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| Saturday's spring practice |
This notebook appears in the print edition of the Sunday Dothan Eagle and can be found on dothaneagle.com HERE.
BY DREW CHAMPLIN
dchamplin@dothaneagle.com
TROY – Troy’s fourth practice of the spring had its share of physical battles in one-on-one drills.
The Trojans are building off a strong offseason program and bringing the noise in practice. This year’s spring practices have had more of an aura of physicality than in years past.
Maybe it’s because the Trojans are trying to get the taste of a 3-9 season out of their mouths.
“I hope you’re right,” Troy head coach Larry Blakeney said. “We’ve had good enthusiasm. We’ve still got a long way to go to be a good football team, both ways.”
Oklahoma drills, where a blocker took on a defender while a runner had to either plow over or get around the defender, were spirited on Saturday morning. It was a delight for upperclassmen who have seen the good and bad of Troy football over the last few years.
“From last year to this year, everybody’s going so much harder on every play,” senior left tackle Jarred Fleming said. “As a senior, I love that. Nobody wants to have a year like last year, ever, and you can feel that on the field.
“They’re trying to breed competition and that never-quit attitude. I feel like we’ve done a good job answering that call by the coaches.”
Special teams work: The NCAA passed new rules regarding kickoffs this year, and Troy spent part of Saturday working on that. Kickoffs will be at the 35, though the kickoff team must be five yards behind the kickoff guy until the ball is kicked.
“It shouldn’t be a problem, but it’s a different timing problem as far as getting off and attacking that line, being in synch with the kicker, all that stuff,” Blakeney said.
Touchbacks are now being brought out to the 25-yard line, instead of the normal 20-yard line. It makes for some interesting strategy. Do you pin the return team deep and try to stop them before they reach the 25, or just kick it in the end zone?
“We’re probably going to try to pin it,” Blakeney said. “If we can kick it in the end zone, we’ll take it. I’m not sure what all of our capabilities will be with all of these kickers trying to make the team.”
Will Scott, who signed with Troy to punt, was the first kicker on extra point and field goal drills. Blakeney said he can do both, and Ryan Kay, another new kicker, has a big leg. Jed Solomon, a returning walk-on who redshirted last year, was out sick on Saturday.
Brown settling in: New cornerbacks coach Julius Brown is finding his way at Troy after spending the last several years as a player, graduate assistant and director of player personnel at Boise State.
“I’m leaning on Coach (Jeremy) Rowell a lot,” Brown said. “He’s been doing this for a long time. I’m trying to get these kids better and help them reach the levels they want to reach and help this team reach the level it wants to reach.”
Many smaller schools are trying to emulate the success Boise State has had on the national scene. Troy is one of them, though Brown feels like the Trojans are already on solid footing nationally.
“Troy definitely has a good following,” Brown said. “People know who they are. They’ve played a lot of big teams and knocked a lot of big teams. I’m excited to be here with these guys.”
Injury report: With physical practices come injuries. Several players are sitting out some practices. Sophomore right guard Zach Johnson was out with a sprained neck. Senior offensive lineman Cody Woodiel is out indefinitely with a toe injury. Defensive backs Barry Valcin and Chris Pickett were among others not dressed out. Wide receiver Corey Johnson got banged up late in practice. Redshirt freshman quarterback Luke Barnes had to miss practice because he was in a wedding.
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