High octane offenses lead the way into GMAC Bowl

MOBILE — It’s still cold in Mobile, with temperatures in the 30s and 40s, but optimism is high that Troy and Central Michigan will bring the heat to Ladd-Peebles Stadium for today’s 6 p.m. GMAC Bowl on ESPN.

Two of the top offenses in the country square off in the only non-BCS bowl game featuring two conference champions. Troy (9-3) and Central Michigan (11-2) both went unbeaten in league play, as the Trojans ran through the Sun Belt Conference for the fourth straight time and CMU dominated the Mid-American Conference for the third year in a row.

Despite the accomplishments of the quarterbacks — CMU’s Dan LeFevour set the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision career record for most touchdowns and Troy’s Levi Brown set several school records and the Sun Belt single-season yardage — coaches believe the defense will have the biggest impact.

“Our offense has been really good, prolific and high-scoring, but you don’t win championships over there,” Troy head coach Larry Blakeney said. “You win championships on the other side.”

Statistically, Troy’s defense hasn’t been great, though several teams racked up yardage late in games.

The Trojans also faced high-powered offenses like Florida and Arkansas in non-conference games.

Linebackers Boris Lee and Bear Woods paced a Troy defense that was dealt a blow in fall camp when senior all-conference corner and kick returner Jorrick Calvin was declared academically ineligible. Sophomore corner KeJuan Phillips, who was slated to be Calvin’s replacement, was also lost.

The Trojans then struggled in losses to Bowling Green and Florida to start the year before rebounding to win nine of the last 10 games.

“It was devastating to us early,” Blakeney said. “We evolved into a secondary that was sound, and we’ll have to be on our toes against Central Michigan.”
LeFevour led the country in completion percentage, hitting 71.4 percent while throwing for 3,043 yards and running for 702. His top targets are junior Antonio Brown (97 catches, 1,020 yards, 9 TDs) and 6-foot-6 senior Bryan Anderson (57-700-6), but the Chippewas’ defense has been unheralded amidst LeFevour’s successes.

“Our defense is mature,” CMU interim head coach Steve Stripling said. “Our four down (lineman) are very good football players, and we have two outstanding players at middle linebacker. The defense has matured obviously from last year, and they have a huge task in front of them.”

Like Troy’s Lee and Woods, CMU has their own version of Killer B’s at linebacker with Nick Bellore (118 tackles) and Matt Berning (100 tackles).
Troy’s trip to the New Orleans Bowl ended on a sour note last year, as the Trojans let a 10-point lead slip away and lost to Southern Miss 30-27 in overtime.

Players haven’t thought about that this week.

“We’re just seeing that this season is this season and we’re not thinking about last season,” receiver Zack Marcum said. “We want to go out on a good note and go out and play our best. Whatever happens happens, and we’re not concerned about last year.”