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Post by joshboutwell on Sept 11, 2022 12:42:54 GMT -6
Think he would come back? Doubt he would, even though he knows where his bread his buttered now. I think buying out Sumrall and staff's contracts would be impossible. Good grief.
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Post by joshboutwell on Sept 11, 2022 12:41:48 GMT -6
How are we this bad on offense, oh wait we are running a pro style with spread personal, smh should’ve went with a spread oc not this under center S*** You can count on one hand how many times Troy is under center.
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Post by joshboutwell on Sept 11, 2022 12:40:23 GMT -6
58 rushing yards - that's the problem 500+ total yards 68% pass completion by Gunnar with NO run support - 4 TD and he had a perfect ball dropped A flea flicker pick and the other pick was a tight throw that hit the receiver in stride in the hands No QB will be great with less than 125 rushing yards a game Gunnar started slow for sure - he and the rest of the offense will have to play better We MUST FIGURE OUT HOW TO RUN THE BALL The false starts have got to be fixed Where was Tez Johnson? Receivers dropped quite a few last night so they need to tighten up Play action with Gunnar rolling out is not his strong point Doege may be the guy but everyone in the stadium was ready to get rid of Gunnar after the first play We are not a very good football team and you usually make your biggest jump game 2 - I did not see a lot of improvement Defense gave up 68 rushing yards and created turnovers so that was great 4 sacks - very good kick off - very good punting - good Let's go to Boone and kick A$$ State - I mean kick App State in the mouth The only truly poor throw/bad decision Gunnar made IMO was the pass on the flea flicker. That ball should have never even been thrown, not a single player on the defense was fooled. He was excellent in the second half, especially when they went no huddle and he even acknowledged after the game he's extremely comfortable doing it and thought that helped him/the offense. The fact that there are people that really believe Gunnar is getting replaced after the game he had is absolutely insane to me. Not saying Doege won't get a shot at some point but I just don't understand how so many seem to be enamored by him throwing a pretty ball against an undermanned defense that had just had almost 400 yards rolled up on them in two quarters by the time he got in the game compared to the guy that rolled up that nearly 400 yards. With, like you said, no running game. His understanding of the offense is still extremely limited, too. The lack of a running game is the thing that is going to continue to hurt. If that continues to happen it's going to spell disaster for the offense and the team in general. The defense has also played extremely poorly in the start of two straight games, one against an FCS opponent, and Sumrall is not hiding from that. As others have mentioned, making adjustments at halftime and playing better in the second half is great - and needed - but you can't keep playing that poorly in the first quarter and be in games against teams like App State, Louisiana, Western Kentucky, etc.
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 25, 2022 8:47:16 GMT -6
I’ve been in a locker room and yeah, jokes happen. This is not a joke. This is a series of bullying events. This is a plaintiff lawyer's media release about alleged criminal behavior. I suspect there's much to uncover on the other side of the plaintiff's "facts". What discovery is all about. The truth will out. It's definitely just "one side" but claiming this is nothing more than a "lawyer's media release" is just not true. These are accusations that are almost word-for-word in his complaint to the police, which led to an arrest.
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 23, 2022 8:50:34 GMT -6
This is what I was told today.
"There is a shuttle from the Handicap lot, which has moved to the Rec Center. The workers at the lots should have radios that can help locate a shuttle."
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 22, 2022 8:39:43 GMT -6
He was very frustrated with some funky snaps/fumbles. I think that's one of the main things right now and the snaps will get better with Andrews having not even played in a real game at center (in college) yet. One of the things that stood out to me - maybe because I'm a nerd more than anything - was Eric Shaw moving to Bandit (he's officially listed on the roster as a DE now). He seemed to be in the backfield every time he was out there and Sumrall flat out said he thought Shaw had a chance to get on the field THIS year at bandit. The defense is just so good - and so deep - that at times I think it's really hard to gauge just how improved the offense is but the fact that the offense - the 1s explicitly - are able to score and move the ball at all against the 1 defense is a positive. Doege had speed that was shocking to me. He looked okay in what was really his first appearance with the offense but got sacked a few times where it seemed like he just simply held the ball too long. I think you can probably chalk that up to not knowing the playbook just yet. Though I do think coming from Air Raid offenses to more a "pro-style" type of offense is going to be very difficult for him and he acknowledged this, as well. I think that aspect is actually one of the main things that brought him to Troy. He wants to play "at the next level" (that could mean the NFL, USFL, XFL, Canada, etc.) and he believes getting in a more pro style offense will improve those chances even if he isn't a starter this year. Somehow it feels like having Doege, Costelli and Watson means one won’t be with us for too much longer in todays day and age… I have a certain one in mind that I wouldn’t mind not seeing on the field for us this year, but I’ll stay positive for now. Well, Doege is here for one and done regardless (he has just one year of eligibility) but yes, I would probably agree that more than likely one of the four other scholarship QBs will likely not be on the team by the spring. Especially considering there is another true freshman that will be coming in. All four of them seem competitive to me, though.
