Troy set to play state rival South Alabama on Tuesday
With virtually half the Troy roster comprised of new players this season along with a new coaching staff, it's necessitated some education on the rivalry with upcoming opponent South Alabama.
As for Gerad Parker, he was made aware of it pretty quickly during the interview process in being chosen as the new Troy head coach last December.
"You better have a firm understanding of the tradition of the program past and present, and of course tradition of all rivalries," Parker said. "It was very apparent to me as soon as I got here of what it meant to play South."
The Trojans visit the Jaguars in Mobile Tuesday night in a game that will be nationally televised by ESPN2 beginning at 6:30.
Troy has won six straight against South Alabama and leads the series 9-3, which includes a 5-1 record in games played at the Jaguars' home site of Hancock Whitney Stadium.
For Troy strong safety Justin Powe, a native of Mobile who played at Davidson High School, the game takes on added significance.
"It's like a big thing for me because a lot of my peers, a lot of people I grew up with actually go to South," Powe said. "I've been here going on my third year, so I know all about the rivalry. This rivalry is one of our biggest games, for real. This is a game for sure we want to win."
South Alabama first-year head coach Major Applewhite is well aware of the rivalry after spending the previous three years as the offensive coordinator of the Jaguars before getting promoted when Kane Wommack left to take the co-defensive coordinator role at Alabama.
"Of course this is a different game," Applewhite said during his weekly press conference. "It is different and it means a lot to people in this part of the country, and it means a lot to our university and their university, so I want them (players) to understand it is different."
Both teams are in dire need of a victory. Troy is 1-5 overall and 0-2 in Sun Belt Conference play following back-to-back home losses to conference foes ULM and Texas State.
South Alabama is 2-4 overall and 1-1 in SBC play, which includes a heart-breaking 18-16 loss last week on a field goal in the final seconds at Arkansas State.
South Alabama leads the Sun Belt in total offense in averaging 466.2 yards per game behind redshirt freshman quarterback Gio Lopez. Along with it, the Jaguars have the top rushing attack in the league at 202.5 yards per contest while the passing attack ranks fourth.
"I think offensively, they're explosive at every position," Parker said. "Their backs can take it a long way and score the ball, they have a good receiver corps, tight ends are a good group, the O-line does a great job and they've got good schemes.
"They're quarterback can extend plays inside and outside the pocket and run with it vertically down the field, and that's a problem. He does a good job keeping his eyes down the field as well.
"Defensively, they're doing a good job mixing up their fronts and making you prepare for multiple looks, and we'll certainly see all of those. And then in special teams they're sound in every area. We've got our hands full in every phase to make sure we're prepared."
Where South Alabama has struggled at times mirrors some of the same problems Troy has had.
"What we need to do offensively is not have as many penalties," Applewhite said. "We can't turn the ball over in the red zone.
"Defensively, I feel like we're doing a decent job playing the run now ... we didn't play it very well early in the season. In the back end, I still feel like we're giving up too many explosives. I feel like our eyes need to be better on the back end and more disciplined. I feel like our kicking game has gotten better. I feel like our coverage game has gotten better from kickoff coverage and punt coverage."
Troy has had to shuffle in and out three quarterbacks this season due to regular starter Goose Crowder missing in parts of three games, including being held out of last week's loss to Texas State with an upper body injury. His status for the South Alabama game appears to be a game day decision.
Brantley native Tucker Kilcrease started and played the duration at quarterback in the last outing against Texas State and completed 17-of-28 passes for 249 yards with two touchdowns. Matthew Caldwell has also seen action at quarterback this season.
"I feel like no matter who is behind center we'll all be ready to go just because Coach Parker and Coach (Sean, offensive coordinator) Reagan have done a great job to make sure we always prepare and are ready to go no matter the circumstance," Kilcrease said.
"You never know what could happen because it's a physical game we play, so I feel like everybody will be ready to go, not just the quarterbacks, but everybody in the facility."
Applewhite said his team will have to prepare for all three Troy QBs.
"You're going to have to see which one does what best ... who has legs, who has the arm, who has great anticipation, who can see things disguise-wise," Applewhite said. "You have to see what their skillsets are and then be prepared to attack whoever is in the ball game ... have a plan for those three guys."
Kilcrease is confident whether it's him or someone else behind center, the Trojans are capable of getting the job done against a South Alabama team he respects.
"They're a good football team," Kilcrease said. "They do a lot of the similar stuff they did last year. I feel like if we can just go out and execute and do our job one play at a time and win your one on one, I feel like against not just South but everybody on our schedule, we'll be able to go out and execute."
