Troy’s Terry hopes to rekindle magic at scene of big-time showing

TROY — Mykeal Terry came alive on the field the last time Troy went to Lockhart Stadium to play Florida Atlantic.

The sophomore, then about 5-foot-8 and 155 pounds, torched the Owl defense with five catches for 153 yards and two scores — proving to be the difference as Troy left with a 24-17 win.

Terry got past the FAU defense for Troy’s go-ahead touchdown, a 53-yard reception. Earlier, he took a screen pass and went 67 yards for a touchdown.

“I just have to go back to that and try to play like that against these guys again,” said Terry, now a senior. He’ll suit up in Fort Lauderdale again, hoping for another performance like that, Tuesday at 7 p.m. when Troy plays FAU on ESPN2.

Terry had another big game the next week, catching six balls for 140 yards against Arkansas State. But games close to that have been few and far between for Terry, who many thought would be a breakout player for the Trojans.

Now Terry is the undisputed starter at the Z-receiver (outside) position and is the fourth-leading receiver (7 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs) for Troy (2-2, 1-0 Sun Belt).

But the game-changing ability never came. In fact, Terry hasn’t had a 100-yard receiving game since then, though he caught two passes for 96 yards in the bowl game that same year.

“He plays with great effort all the time,” offensive coordinator Neal Brown said. “I think he’s going to have some of those game-changing plays at some point, but he hasn’t had his chance yet.”

He thought it would be last year, as Terry bulked up, stood out in the weight room and was the star of fall camp, but he had just 21 catches for 186 yards last year.

That’s after finishing as Troy’s second-leading receiver in 2006 with 477 yards when he didn’t start playing much until halfway through the year.

It frustrated Terry more than anyone.

“Last year, I just don’t know,” Terry said. “Maybe I got complacent because my sophomore year I did so good.

“My numbers were the best they’ve ever been. I was running faster than I ever have, lifting more weight than I ever have and jumping higher than I ever have, but for some reason I couldn’t put it together on the field.”

The Fullerton, Calif., native was discovered in the summer of 2006 by former Troy offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, who offered Terry a scholarship at first glance.

He took his surfer-boy mentality to the southern humidity and immediately fit in. Terry started off as the team jokester, routinely tying players’ shoelaces or hiding their shoes altogether.

“He’s like a little kid,” left tackle Chris Jamison said. “He’s always cracking jokes and every time you see him, he’s got a smile on his face.

“I tease him about being from California. He’s from Orange Beach and I tease him about how he should be on a TV show.

“He’s from a different breed.”

Terry, who has gained 25 pounds of muscle since his sophomore year, caught two touchdowns earlier this year against Alcorn State. He’s one of the best blockers of the wide receivers.

“Part of being a receiver is frustrating because you can play really well for 50 plays but not get a single ball thrown to you,” Brown said.

“He’s done a good job from a leadership standpoint, but he hasn’t been able to get behind people like he did those two games (in 2006). I wish I had a reason for it but I don’t know.”

So while the breakout numbers haven’t returned, it’s not for lack of effort.

“I can’t think of anybody that just outworks him,” Jamison said.