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 21, 2022 18:23:36 GMT -6
One thing to consider, he lost the starting QB job at WKU to a West Florida transfer than split. He was expecting to start, got butt hurt and transferred last minute. I don't think this is a fair assessment of his motives. He is very open that what you say about him losing the QB battle and that being the reason he left is true but I don't think it's fair to just say he "got butt hurt." He said something along the lines of "I put too much into this to just sit on the sideline" and wanted to go somewhere where he thought he might get a shot to play AND he wants to go somewhere that could help him getting to the next level. He explicitly talked about coming from an Air Raid offense to Troy's more "pro style" offense, so I think that was a big reason for why he came to Troy.
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 21, 2022 18:16:26 GMT -6
I'll ask about this and post the response here. My dad actually wants to attend some games this year and he's almost crippled at this point (COVID after effects), so I'll be sure to get an answer.
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 21, 2022 18:14:20 GMT -6
Just a short chat with Jon at the Leadership Cocktail Party late yesterday indicated HC takeaway was more questions than answers. A good Coach ALWAYS says things like that. He was very frustrated with some funky snaps/fumbles. I think that's one of the main things right now and the snaps will get better with Andrews having not even played in a real game at center (in college) yet. One of the things that stood out to me - maybe because I'm a nerd more than anything - was Eric Shaw moving to Bandit (he's officially listed on the roster as a DE now). He seemed to be in the backfield every time he was out there and Sumrall flat out said he thought Shaw had a chance to get on the field THIS year at bandit. The defense is just so good - and so deep - that at times I think it's really hard to gauge just how improved the offense is but the fact that the offense - the 1s explicitly - are able to score and move the ball at all against the 1 defense is a positive. Doege had speed that was shocking to me. He looked okay in what was really his first appearance with the offense but got sacked a few times where it seemed like he just simply held the ball too long. I think you can probably chalk that up to not knowing the playbook just yet. Though I do think coming from Air Raid offenses to more a "pro-style" type of offense is going to be very difficult for him and he acknowledged this, as well. I think that aspect is actually one of the main things that brought him to Troy. He wants to play "at the next level" (that could mean the NFL, USFL, XFL, Canada, etc.) and he believes getting in a more pro style offense will improve those chances even if he isn't a starter this year.
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 13, 2022 16:48:55 GMT -6
Here are my thoughts from today (all just my opinions and how things to be shaking out from my viewpoints) if anyone care...
- I believe Gunnar worked exclusively with the ones today. Costelli worked mostly with the twos but had a drive with the threes and Tucker got a run with the twos. Sumrall is emphatic that no one has the job yet and I think if Costelli or Tucker is going to make a move with the ones more we'll see it this week. Gunnar has command of the offense IMO and the respect of everyone around him (defense included). It's impossible to ignore what Costelli brings to the table with his speed, though. And it should be noted Sumrall continues to rave about Tucker. - All of the running backs looked really good and all of them had big runs. Charles Strong had probably the best run of the scrimmage, breaking multiple tackles on his route to a 30+ yard run. It was really the only "explosive" play of the scrimmage. This group is as good as it gets. The one OL is very good. Tyler Harvey-Fallows is the guy at RG IMO. - Jayden McDonald flashes every single time he's on the field. - Kyle Cass, the new CB from Mississippi State, was on the field after the scrimmage doing drills and running on his own. This wasn't something anyone on the staff instructed. He and the big German should be in pads around Tuesday. - I'm not if they filmed Jake Andrews' interview after scrimmage but I hope so, he made some great remarks about an offensive only meeting the players had after some weak practices. Troy has definitely made the right choice moving him to center, the guy is an absolute leader. - Jabre Barber is going to be a standout this year. - Scott Taylor Renfroe has a legit shot at winning the FG duties this year. - Next Saturday is Fan Day and the last open scrimmage. They're going to have a closed scrimmage on the 27th, as well.
