(The HC we don’t speak of) (The HC we don’t speak of) excited about 2021
Jan 19, 2021 13:52:19 GMT -6
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Post by cardinalblacktrojan on Jan 19, 2021 13:52:19 GMT -6
This article is from January 7, but it's an interesting read from the Dothan Eagle:
Troy head football coach (The HC we don’t speak of) (The HC we don’t speak of) retained some key players, signed another transfer and lost an assistant coach ahead of the squad reporting back to campus this week.
Twelve of the 13 seniors on this past seasonâs team are taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to COVID-19, including standouts Dylan Bradshaw (center), Reggie Todd (receiver) B.J. Smith (running back) and John Hines (defensive end). The lone senior who indicated that he will test the NFL waters is wide receiver Khalil McClain.
âWhen I talked to them individually, it was kind of the tone of, âHey, weâve got a chance to be really good next year and weâve got unfinished business. Letâs load up for one more,ââ (The HC we don’t speak of) said.
âAnd I think several of them had to look at what their NFL opportunities might look like. Really Khalil is the one who is going to declare and try to make a run at the NFL. Obviously weâre going to support him on that.â
Troy got another transfer last week when cornerback Taiyon Palmer, a sophomore this past season at N.C. State, signed on. He played in five games this past season and recorded five tackles.
âHe had a knee injury early on in his career at N.C. State, but heâs healthy now,â (The HC we don’t speak of) said. âHe went to high school with Will Choloh (Troy defensive tackle), so we had a good connection of who he was from way back. He was just looking for an opportunity to get a little more playing time and establish himself. Fortunately for us he chose us and hopefully heâll fill in and really help that secondary.â
Palmer joins three other transfers who came aboard during the early signing period on Dec. 16 â Taylor Powell (QB, Missouri), LaâDamian Webb (RB, Florida State) and JaMarcus Chatman (DE, Florida State).
The four transfers have arrived on campus. Two freshmen signees â Caleb Ransaw (cornerback) and Jarris Williams (running back) â are also on campus as early enrollees.
The Trojans did lose offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Ryan Pugh, who was announced as a hire at Baylor on Tuesday. However, a day later Baylor head coach Dave Aranda released a statement saying Pugh wouldnât be joining the program.
(The HC we don’t speak of) isnât dismissing a chance of Pugh returning to Troy, but heâs actively searching for his replacement.
âObviously Iâm very close to Ryan and weâll see how all of that plays out,â (The HC we don’t speak of) said. âIâm not going to rule out anything, but I will say at the same time weâre in the process of trying to find an O-line coach.
âWe just need the right fit who can continue to build on what weâve got. We had a young offensive line and they got tremendously better as the season went on. Weâll take our time and get the right guy.â
(The HC we don’t speak of) said spring practice will begin on Feb. 23. Among the most intriguing battles will be at quarterback and running back, where the Trojans have loads of talent.
Troy will have five quarterbacks on scholarship. Returning starter Gunnar Watson and back-ups Jacob Free and Kyle Toole are back from this past season. Powell, the transfer from Missouri, will now join the mix. True freshman Quayde Hawkins of Bainbridge, Ga., will report to camp in the summer. Parker McNeil, who came to Troy last year as a highly-touted JUCO transfer but played sparingly, is no longer with the program.
âI think for us competition at quarterback is something we needed,â (The HC we don’t speak of) said. âHaving a first-year starter like Gunnar, and obviously him getting hurt and missing three games and part of another, I just felt like we needed some more competition in that room.
âItâs going to be a very competitive spring and I believe that just brings out the best in everybody. Weâve got to play better at that spot. When I look back at our issues last year, turning the ball over at critical timesâ¦. I think we had a lot of opportunities to win some games if weâll just take care of the ball and play a little better there at that spot. I think competition is always good.â
The return of Smith at running back enhances an already talented backfield with the likes of Kimani Vidal, Jamontez Woods and DK Billingsley, along with the additions of Webb from FSU and Williams, a four-star signee from Blount High School.
Smith, two seasons ago the Sun Belt preseason Offensive Player of the Year, was battling back this past season from knee surgery suffered in the second game of 2019 and also a hip injury from an automobile accident last spring. Though he was the starter to begin this past season, the talented freshman Vidal became the key back in the Trojansâ offense.
âEarly on he felt pretty good,â (The HC we don’t speak of) said of Smithâs health. âAs the season went on, he did not. I think as time wore on, his body wore down a little bit. There toward the end he wasnât very healthy at all.
âHis conversation with me was, âCoach, Iâd like to spend a year and get my body fully back and get in a position to play more.â
âThatâs something he made the decision with his family and obviously we love B.J. and he can only help us. Thereâs no ego with B.J. He wants to help our football team any way he can.â
(The HC we don’t speak of) is excited about the upcoming season.
