Monday links

November 05, 2007

Drew Champlin

No football from me in today’s paper, but you can read a little bit about Troy basketball player O’Darien Bassett. Troy hosts West Alabama tonight at 7.

From Sunday’s Bowling Green Daily News, here is a game story from Western Kentucky’s win over Chattanooga.

Check back with me later and we’ll see what we’ve got.

Back from Georgia

November 04, 2007

Drew Champlin

...and in a few minutes, it’s on to the Peanut Festival so this is the last you’ll hear from me today unless something breaks.

From the Dothan Eagle, here is my game story. I have no idea what “rue” means in the headline, but I’m guessing the designers last night do.

I’ve also got a sidebar on Jerrel Jernigan and some game notes leading with quarterback Omar Haugabook‘s return from injury.

There’s a lot more good stuff I have on Haugabook, but you’ll read about that in Tuesday’s paper. I have a vote on the weekly Sun Belt awards and I picked him over MTSU quarterback Joe Craddock, who had 400-something yards of total offense, but against UL-Monroe in a shootout.

There’s no other quarterback or player in this league that could have done what Haugabook did (which was play on a bum hamstring) and put up the numbers and lead the team like he did against one of the top teams in America. I hope fellow voters realize that, turnovers aside.

Some of the good I saw vs. UGA: Haugabook’s desire (and performance, turnovers aside). The emergence of Kennard Burton and Jerrel Jernigan as threats in the passing game. Kenny Cattouse made some good things happen when he got the ball. The defense wasn’t great, but was OK, save Moreno’s long run. The last drive. The backup QBs are getting better, in my opinion.

Some of the bad: The last minute of the first half when UGA got two scores. TURNOVERS!!! (without those 4, what happens in this game?). Kick and punt coverage wasn’t very good. The last drive - it started off looking like Troy just wanted to run the clock out, but once they got inside the 30, they started using timeouts. Still being down 17, I thought they should have tried harder from the beginning of the drive.

This week we’ll talk more about BASKETBALL. Tomorrow I’ve got a story running on star guard O’Darien Bassett, and I will be at Troy’s exhibition game against West Alabama. That’s tomorrow (MONDAY) night at 7 p.m., so I’ll cover it and have plenty of hoops observations for you.

Troy-Georgia gameday thread

November 03, 2007

Drew Champlin

All posts from the game will be here. If anything happens late in the game that I get afterwards (say, a QB hurts his hamstring), I’ll post again.

All indications are that Omar Haugabook will be the starting quarterback. It’s what head coach Larry Blakeney told the radio guys in a taped interview last night - which should be airing as we type this. We’ll see how it holds up.

Kinda nippy up here in the press box, which is not closed in. I had to go down a long one-way street the wrong way just to get to my media lot, but it was the only way I could get in. The people at one lot told me to go down that street, to which I replied, ‘It’s one way the other way.‘ The dude then said, “If the cop gives you problems, (expletive deleted)-slap him”

Yeah.

More later.

—————————————————-

11:19 a.m. CST - Omar is down warming up like the rest of the guys. Austin Silvoy is participating in drills too, so maybe he’ll play. Gerald Tate is on the travel roster and Trevor Ford is not. Actually now I see Tate warming up with the WRs, so it’s good to see him back. Now I see cornerback Chris Bowens not fully dressed out, so I guess he’s injured. That thins Troy out a little bit at the corner spot, as Ford and Bowens are the top two backups. I think that’s it from personnel/injury standpoint.

IF you want to check out the UGA radio broadcast, I’m scheduled to go on with the legendary Larry Munson about 30 minutes before the game - which is about 10-15 minute from now.

TROY 3, UGA 0: Knowshon fumbled, Troy recovers at the 26. Jamie Hampton took the first snap and caught a WR pass from Gary Banks. Haugabook entered on the second snap, but he doesn’t look too nimble so far. Settled for a Whibbs FG.

This is setting up like the FSU game last year where Troy’s being given chances, but not taking advantage of it. Troy got a 2nd fumble at the UGA 35 but had to pooch punt it.