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 10, 2022 14:25:23 GMT -6
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 10, 2022 13:56:44 GMT -6
Here's a few more tidbits I've noticed... - Tyler Harvey-Fallows (JUCO) is taking a big portion of the reps at RG with the ones. - Jabre Barber made several circus catches today, including a big leaping grab over a DB, in one-on-ones. - Quayde Hawkins started the first two days working some with the trainer and not doing much team work. He's easing back into team drills now. - Costelli got as many reps with the 1s as I've seen so far this camp today. He made a play in red-zone drills at the end of practice where he took a draw for a TD, outrunning multiple guys who had the angle on him. - Sumrall is high on Tucker Kilcrease. He has no fear at throwing into the teeth of that defense. - There are multiple defensive packages to get Solomon and Jibunor on the field together. - They were as physical and fired up today as I've seen so far, not just the defense either. The offense, especially the line, is playing with a little bit of a mean streak. The backs are absolutely not afraid to put their head down against this defense either, all of them. I'll have a story on the way they're staying cool sometime this week, which is pretty cool. How do the tight ends look? Think Vice might be the guy? Vice is the guy but it's more of a 1A/1B situation with he and Deyunkrea.
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 8, 2022 20:13:17 GMT -6
Here's a few more tidbits I've noticed...
- Tyler Harvey-Fallows (JUCO) is taking a big portion of the reps at RG with the ones. - Jabre Barber made several circus catches today, including a big leaping grab over a DB, in one-on-ones. - Quayde Hawkins started the first two days working some with the trainer and not doing much team work. He's easing back into team drills now. - Costelli got as many reps with the 1s as I've seen so far this camp today. He made a play in red-zone drills at the end of practice where he took a draw for a TD, outrunning multiple guys who had the angle on him. - Sumrall is high on Tucker Kilcrease. He has no fear at throwing into the teeth of that defense. - There are multiple defensive packages to get Solomon and Jibunor on the field together. - They were as physical and fired up today as I've seen so far, not just the defense either. The offense, especially the line, is playing with a little bit of a mean streak. The backs are absolutely not afraid to put their head down against this defense either, all of them.
I'll have a story on the way they're staying cool sometime this week, which is pretty cool.
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 2, 2022 11:20:30 GMT -6
Add four more to the official offers:
Joshua Combs (Lafayette ATH) Lardarius Webb Jr. (Jones College DB) JC Hart (3 * Loachapoka CB) Triston Newson (Northeast Community College LB)
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Post by joshboutwell on Aug 1, 2022 16:18:02 GMT -6
I don't twit or tweet or twirk. Would anyone like to give us an update here. Commitments: Jackson Thomas (Stanhope Elmore WR) Ky McNulty (Baldwin County WR) JD Sherod (Briarcrest Christian, TN QB) Gabriel Moore (Louisville, MS DE) Keyshawn Campbell (Vero Beach, Fla. LB) Ty'Quarius Perry (Jackson-Olin DL) Colton Walls (Stanhope Elmore LS will also play baseball) Adrian Griffin (Fairfield DL) Billy Gilmore (Alma Bryant OL) Jackson Worley (West Palm Beach, Fla. TE) www.troymessenger.com/2022/08/01/troys-class-of-2023-receives-three-more-commitments/Recent offers: Mykel Johnson (Enterprise RB) Jordan Lovett (Statesboro, GA RB) Tyler Bell (Memphis, Tenn. OL) Chris Rodgers (Corinth High School LB/DB already committed to USM) LJ Green (Montgomery DB) Jamarion Wilcox (South Paulding, GA RB)
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Post by joshboutwell on Jul 29, 2022 9:59:12 GMT -6
Speed is nice. For those who remember Omar Haugabook he was fast too. However, even more than fast he ran low with long strides allowing for deceptive speed so guys angles to tackle him was often off and would up on the corner or down field off by a yard or two. I too had that deceptive speed. Guys who chased me were often a yard or two ahead and as they tried to slow I often heard “dang he’s slow” so my extra yards came in the running up to meet them. I digress the point is speed is hard to coach. Ask another past QB: Corey Robinson who’s forty time could best be described as statuesque. I think read option is a massive part of Craddock's gameplan and the type of QB Costelli is it really does feel like this is the guy for this offense. The fact that he's that fast, while also being your prototypical NFL quarterback in terms of his size and he has a cannon for an arm, the potential is all there. Granted potential does not always equate to success but it will sure be fun watching. I also liked Sumrall's comments about Costelli already improving Gunnar, too. Players that embrace competition and thrive off it are the guys you can win with. I really think Gunnar and Costelli are both going to push each other in this fall camp. The issue is there is obviously a chance - it's the world we're living in now for a variety of reasons - that no matter who wins, you may lose the other guy.
