Tuesday links

November 18, 2008

Drew Champlin

Here’s what I wrote football-wise for today.

Some of you guys might know Troy had a basketball game last night at UNC-Wilmington. Troy didn’t win, but I suspect they’ll get the Seahawks when they make the return trip to Troy Dec. 22, though I’m still not sold on Troy being much more competitive than they were last year - yet. Of note, Troy shot 41 threes, Mike Vogler didn’t play, and the Trojans were called for 10 more fouls than UNCW. Troy also blew a 16-point first half lead. It looks like Richard Delk had a good game - 8-of-13 shooting, 19 points, so he’ll get back on track.

That game story’s from the Wilmington Star News in N.C.

From the Daily Advertiser, here’s a follow-up from ULL’s loss at FAU.

NEW LINK - Here’s today’s story from the Advertiser on the beat-up Cajuns trying to stay upbeat

More football. Leodis McKelvin scored his first NFL touchdown. There’s a story on it.

Should be able to get another link or two up later.

Wear Cardinal Saturday/other notes

November 17, 2008

Drew Champlin

While I’ve still got a good internet connection, athletics director Steve Dennis wants you to come, bring three friends, tell them to bring three of their friends, and all wear cardinal, and STAY FOR THE ENTIRE GAME. I got some good stuff from players on that, but that’ll be shared later in the week.

Dennis said that bowl reps from the New Orleans Bowl and the St. Petersburg Bowl would be in attendance - those he knew for sure. I’m sure someone from the Papajohns.com Bowl will come, but it’s not confirmed yet. He didn’t talk bowl destinatinos yet, because he likes to wait and see Troy actually win first. It’s like in 2006, when I tried to quote him with two minutes left at the FIU game with Troy holding a very comfortable lead.

Spoke with offensive coordinator Neal Brown. He was pretty down about the game, as were all other coaches and players. He liked the pass matchups and said Levi Brown did very well with all things considered. The receivers were credited with THIRTEEN (13) drops, and Levi went 36-of-72. Add that up and hes got 49 completions, and if he completes 49 passes he’s not going to have 72 pass attempts, which is the most in an NCAA game this year.

The coaches were pretty mad about the holding call on Dion Small, because it was the first holding call of the game when 100-something odd passes had been thrown.

They also weren’t pleased with the personal foul call on Small, because LSU’s defensive end was grabbing his throat and Small hit his hand away, then got flagged.

Brown defended the pass calls, because LSU’s front 7 will likely all be playing in the NFL and when they knew Troy was going to run, they slammed it shut (on DuJuan Harris’ questionable fumble call that didn’t wind up hurting the Trojans). Troy ran it well when LSU didn’t expect the run.

Brown said he would like to have done two more things in the game – get DuJuan Harris the ball more, be it the run or the pass, and make different calls on a couple of third down plays late in the game.

Postgame links

November 16, 2008

Drew Champlin

Here’s my notebook titled Time not Troy’s friend, here’s my game story

Jon Johnson covered the Troy-UAB hoops game. Here’s his game story and here’s his column from the game, on the new basketball series.

So, it was not a fun day in Trojan athletics, but we’ve got plenty of stuff for you to read about.

That one’s a stinger

November 15, 2008

Drew Champlin

Ever get to the point where you think Troy might not ever win one of those big-time road games? That’s the next step for the program - winning a game like they should have won at LSU tonight.

Jarrett Lee tore Troy apart in the second half, but Troy had a BUNCH of killer drops. What might have been the game-killer was not running the ball enough after LSU started scoring those touchdowns. Even a loss of a yard on three straight plays wipes out two more minutes of the clock, but heck, if the receivers hold on to some of those balls, the clock’s still moving. Hindsight’s 20-20, but if Troy runs it more, LSU’s driving in the final minute to try to tie the game.

I have no idea what happened on the punt that Troy apparently muffed before LSU’s go-ahead score, so if anyone can fill me in, please do so. I was told it hit off a Trojan’s foot (no idea who), someone who wasn’t looking, and LSU recovered at the 20.

Troy players say they’re focused on ULL, which lost to FAU. Should FAU beat Arkansas State in Jonesboro next Saturday afternoon, Troy can clinch the Sun Belt with a win over ULL.

“I don’t think it’s going to be hard,” defensive tackle Dion Gales said. “We’re going to look forward to gettin on it tomorrow and forgetting about this.”

On the game: “I really think it was us. As a defensive squad, we got laid back and let them get their momentum back.”

On a couple of penalties that hurt Troy: “They had a couple of big penalties they did not call, and I don’t want to go too far. We just had to keep our composure. I didn’t do nothing but just yell. It was a big third down stop and it just gave it back.”

I’m about to browse the message board and see how hard it’s being taken over there. Hopefully my car hasn’t been tarred or feathered or keyed, but I did get the rental insurance from Enterprise on this trip.

Halftime update

Drew Champlin

It’s only halftime, and Troy is absolutely, positively kicking the crap out of the defending national champions.

And my hands are about to fall off because I’m cold. I do have a coat, but left my batting gloves at home. Oh, well.

Some quick stats
Levi Brown is 20-of-38 for 204 yards
DuJuan Harris 10 carries for 50 yards and that questionable fumble at the end of the first half
Jerrel Jernigan 6 catches, 42 yards

Troy is outgaining LSU 255-63, but time of possession is about 50/50

LSU’s quarterbacks, we’ll call them Beavis and Butthead for now, have thrown for 16 yards. Jarrett Lee is 2-of-8 for 11 yards with his seventh pick-6 of the year. Jordan Jefferson is 1-of-6 for 5 yards.