Super Bowl Update

This is the third of some position previews before the July 16 Sun Belt Media Days. This position preview does NOT include the Bandit/defensive end position, so Jacoby Thomas and Tyler Roberts will be mentioned there.

THE SKINNY: Troy returns some experience here and two starters in Brannon Bryan, who moved from outside linebacker to the middle linebacker position for his senior year and he'll captain the defense. Kanorris Davis is an electrifying player who can make plays all over the field, but has been hobbled by injuries for most of his career. Davis was still an all-conference honorable mention player last year and is coming off a dislocated ankle in the second-to-last game. This is a group that's gone down a little bit in talent since Bear Woods and Boris Lee graduated, but has some guys who are good enough to make all-conference and experienced. Troy also has some new junior college transfers in the fold.

PROJECTED STARTERS: The move of Bryan to the MLB position is a good one as he's a smart player and he'll be the guy to quarterback the defense. Davis' play has spoken for itself when healthy and he'll be in the mix for all-conference honors. Bryan has that ability as well if Troy's defense can improve. Coming out of spring, sophomore Dimitri Miles, who walked on last year after sitting out a season and working for FedEx. Miles had an interception vs. FIU while playing the DIME defensive back position and he just looks like a linebacker that has even more room to grow. He did miss most of spring with a minor injury, though, but came back late.

BACKUPS COMPETING: I can't see Davis or Bryan - two experienced seniors - losing their starting spot. Behind Bryan, sophomores Brach Bessant and Eli Canton are competing and both look to at least be special teams hard hitters, or help out on goal line spots. Bessant and Canton are in that 240-pound range and physical, but inexperienced. Bessant is a redshirt sophomore and Canton a junior college transfer. Some more junior college transfers are also in the mix. Martrez Townes, a junior, is Davis' backup heading into the fall. Troy re-signed Mark Wilson from Fullerton CC in California after he dominated as a freshman. Wilson had been at Troy in 2010 but was declared academically ineligible after that season. Arkansas wanted Wilson, but he wanted to come back to Troy. However, I don't remember him practicing that much during spring (injury). Wayland Coleman-Dancer also came over from junior college and is in the mix.

ANALYSIS: There are some bodies here and coaches just need guys to take the next step and make more plays to help out a defense that struggled last year. It's a nice mix of experience and new guys, but the new guys are junior college players so it's not a raw position by any means.

TOP LINEBACKER MOMENT OF MY ERA (since 2005): After the 2008 spring practice, Jeremy Rowell told me that an guy only known for his long hair had stepped up alongside Boris Lee to become a starter and he had done really well. No one really knew much about Bear Woods, but he stepped up and helped Troy to a 31-17 win over rival Middle Tennessee in the 2008 season opener, hearing his name called after tackles repeatedly. He was credited with 14 after the game, a very high number, and that number was inflated to 24 the next time I saw the stats. The Killer Bs (Bear & Boris) were a fun duo to watch.