DOTHAN EAGLE - Troy beats FAU, but loses quarterback - quotes from Hampton and others
DOTHAN EAGLE - Troy notes: Bounce goes Trojans’ way

Problem is now that the power cord on my laptop doesn’t seem to be working, so if TrojanWar reads this, I’ve got a problem! So my battery is running down and I don’t have time to find FAU links. But scroll down for links to the papers down here, and they will have some links you can find.

I’m also driving back to Dothan tomorrow (WED), so won’t have computer access. However, if I find out anything on Hampton or other stuff, I might post it ON TWITTER from my cell phone, so check that, or sign up for TWITTER UPDATES and you can get them sent to your e-mail or phone.

No rush back tomorrow, since it’s a long drive, but I’ll catch up with you guys tomorrow. If you leave a comment on the blog, I won’t get to it until late Wednesday night. Hopefully the webmasters at the office will approve them.

On the QB situation, it’s tough to see an all-around good guy like Jamie Hampton get hurt like that. I met his mother and uncle and other family friends at the team hotel earlier today, and you can tell he was raised right. We figured he’d get more opportunities to run the ball, and unfortunately this is the painful irony of it.

I think they’ll pick a QB early next week. My original prediction (before Jamie grew an inch and put on 30 pounds) was that Tanner Jones would be the guy. After probably falling to No. 3, he’s gotten back to the level he played at last year in some of the games (especially MTSU). He and Levi Brown both have big-time arms and you might see more deep balls. I think if Brown outperforms him in practice, he could be the guy since he is probably a little faster.

The first thing Blakeney said he thought of was pulling the redshirt off Dan Parker, since he can run. But I can’t see it happening. Who knows, though?

OH HERE’S SOME OTHER GOOD STUFF - I talked to Omar Haugabook at the game. He had a tryout with the Arena Football League’s Arizona Rattlers and has tryouts set up with the teams from Orlando and Tampa Bay. He said that teams can offer free agent contracts Oct. 15, so he’s hoping to be offered one then. He’s been working out in his home town of Belle Glade since his career ended.

I will have a story with some quotes on that later this week.

Tanner Jones entering was a “feel deal” according to Neal Brown and Jones outperformed Levi Brown in JV game.

Its an open competition again

Danny Franks said sprained ankle, said he would be fine for FIU.

more later

Sign up for TWITTER game updates if you’re not able to see the game on TV by accessing the link to the right. I’ll send out score updates.

6:16 p.m. CST - Still not sure how much I’ll update this, but I’ll be on the Troy radio broadcast’s halftime show. They have no scores to fill the time with, so I guess they want my “knowledge and expertise”

6:33 p.m. CST - I’m going to host this live chat thing, but only for game updates. I’ll take questions, but it won’t be like the weekly chats where my eyes are focused on that screen. I’ll post blog updates on there, and I’ll TRY to answer all questions - but please be patient and realize that I might not be able to get to every one. It’s not chat-based like the past ones have, and I hope all of you guys are watching on TV, but some may not be.

Here are some links. More might be added when I log back on.

DOTHAN EAGLE: Golden chance awaits Troy at FAU
PALM BEACH POST: FAU faces Troy in critical Tuesday night ESPN game
PALM BEACH POST: Howard talks Troy
SUN-SENTINEL: Ted Hutton’s blog with gameday predictions and his story on how FAU is dealing with turnovers as well.

What to watch for - Turnovers. Both teams have been plagued by them. Which team makes fewer mistakes should win this game.

Key matchup: FAU’s offense vs. Troy’s defense. FAU quarterback Rusty Smith hasn’t been his usual self this season, but he’ll be throwing against a group of cornerbacks who haven’t played well this season. Middle Tennessee proved that pressuring Rusty is the best way to go, but the key question now is this — does Troy defensive coordinator Jeremy Rowell call for extensive pressure from the line and linebackers, or does he allow Rusty time to throw but give the cornerbacks some help from the safeties?

Player to watch - FAU: Nick Paris, C. I don’t normally pick an offensive lineman here, but from reading coverage of FAU, it looks like the anchor of the OL will play his first game this year after a preseason foot injury, shifting everyone on the offensive line back to their normal spots. Could he be the missing piece to the FAU puzzle?

Player to watch - Troy: Jamie Hampton, QB. Omar Haugabook made the most of his national television appearances - see 2006 New Orleans Bowl and blowout wins over OSU and MTSU last year. How will the sophomore respond to the added pressure of the game being on national television?

