOK: Jernigan as an outside receiver will be interesting to see because, from what offensive coordinator Neal Brown told me, it’s harder to seal off outside receivers with a lot of speed than inside guys. You know the story behind Jarboe and how highly rated he was out of high school, so it will be interesting to get the first good look at him. Troy really needs some legit deep threats to compliment quarterback Levi Brown’s strong arm and Gill and Reeves need to step up. While the inside guys are experienced, Bruce is a playmaker that could find a role depending on how he learns the system. Of the grayshirts, Ellis is 6-foot-6 and put up big numbers in this offense in high school and coaches have high hopes for the 6-foot-2 Payton on the outside. Silvoy finally has that knee brace off and is probably a step faster because of it. Davis, who came in as a walk-on in the first year of this offense at Troy, is very fast. The tight end spot is more of a blocking position in this offense but we’ll see if more pass plays go out that way.