Johnson column: Troy building a powerhouse

TROY — It was a great scene — just a really great scene — following Troy’s 47-21 victory over Florida Atlantic on Saturday to clinch a fourth straight Sun Belt Conference title.

There was first some appreciation shown to the Sound of the South band and those still present in the student section.

Then, almost the entire bunch of Trojan players made a beeline toward a military unit from Fort Rucker cheering from the stands.

One-by-one, the players went down the line and slapped hands in appreciation of the soldiers.

Good, classy stuff.

What followed was almost like a family reunion as players began posing for photos with family members, friends and loyal fans in a grassy area behind one end zone as a wonderful fireworks display began in the night sky.

For 28 seniors, it was their last opportunity to be in uniform at Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium, and every player seemed to be soaking up the atmosphere. Nobody seemed to want to leave.

With band music playing and fireworks popping, it was a celebration to behold.

The football action on the field Saturday afternoon was pretty good, too.

Troy absolutely had its way with the visitors from Boca Raton, Fla., putting the game away early by building a 33-7 lead by halftime.

The second half centered around watching senior quarterback Levi Brown go into the record books as the single-game and single-season passing yardage leader in school history — throwing for 477 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday.

But more important to this team than the 477 was the No. 4 — as in four straight Sun Belt crowns.

Players proudly held up four fingers high at game’s end. They could have just as easily held up No. 1 — because there’s certainly no doubt that the No. 1 football program in this league resides in Troy.

The Trojans have scored 40 or more points in the last five conference wins. Only Arkansas State, a 30-27 victim to Troy on Sept. 26, has made much of a game of it in conference play.

And while winning championships is very much a big deal to the players and coaches, I believe the casual football fan almost takes it for granted how far this football program has come in what is really a short life in the Div. I FBS ranks.

Troy obviously has a rich football history, and this season is celebrating its 100th year of fielding a team.

Members of the 1984 Div. II Troy national championship team were recognized on the field Saturday during halftime. The Trojans were surely a small-college power for years.

But what Troy is doing now — winning Sun Belt crowns with regularity and lining up against SEC foes and other prestigious programs — is something once thought of as fantasy.

Yet now with another league championship secured, Troy can look forward to a bowl date following next season’s regular-season finale at UL-Lafayette.

It will be another chance for Larry Blakeney’s bunch to shine in front of a national television audience and bring more attention to this proud football program.

If you’re a Troy fan, what’s got to be most encouraging is that this train is just really getting cranked up in the world of big-time football.

Blakeney held up a T-shirt displaying his team as Sun Belt champions following Saturday’s game.

Job well done.

Though there have been great days in the past, here’s believing Troy’s brightest moments are in the future.

And more championship T-shirts.