Troy receiver Gill eager for big year

TROY — With his injury and academic woes behind him, Troy’s TeBiarus Gill is ready to break out.

Gill, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound receiver, came in from junior college last year and was supposed to replace all-conference wideout Gary Banks, who is now with the San Diego Chargers.

But knee tendinitis, caused by the fact he was still growing, kept him from playing his best. So did some troubles in the classroom.
“He was never a trouble kid, but he was just supremely lazy when he got here,” offensive coordinator Neal Brown said.

Brown said Gill was supposed to be a midterm enrollee, but didn’t get to Troy until right before fall camp, setting him further back.
“You could tell he made plays here and there so you knew he was pretty good, but with his knees, we thought he couldn’t really help us much last year,” Brown said.

Relegated to the scout team, watching games from the stands, and not being able to go to the New Orleans Bowl because of academic reasons humbled Gill, who had been a standout his whole career until redshirting last year.

“It was a learning process,” Gill said. “I had real high expectations, but right now I’m stepping up to the plate, so everything should be fine.”
With Gill and Josh Jarboe — both of whom are 6-foot-1 or taller — redshirting last year, Troy’s starting outside receivers consisted of 5-foot-6 Kennard Burton and 5-foot-8 Mykeal Terry.

Both were solid players, as Burton was the team’s second-leading receiver, but they were always at a disadvantage in jump ball situations against taller defensive backs. It also kept quarterback Levi Brown from completing many deep balls.

This time, it will be Gill who can muscle up to the cornerbacks.

“Hopefully what we have this year is the ability to stretch the field,” the offensive coordinator said. “It helps having bigger bodies.

“The thing Gill does really well is that he positions his body. He’s about 215 pounds and can body against the corners.”

Brown said Gill barely made it through the season last year academically, but turned it up there and in the weight room this summer. He’ll start at the X-receiver spot this year after his personal makeover.

“Ability-wise, he was probably better than some kids we played, but from his mentality, it was a deal where we’d have to break him down, get rid of his old habits and build him back up again,” Brown said. “That was going to take some time.”

It’s something that has left the Mobile native eager for the season to start.

“It’s going to be a great year for the Trojans,” Gill said. “Josh Jarboe is going to be a big factor and we can help Jerrel (Jernigan) out on the outside and Levi’s going to do what he’s going to do.”