Troy notebook: Starting right guard ejected

Lineman Adams ejected: Starting right guard Steve Adams was ejected late in the first half after referees said he kicked an FIU player in Troy’s 42-33 win.

The ejection came after Troy quarterback Levi Brown fumbled with less than two minutes to go in the first half. Adams was called for a personal foul and ejected.

“I really don’t know what happened,” Adams said. “One of the guys was tangled up with my legs and was frantically trying to get out, so I let him go. Then they said I kicked him.

“I’m 100 percent sure I didn’t kick him. Hopefully the film will show the same thing.”

Head coach Larry Blakeney didn’t see anything and would have to check the film.

“They said he kicked a guy on the ground,” Blakeney said. “That’s something you can’t do. He swears he didn’t, but the outside official and the umpire say he did.

“The guy was trying to rush out of the pile and he tried to lift his leg up, which could have been discerned as a foul.”
Blakeney wasn’t sure if the Sun Belt would impose a penalty.

“I don’t know what the (heck) this league’s going to do,” he said. “He was ejected in the first half and sat in the second half, then I don’t know how much further it can really go.

“If they see something else that none of us saw, obviously everybody didn’t see it. If the league can microscopically see it, then maybe something else will happen.”

Junior Tyler Graves, who has played both tackle spots this year, replaced Adams.

Greer makes big play: Senior Maurice Greer ran practically untouched for a 46-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The third-string running back caught a 22-yard pass in the third quarter and made a guy miss for a first down.

“We had them pretty tired when he came in and made the long run, but that was a great run,” Blakeney said.

Sheffield, Addison get first career sacks: First-year starting linebacker Daniel Sheffield got his first career sack on FIU’s third possession. The junior, who played safety last year, came around and took down FIU quarterback Paul McCall for a loss of three on 3rd and 3 at the FIU 44 midway through the first quarter.

Mario Addison, a junior defensive end who redshirted last year, got his first sack late in the third quarter and set up a 3rd and 13.

Glusman doesn’t play again: Kicker Sam Glusman missed his second straight game with a quad injury. Glusman made the trip and dressed out, but coaches held him out for another week.
Michael Taylor made all six of his extra points and didn’t attempt a field goal.

FIU’s Hilton plays: The mystery surrounding the knee injury of FIU wide receiver T.Y. Hilton was unraveled midway through the first quarter. The sophomore, who suffered a sprained knee last week against Western Kentucky, caught his first pass for a 5-yard gain on FIU’s third possession.
Hilton caught six passes for 44 yards, but appeared to be slowed by the knee all night.
“He made an impact on the game,” Blakeney said.

Inside the numbers
2 – Number of consecutive plays Troy was called for 15-yard penalties on FIU’s fourth drive. A personal foul late hit on David McDowell was followed by pass interference on Courtland Fuller.
14 – Yards tight end Travis Boyd got on his first catch of the season, half of which came after he bowled over the FIU defense. It gave Troy the ball at the FIU 19.
46 – Distance of Maurice Greer’s second-quarter touchdown, the longest of his season and second-longest of his career.
101 – Penalty yards called against Troy in the first half.
391 – Yards passing for Troy quarterback Levi Brown