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Thursday football notes

Larry Blakeney football camp at Rip Hewes Stadium in Dothan
Troy head coach Larry Blakeney and staff were in Dothan Thursday for the annual youth football camp. Here are some personnel notes:

**NCAA has tweaked rules a little bit. Once upon a time, teams could bring kids in during the summer regardless if they had been fully cleared. If a snafu came up, kid could go home and fix it or eventually just go to junior college. Now, if a kid comes in the summer and he's on scholarship, he counts toward the 25 and can't grayshirt, etc. (unless he's paying his own way). So, coaches are really making sure all the loose ends are tied before letting a signee come on board.

**JUCO defensive tackle Xavier Melton is in Troy and attending classes. He's qualified. JUCO defensive end Marty Stadom, who signed in 2011 but wasn't eligible last year, is also in Troy and attending classes. Those two are expected to be difference-makers.

**Two more difference makers include defensive tackle Derrek Upshaw, who is in Troy but not expected to begin classes until second term, and cornerback Zach Miller, who is hopeful to be enrolled for second term.

**They're still going to apply or have applied for a waiver for defensive tackle Lonnie Gosha to play this year, but Blakeney doesn't expect it and expects Gosha will use this year as a transfer/redshirt.

**Troy signed defensive line recruit Braylon Williams from junior college in February, but Blakeney said he will not be a part of the team. Mutual parting of ways.

**On special teams, they're pleased with the three new kickers, and it looks like JUCO transfer Will Scott has an edge at place kicker and kicking off. Blakeney was pleased with punter Ryan Kay getting in better shape and dropping some weight and said redshirt freshman Jed Solomon is a "gym rat" with great strength.

**Three games - the home games vs. UL-Lafayette, Mississippi State and Navy - were picked up by ESPN3, so you can  watch them online at WatchESPN.com if you don't come. Home kickoff times have been set as well.

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