Super Bowl Update

Troy picked up a potentially big performer for its 2012 defensive line when Butler County (Kan.) defensive tackle Xavier Melton committed and will sign on Wednesday.

Melton, 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, has a chance to play right away.

"I knew I could come in and play right away, but I had no idea how close the coaching staff was with each other and how the players were," Melton said. "I hung out with Chris (Pickett), the defensive back, and he's a real cool guy. The food's great, and I'm from (Lakeland) Florida, so the southern food was great. Just the atmosphere, and the fact a lot of guys have come out from there and gone on to the NFL, like DeMarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora, Troy has a great tradition for that."

Melton started his career at Purdue, going there for two years. After Purdue moved him to the offensive line, he transferred to Butler County because he wanted to stay on defense. He was a second-team all-conference selection.

"Troy wants me to come in, push the pocket, be a disruptive force in the backfield and wreak havoc," Melton said.

Melton was recruited to Troy by defensive coordinator Jeremy Rowell.

"Coach Rowell, he's a real cool guy," Melton said. "He reminds me a lot of Coach Williams, who is now at Texas Tech but was the defensive line coach when I was at Purdue. He's a laid back guy, and a funny dude, but he knows when to be serious."