Drew’s prediction - History repeats itself and Troy pulls out a win on national TV. The Trojans haven’t lost on ESPN since the 2004 Silicon Valley Bowl, but since that game started after 10 p.m. CST because of delays, it’s unlikely anyone outside of Troy or wherever Northern Illinois is actually watched it. Casual football fans across the country will know who DuJuan Harris is before the night is over. Trojans build a lead but hold on at the end.
Troy 27, FAU 20.

Below are the clips of the scores. Thanks to TrojanVision for the clips.

I’m in Fort Lauderdale now. The team’s walkthrough at Lockhart is scheduled for 5 p.m. EDT.

How much have injuries affected this year’s FAU team?

Well, not to make excuses, but they have hit pretty hard. It started in the spring, when TE Jason Harmon blew out his knee in the Spring Game. Harmon was the primary target last season, had great range, speed, hands, etc. There has been a big dropoff at that position. Then senior center Nick Paris injured his foot in the final scrimmage of preseason camp, and he has not played yet. The line has not been the same without him. (The good news for FAU is that Paris is expected to play Tuesday.)
FAU also started this season without its two starting defensive ends. Both are back now, though senior Robert St. Clair is limited recovering from knee surgery and Jermaine Council is coming in off the bench..
That said, FAU shouldn’t be struggling like they are, especially on offense. They are minus-9 on turnovers, which is killing them.


How is the morale after the recent loss, and how will that loss affect the Owls for this next game?

That loss was devastating. FAU dominated the game for 54 minutes, then fell apart and got beat on a Hail Mary. Nothing worse could have happened. It even prompted Schnellenberger to ream them out, something they said they deserved, but something he had never done before. Instead of making progress this season, the team has regressed. No other way to portray it.  Now they have all the pressure on them, knowing they can’t lose again. They have not handled the role of favorites well at all. I really don’t know what kind of team will show up Tuesday, other than a desperate one.

Where could Troy take advantage of FAU?

Well, teams have beaten them all kinds of ways. The problem for FAU is turnovers and mediocre play in the trenches. The D line is OK, but nothing great. The O-line has not provided good enough pass protection to allow the offense to be what it was last year. FAU’s defense has not played well against the spread. MTSU can’t run, so I don’t consider them a true spread team this year. Minnesota, Texas and UAB all had no problem moving the ball.

Troy should be aggressive on D and try and force a turnover, because if FAU gives the ball away early, it will get into their heads, and they’ll be thinking, ‘here we go again...”

On the other side, where could FAU take advantage of Troy?

Everyone is waiting for the passing game to get back on track. From what I understand, Troy is susceptible at the corners, but what has been happening is defenses have been blitzing and have not paid for it, so they keep coming, and that has worked. Smith has very little time to get rid of the ball, which also explains his seven INT in five games, when he threw just nine all of last season (13 games). I would expect the Owls to try to run more than they have in the past to take the pressure off Smith.

For fans staying close by, where’s the best place to eat in Fort Lauderdale?

To get a good slice of life, I would head to Las Olas Boulevard (lasolasboulevard.com) and Riverwalk (goriverwalk.com), which are right downtown. Las Olas is lined with eateries and high-end shops, and the walk along the New River is a20pleasant way to spend an evening, or even an afternoon, since the game doesn’t start until 8 p.m.

Make a prediction if you’re comfortable

Hopefully FAU snaps out of its funk soon, but given how bad FAU has looked during this three-game losing streak, I am going to have to go with Troy. I think both defenses will control things, and it will be 17-13 Trojans.

DOTHAN EAGLE: Terry hopes to recreate magic against FAU - feature on WR Mykeal Terry
SUN-SENTINEL: Troy’s new QB keeps offense on track Also, here is Ted Hutton’s blog. I’ll have a Q and A with him up later today.
PALM BEACH POST: Inside FAU with Tom D’Angelo

Questions to ponder while I’m on the road listening to NFL games on SIRIUS - do either Todd Dodge or Tony Franklin have jobs by dinnertime?

I’ll keep the AU stuff short and sweet, but they’re not running Tony’s system and I think it’s because those players can’t figure it out. That could be because Tuberville isn’t a fan of it and there’s mass confusion everywhere. Tony’s only fault could be sticking with the less-mobile, weaker-armed Chris Todd over Kodi Burns, but I’m not convinced Burns knows what to do 3/4 of the time. Sorry, i know this is a Troy blog, but this guy was a god in this town last year and the shining light that Troy ever-so-needed two years ago.

