Super Bowl Update

Troy opens practice at 8:15 a.m. Thursday. You don't really learn a whole lot until they get in full gear, which isn't until Monday. Unless schedule has changed this year, Thursday and Friday is just shorts, Saturday and Sunday is shoulder pads and after Monday, full gear.

Here's a quick position by position look. Detailed position previews are linked. But here are the quick questions that aim to get solved before Sept. 1.

QUARTERBACK - Corey Robinson is the undisputed starter. How many snaps will junior college Deon Anthony play in a change of pace, or will redshirt freshman Dallas Tidwell overtake Anthony to be the defined No. 2?

RUNNING BACK - Looks like seniors Shawn Southward and D.J. Taylor are the top two. Senior Chris Anderson has experience. How much playing time will junior Khary Franklin and redshirt freshman Daron White get this year?

WIDE RECEIVER - There is a lot more experience this year, even as the Trojans lose Jamel Johnson to academics and Corey Johnson to an ACL injury. Which receivers, new and old, will separate themselves and be in the rotation? How many targets will tight end Jim Teknipp get this year?

OFFENSIVE LINE - The starting five, from left to right, going into camp is Jarred Fleming-Kyle Wilborn-Andrew Phillips-Zach Johnson-Terrence Jones, but guys like Chris Hawkins, Cody Woodiel, Jimmie Arnold are non-freshmen who have a chance to battle their way into the starting lineup.

DEFENSIVE LINE - Junior college transfer defensive tackles Xavier Melton and Derrek Upshaw were brought in to play a big role this year. Will they make their mark during camp?

LINEBACKER - Brannon Bryan and Kanorris Davis should be two starters. Will Dimitri Miles hang on to the third starting spot? How much playing time will a host of newcomers from the junior college ranks get? The battle for backup MLB between sophomores Brach Bessant and Eli Canton looks intriguing.

CORNERBACK - Three new faces enter camp this fall in junior college transfer Zach Miller and fifth-year seniors T.J. Bryant and Lenyatta Kiles. Will two of the three start, or will players from the spring hold them off?

SAFETY - This two-deep is two seniors and two juniors. Cam Hudson is a guy I wonder if he can make a jump and hold on to a starting spot.

SPECIAL TEAMS - There are no game-experienced kickers, so the onus is to get them ready for game action.