Alabama News Center 2023 football preview: Troy University
Troy had a stellar 12-2 season in its first year under head coach Jon Sumrall. He says he remains excited about the program, despite having to replace several key players from last year's Sun Belt Conference Championship squad. (Troy University Athletics)
Talk about an opening act.
Jon Sumrall’s first season as the head coach at Troy set a very high bar. The Trojans had a 12-2 campaign in 2022, the best record for a state team in the Football Bowl Subdivision. They finished with a Sun Belt Conference Championship and an 18-12 victory over No. 22 UTSA in the Cure Bowl.
“I remind (the team) that the 2023 version of Troy football is zero and zero,” Sumrall said. “We don’t have the most production returning in our league. Everything we get, we will earn. Nothing will be given to us.”
The second-year Trojan coach said his squad is filled with unknowns as it looks to produce a sequel to his opening act. One of the biggest unknowns is who will fill the void after linebacker Carlton Martial played his final collegiate season.
“That’s a pretty big unknown,” the coach said. “He was a pretty steady force on our defense for several years.”
The unknowns don’t stop there. Troy lost its top two receivers from 2022, and while Sumrall has starters in his secondary, he’s left to wonder who will back them up to provide depth.
“I want to figure out how quickly they catch up to speed,” the coach said.
Unknowns extend to inside linebacker, where K.J. Robertson and Martial were integral to the Trojans’ success.
“We’re much younger and (less) proven there,” Sumrall said. “I do like that group.”
The offensive line lost its center, left guard and left tackle from last season, so the offensive line is less proven.
“I will say our offensive line a year ago was not very deep,” the coach said. “The level of competition No. 1 through No. 10 on our offensive line is much deeper this year.”
Sumrall said it is human nature for people to be complacent. He battled that with what he called dinosaur meetings, meeting each Wednesday with players on his roster who were exhausting their eligibility.
“They’re about to become extinct,” he said. “In that small group and in our team at large, we have talked head on about complacency and fighting that off.”
Sumrall said he is not driven by outcomes. His motivation – and that of his team – is a constant pursuit of being their best, “whatever that is.”
“If we do that, I can live with results, I can live with outcomes,” the coach said. “I want our group, every one individually and collectively, the whole group, to pursue their best daily.”
Unknowns notwithstanding, Troy has players who will be key to a successful 2023. Those include junior punter Robert Cole.
“His in-the-pocket punts have been very consistent,” Sumrall said. “The ball turns over well and he gets good hang (time) with good distance. We really just try to convince him and help him understand that his best punts are when he just swings nice and easy on time without trying to overdo it.”
The coach cited the players who will return punts and kickoffs. M.J. Johnson is listed as the starter on kick returns and Jabre Barber the starter on punt returns, but there are others.
“I feel like we’re deeper at returner,” Sumrall said. “I think on punt returns you feel comfortable with Jabre, Deshon Stoudemire, Devonte Ross or M.J. We’ve got four (who are) capable.
“Our 2023 team has been hard at work pursuing their best every day,” he said. “I’m excited about the direction of our program. We have great leadership. I like our mixture of experience and youth. We have more unknowns and we’re less proven than last year’s roster. What is known is our culture, our core values and our daily standards. Those have been very clearly laid out in the last year and a half. Our guys understand them and embrace them.”
Alabama News Center is posting season previews for all 16 college football programs in Alabama. Read previews for Birmingham-Southern College, the University of West Alabama, Jacksonville State University, the University of North Alabama, the University of South Alabama, Tuskegee University, UAB, Huntingdon College, Faulkner University, Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Samford University and Miles College, and look for football previews for Auburn University and the University of Alabama Thursday and Friday.
