Troy notes: Jarboe gets first TD on special day

It was a special day for freshman receiver Josh Jarboe, who got in the end zone for the first time when he caught a 16-yard scoring pass from Levi Brown in the first quarter to help Troy get a 14-0 lead in the 42-21 win over UL-Monroe Saturday.

It would have been his brother Joseph’s 18th birthday Saturday, but he was hit by a car that ran a stop sign when Joseph was 14, Jarboe said. Jarboe had “R.I.P. Jo Jo” on his eye black.

“I had been praying hard because it’s Jo Jo’s birthday. I think he gave me one, too,” Jarboe said.

When Jarboe caught the ball, he was quickly surrounded by his teammates.

“Everybody kept slapping me on the head until I got to the sideline. I was (going to celebrate) but everybody started slapping me. It was too early, but if I had caught another one, you’d have seen (a celebration),” he said.

Jarboe has been battling nagging hamstring and quad injuries, but he said he’s over those.

“From this week to last week, it’s the healthiest game I’ve had,” Jarboe said. “I don’t feel my quad and don’t feel my hamstring. I think ‘Boe is back rolling.”

Flea flicker works
Troy opened up some more of its playbook in the second quarter to respond to ULM’s first touchdown.

Jerrel Jernigan returned the kickoff to the ULM 49. On the third play, the Trojans executed a perfect flea flicker when running back DuJuan Harris took a handoff, turned around and pitched it back.

Brown then found a wide open Chip Reeves for a 33-yard touchdown pass, giving Troy a 21-7 lead with 6:56 left in the second quarter.

“We just put it in for me this week,” Reeves said. “I was wide open against our defense in practice, so I wasn’t surprised I was wide open in the game.”

It was Reeves’ third touchdown catch of the year.

“That’s one of those plays where you pull out of nowhere,” Reeves said. “I initially acted like I was blocking, but as soon as he stepped down, I kept running and looked up for the ball.”

Lee hits the end zone again
Linebacker Boris Lee scored his second career touchdown when he scored on a 30-yard interception return late in the game. His other touchdown came on an interception return at home against ULM in 2007.

“It feels great to get a lot of teammates of my back and finally get in the end zone,” Lee said. “I thought once I turned around, I was going to have someone in my face, but once I had a clear path, I knew I had it.”

Fellow linebacker Bear Woods, who had an interception last week, hasn’t reached the end zone, so Lee has the bragging rights. But Woods definitely had his part in it.

“When they watch the tape, Boris wouldn’t have scored a touchdown if I hadn’t made the two blocks,” Woods said. “I sold out for him. I knew he was going to score once he got away from the lineman.”

Safeties still waiting
Cornerback Bryan Willis got another interception, raising his total to three. Three linebackers — Woods, Lee and Donnell Golden — now have interceptions. Cornerback Barry Valcin has one. Safeties Chris Bowens and Courtland Fuller still don’t have one this year.

Fuller had one go right out of his hands in the fourth quarter Saturday, drawing some ribbing from his teammates.

“I think I was just thinking end zone and took my eyes off of it,” Fuller said. “That’s about three or four I’ve let go. It’s all right, I think next week is the week I’m going to get one.”

Blakeney gets 150th win
Saturday’s win was the 150th of head coach Larry Blakeney’s career.

“I’m more worried about the wins we can produce this season to put these guys where they want to be,” Blakeney said.

Wells didn’t get recruited by Troy
Redshirt freshman quarterback Cody Wells didn’t get recruited by Troy in the 2008 signing class, but he started at quarterback for ULM because of an injury to starter Trey Revell. Wells hit 23-of-36 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns, but threw three interceptions and lost a fumble.

In 2008, Troy signed two quarterbacks — Dantavious Parker and Corey Robinson. Wells is from Spain Park High school in Hoover.

“Monroe has come in and started recruiting the Montgomery and Birmingham area,” Blakeney said. “I don’t blame them. There’s a lot of good football in this region.”

By the numbers

102 – Number of receiving yards for Troy’s Jerrel Jernigan in Troy’s first two possessions.
4 – Number of Troy players, including Jernigan, who have had 200-yard receiving games in their career.
225 – Number of consecutive passes without an interception thrown by Levi Brown, second among quarterbacks with an active streak.
50 – Number of rush yards for Troy.