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Post by joshboutwell on Jul 27, 2022 9:25:03 GMT -6
It's my understanding that no other program in the country has offered a NIL certificate program and I do not believe anyone else is offering players the ability to brand their names on jerseys and get paid for it. I'm not sure if any other school is allowing players to use school branding in their NIL deals either. In fact, I believe Alabama and Auburn strictly prohibit or at least did to begin with (and I believe the original legislation that the state passed may have banned that aspect, too).
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Post by joshboutwell on Jul 27, 2022 9:21:26 GMT -6
I hope there's no hard feelings when she wasn't given the HC job. She's a Trojan through and through. I haven't asked her but when Newell was hired one of the questions I asked him was about assistants and without saying he would be moving away from the current staff flat out, that was certainly the impression I got. My opinion doesn't mean much but I'm of the opinion that she was a stellar coach and not retaining her is a mistake. Granted it's Newell's program and he has his own plans and he's a championship coach, while I'm a sports writer.
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Post by joshboutwell on Jun 30, 2022 14:58:24 GMT -6
JUCO is a place where a team like Troy can grab some diamonds that at one time may have gone elsewhere. A lot of the "bigger" schools that would have been reaching to the JUCO levels to fill holes in their roster are looking to other FBS schools now, because of the portal. That leaves some extremely talented players at the JUCO level looking for homes longer than maybe they would have in the past. One thing to note is that Cole Popovich, who almost all of them have pointed to as being a reason for them coming, coached at two JUCOs in California and is a native of California. Of the five JUCO linemen that committed this week, four are Cali JUCO players. He seems to be using his connections in that respect. Would love to do a story there but I've "interviewed" him in the past and IDK how many one and two-word answers I could form a story into lol
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Post by joshboutwell on Jun 29, 2022 16:03:26 GMT -6
Are any/ all of these guys eligible for this coming season? It's my understanding JUCO transfers are eligible immediately and don't have to enter the transfer portal. All four I've spoken to so far are going to be on campus by July 4 and doing summer workouts with the intention of being eligible this season.
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Post by joshboutwell on Jun 29, 2022 10:44:32 GMT -6
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Post by joshboutwell on Jun 27, 2022 14:55:06 GMT -6
Spinal fusion is no joke but with the advanced medical technology we have, I would be shocked if he isn't on the sideline again at some point. There are professional wrestlers that have spinal fusion now and end up wrestling for 10 more years.
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Post by joshboutwell on Jun 15, 2022 12:33:24 GMT -6
Currently 100 on the roster. If you had to add five from the transfer portal, what would you add? I'd want another linebacker, a couple proven offensive linemen, a standout defensive end, and maybe another receiver. Sumrall has said he wanted to add a QB, a WR and add depth on the O-Line and add a "difference maker or two" on defense. He's already added the QB and WR. My guess if he hits the portal again - he will - it will be depth on the O-Line and possibly a potential starter on defense.
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Post by joshboutwell on Jun 9, 2022 11:06:49 GMT -6
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Post by joshboutwell on Jun 9, 2022 10:31:37 GMT -6
The Porch will teach him everything he needs to know. For his sake, let's hope not.
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