As for North Texas? The Mean Green were smashed at home by Florida International, who is now on a two-game win streak. That’s what happens when you hire a coach who knows what he’s doing at the college level, like FIU did. North Texas won’t win a game this year.

The most impressive team so far? How bout UL-Lafayette? The Cajuns used several big plays to get a key road win over UL-Monroe.

There’s always a team that no one’s looking at when the season starts that ends up in the hunt for the league title. Last year, it was FAU. This year, it might be ULL. After a blowout loss to Southern Miss to start the year, the Cajuns have looked good even in defeat, playing Illinois and Kansas State close and winning over Kent State and now UL-Monroe.

Drew’s power rankings

1. UL-Lafayette (2-3, 1-0)
2. Troy (2-2, 1-0)
3. Arkansas State (3-2, 1-0)
4. Middle Tennessee (2-3, 1-2)
5. Florida Atlantic (1-4, 0-1)
6. Florida International (2-3, 1-0)
7. UL-Monroe (1-4, 0-1)
8. North Texas (0-5, 0-1)

I’ve got ULL at No. 1 right now because the Cajuns have a senior-led offense. Defense is a question mark, but what Sun Belt defense hasn’t given up plenty of yards and points in a game thus far this year?

You also know that coaches were quite unhappy about it.

Well, here’s the goods on how head coach Larry Blakeney really feels about the situation.

This story will run in Sunday print editions, but I went ahead and threw it online a couple of hours earlier.

If you’re wondering, he knew and acknowledged we were on the record. 

Meanwhile, it feels like Wednesday in South Florida, since FAU played last Tuesday.

PALM BEACH POST: What’s ailing Rusty?
PALM BEACH POST: Howard lays into players
SUN-SENTINEL: Troy in for rare visit

October 4

WKU at Virginia Tech - 12:30 p.m. - I don’t see WKU having any offensive success here. Va. Tech 38-3

* Florida International at North Texas (ESPN+) - 6:00 p.m. - What a stinker. This game’s on ESPN Plus instead of the battles of the ULs? FIU 44-21

* Louisiana-Lafayette at Louisiana-Monroe - 6:00 p.m. - I went with ULM early to win the SBC title, though ULL has looked better. But, to back up my preseason pick, ULM 31-24

October 7

* Troy at Florida Atlantic (ESPN2) - 7:00 p.m. - I’ll make a full prediction Tuesday, though after the way FAU lost to MTSU, it made me feel better about picking Troy, and the Trojans play well on TV. If Troy doesn’t turn the ball over, gets plenty of pressure on Rusty Smith because the CBs are still suspect, then I think Troy can win. If Smith gets plenty of time, advantage FAU.

He wrote,

“So next year Troy football will “welcome back” several players: Chris Anderson, Kanorris Davis, Michael Ricks, Demarcus Robertson, and Josh Jarboe. Add Mario Addison, Tim Lamb, David McDowell, and hopefully Kenny Mainor. This is a very talented group of players who should contribute next season.

Drew: Are Jacoby Thomas and James Searcy going to redshirt? Will Jarboe be eligible for spring practice? Many thanks.”

To the last question, yes Jacoby Thomas and James Searcy will redshirt. Searcy had been travelling, but apparently had not played yet. He won’t travel any more and thus will redshirt. Thomas has been a redshirt guy all along.

Jarboe will be eligible for spring ball. He’s eligible to practice this fall and is practicing, but can’t play in games. Anderson and K. Davis should be ready to go next fall if they keep their grades up. Robertson had just one class to make up this fall and he should be here in January. Ricks, well Ricks has been trying to get into Division I-A ball for four years now, so while the coaches want him in January, it’s hard to count on him.

Also, don’t count on Mainor getting that sixth year. It very rarely happens in situations like this.

Also, why does it cost so much to attend a hockey game? NHL teams play 42 home regular season games a year, plus a few more preseason games. If you’re in the Fort Lauderdale area Monday night, the Florida Panthers play the New York Islanders in a preseason game at 7:30 p.m. (EST). I believe the Panthers’ facility is in nearby Sunrise.

But, if you buy a ticket through ticketmaster or the team, it’s $17 for the nosebleeds and $265 for the front row.

But it’s something to do if you’re in the area and are a sports fan in general, like myself. In 2006, I went to a Nashville Predators game the night before Troy shattered 3-point shooting records in the Sun Belt tournament opener in Murfreesboro.

First 10 people I recognize will be allowed to post comments without being moderated, but I should be able to get other questions/comments in ASAP. We’ll go for about an hour