Troy’s Burton bounces back

TROY — Troy offensive coordinator Tony Franklin is learning more about patience with his junior college prospects.

One in particular — wide receiver Kennard Burton — had such a bad spring after enrolling at Troy in January that he wasn’t even in the plans for the fall.

That is, until he got bigger, faster and stronger over the summer and had a great fall camp.

“I’ve got to learn that this junior college stuff is new for me,” Franklin said. “I’m still learning about it. A lot of guys come in and they’re not in great shape and their body is overwhelmed by the strength program.”

Burton, who is generously listed at 5-foot-7 and says he weighs 168 pounds, made the most of his first start in Saturday’s 44-34 loss at Georgia when he caught five passes for 75 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown pass.

The Troy junior played at the same junior college as quarterback Omar Haugabook and both are from south Florida.

It was Haugabook who convinced Franklin to offer Burton a scholarship.

“Omar swore that he could play,” Franklin said. “On film, he was OK but nothing spectacular. Omar just kept saying he’s really good and we’ve got to get him. I took his word on him and he’s turned out to be a good player.

“(After the spring), I didn’t have him in my plans at all. I didn’t think he could play.”

Without a strict strength and conditioning program at Dodge City (Kan.) Community College, Burton found times tough in the spring.

He’s small, but was ineffective even against cornerbacks near his size.

“It was new to me,” Burton said. “The game was faster, players were bigger, I was falling a lot and getting pushed around.

“Coach got tired of me being on the ground.”

It was Haugabook who convinced Burton to come to Troy over offers from Kansas State, Iowa State and New Mexico.

“That pretty much did it,” Burton said. “In JUCO, Omar and I had a pretty decent relationship. We had each other’s back, and we stood together.

“When I knew he was the quarterback at Troy, it wasn’t even a decision.”

Burton now has 16 catches for 199 yards and three scores.

But there’s one thing that Burton and Haugabook talk about more than any of those 16 pass plays.

That’s the annual Muck Bowl between south Florida high school rivals Glades Central and Pahokee. This year’s version will take place Friday night.

Both teams are unbeaten. Haugabook says his Glades Central team will win by three touchdowns. Burton says no way; Pahokee wins easily.

“We talk about that all the time,” Burton said.