âOur theme is going to be âOur Time,ââ (The HC we don’t speak of) said. âThis is year three and two recruiting classes. I think weâve got much more depth than weâve ever had. We think weâre in a great spot.â
Twelve of the 13 seniors on this past seasonâs team are taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to COVID-19, including standouts Dylan Bradshaw (center), Reggie Todd (receiver) B.J. Smith (running back) and John Hines (defensive end). The lone senior who indicated that he will test the NFL waters is wide receiver Khalil McClain.
âWhen I talked to them individually, it was kind of the tone of, âHey, weâve got a chance to be really good next year and weâve got unfinished business. Letâs load up for one more,ââ (The HC we don’t speak of) said.
âAnd I think several of them had to look at what their NFL opportunities might look like. Really Khalil is the one who is going to declare and try to make a run at the NFL. Obviously weâre going to support him on that.â
Troy got another transfer last week when cornerback Taiyon Palmer, a sophomore this past season at N.C. State, signed on. He played in five games this past season and recorded five tackles.
âHe had a knee injury early on in his career at N.C. State, but heâs healthy now,â (The HC we don’t speak of) said. âHe went to high school with Will Choloh (Troy defensive tackle), so we had a good connection of who he was from way back. He was just looking for an opportunity to get a little more playing time and establish himself. Fortunately for us he chose us and hopefully heâll fill in and really help that secondary.â
Palmer joins three other transfers who came aboard during the early signing period on Dec. 16 â Taylor Powell (QB, Missouri), LaâDamian Webb (RB, Florida State) and JaMarcus Chatman (DE, Florida State).
The four transfers have arrived on campus. Two freshmen signees â Caleb Ransaw (cornerback) and Jarris Williams (running back) â are also on campus as early enrollees.
The Trojans did lose offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Ryan Pugh, who was announced as a hire at Baylor on Tuesday. However, a day later Baylor head coach Dave Aranda released a statement saying Pugh wouldnât be joining the program.
(The HC we don’t speak of) isnât dismissing a chance of Pugh returning to Troy, but heâs actively searching for his replacement.
âObviously Iâm very close to Ryan and weâll see how all of that plays out,â (The HC we don’t speak of) said. âIâm not going to rule out anything, but I will say at the same time weâre in the process of trying to find an O-line coach.
âWe just need the right fit who can continue to build on what weâve got. We had a young offensive line and they got tremendously better as the season went on. Weâll take our time and get the right guy.â
(The HC we don’t speak of) said spring practice will begin on Feb. 23. Among the most intriguing battles will be at quarterback and running back, where the Trojans have loads of talent.
Troy will have five quarterbacks on scholarship. Returning starter Gunnar Watson and back-ups Jacob Free and Kyle Toole are back from this past season. Powell, the transfer from Missouri, will now join the mix. True freshman Quayde Hawkins of Bainbridge, Ga., will report to camp in the summer. Parker McNeil, who came to Troy last year as a highly-touted JUCO transfer but played sparingly, is no longer with the program.
âI think for us competition at quarterback is something we needed,â (The HC we don’t speak of) said. âHaving a first-year starter like Gunnar, and obviously him getting hurt and missing three games and part of another, I just felt like we needed some more competition in that room.
âItâs going to be a very competitive spring and I believe that just brings out the best in everybody. Weâve got to play better at that spot. When I look back at our issues last year, turning the ball over at critical timesâ¦. I think we had a lot of opportunities to win some games if weâll just take care of the ball and play a little better there at that spot. I think competition is always good.â
The return of Smith at running back enhances an already talented backfield with the likes of Kimani Vidal, Jamontez Woods and DK Billingsley, along with the additions of Webb from FSU and Williams, a four-star signee from Blount High School.
Smith, two seasons ago the Sun Belt preseason Offensive Player of the Year, was battling back this past season from knee surgery suffered in the second game of 2019 and also a hip injury from an automobile accident last spring. Though he was the starter to begin this past season, the talented freshman Vidal became the key back in the Trojansâ offense.
âEarly on he felt pretty good,â (The HC we don’t speak of) said of Smithâs health. âAs the season went on, he did not. I think as time wore on, his body wore down a little bit. There toward the end he wasnât very healthy at all.
âHis conversation with me was, âCoach, Iâd like to spend a year and get my body fully back and get in a position to play more.â
âThatâs something he made the decision with his family and obviously we love B.J. and he can only help us. Thereâs no ego with B.J. He wants to help our football team any way he can.â
(The HC we don’t speak of) is excited about the upcoming season.
âOur theme is going to be âOur Time,ââ (The HC we don’t speak of) said. âThis is year three and two recruiting classes. I think weâve got much more depth than weâve ever had. We think weâre in a great spot.â