***5:40 left. Omar threw a not-so-good INT a couple minutes ago. Now UGA has a timeout, 4th and 5 at the Troy 40 and are debating punt or go for it.

AFTER ONE QUARTER: Troy 10, UGA 7. Jerrel Jernigan’s showing out with his performance, but that’s being overshadowed by two bad throws that went for INTs from Omar. Jernigan scored on about a 30-something yard TD, but UGA has it 2nd and 4 at the Troy 20 looking to go up four or tie it.

14:45 left. nice hold by the Troy D. UGA gets a 36-yd FG. 10-all.

HALFTIME: UGA 24, Troy 10 - What a bad way to end the first half. UGA scores with 45 seconds left to break a 10-10 tie, then a short pooch kickoff is dropped by Travis Boyd, an upback, and UGA scores again with 8 seconds left.

Troy’s able to play with UGA easily, but isn’t taking advantage of its opportunities. We’ll see what kind of second-half adjustments are made. Troy’s last four offensive series went INT-PUNT-PUNT-PUNT (not counting the last play of the first half)

Found this out - both starting safeties - Tavares Williams and Terence Moore - were in the locker room getting IVs (dehydration or cramps) on UGA’s two touchdown drives. Where did they attack? Over the middle.

5:29 left in third, folks we’ve got a ball game again. Troy settles for a FG after getting to the 1, but Elbert Mack intercepts a pass in the end zone. Then Kennard Burton pulled down a pass in double coverage - I thought it would be a sure INT but it was a perfect throw, just beyond the DBs, and an even better catch.

Now it’s time to see if Troy can make some more things happen now that the ball is in their court. UGA still leads, but it’s 24-20 now.

2:03 left in third - Troy gets a defensive hold, but needs to get a little bit better if it wants to come out with a win. UGA kicks a FG, and it’s 27-20

1:08 left in third - Omar fumbles, UGA recovers, takes it to the 1, then scores. Now 34-20. This is why non-BCS teams haven’t been able to go in and upset top 10 teams, because of multiple turnovers like that. I believe that makes 4 on the day as a team.

JUST STARTING THE FOURTH - Omar’s trying to score, but has gotten tripped up twice. Will be 3rd and goal inside the 5. 34-20 UGA. Now it will be 4th and goal from the 1

Finally, he scores. 34-27 UGA with 13 min left. Might be the last you hear from the rest of this game because of work duties

Pre-night pregame

November 02, 2007

Drew Champlin

Not going to have a gameday blog, but right now I’m feeling Georgia 24-13. Lee Corso picked Georgia as a team due for a letdown, but called Troy “Troy State” three times.

If you have XM Radio, the channel is 199, but you’ll be hearing the UGA radio broadcast.

Speaking of UGA, I got an email three weeks ago asking if I’d come on the pregame and talk Troy, so if that’s as planned, I will be on with the legendary Larry Munson for a few minutes. When I get an exact time, I will pass along.

Leaving Duluth at 9 EST to get to Sanford Stadium bright an early. I think Sanford Stadium is the best gameday atmosphere I’ve been to, although I’ve only covered one game over here. I look forward to going back. The weather is supposed to be perfect and it’s also great to get away from Sun Belt play for a couple of weeks - Troy can see where it is as a team before those final two Sun Belt games.

How bout those Hawks? Big home win over the Mavericks. I’ve never been to an NBA atmosphere like that. Sellout in Atlanta. Horford. Acie Law IV. Joe Johnson. Josh Smith. Marvin Williams. Depth. Can they play smart for enough games to sneak into the playoffs?

One word: Knowshon (just kidding)

Omar may play

Drew Champlin

The wonders of a 4 hour trip taking 6 (thanks, ATL traffic) make me far away from the internet or humans, except those in cars, but it looks like some Georgia reporters caught up to head coach Larry Blakeney during Troy’s walk-through.

They say Omar’s going to try to play.

You may well already know this, but wanted to throw it out there.

I’m off to fight traffic again and go to the Hawks-Mavericks game. I’ve been informed it is, in fact, a sellout.