Troy’s Levi Brown hopes to avoid mistakes against North Texas

TROY — Troy quarterback Levi Brown won his third Sun Belt Player of the Week honor in last week’s win at FIU, but he knows he can’t make fundamental errors from here on out.

They didn’t come on throws — in fact, he hasn’t thrown an interception since the opening series of the third game. Brown leads the league in quarterback efficiency at 141.7 and in passing yards per game at 279.8.

The turnovers came on fumbles in that game. Brown was stripped once and botched a handoff.

Brown and the Trojans host North Texas at 2:30 p.m. today.

Related Information:

  · The Huddle: Troy Edition
Troy writer Drew Champlin and sports editor Jon Johnson preview Troy’s homecoming game against North Texas.

·Troy blog | Follow Drew on Twitter

“Levi, fundamentally, wasn’t very good,” offensive coordinator Neal Brown said. “We talk about having the ball at your chest when you step up. He had it in his belly, and we missed a twist so the defensive end came in with pressure and got it out.”

The second came on a fumble where he decided too late to keep it on a draw instead of handing off to Shawn Southward.

“It was a read play, and I was reading the end, and I tried to pull it a little bit late,” Levi Brown said. “That was my fault.”

Brown’s 1,679 yards lead the league, and he’s thrown nine touchdowns — second-best to FIU’s Paul McCall — and four interceptions.

“He concentrates well, is an accurate guy, has a good understanding of touch, and when he has to throw the ball hard, he does,” Troy head coach Larry Blakeney said. “Being smart, going through progressions and throwing away when you have to, that’ll keep you from interceptions.”

Blakeney said the practice offense, led by Levi Brown, completes 85 to 90 percent of the passes during the week.

“That’s against air and scout team, but throwing and catching like that gets you more confident that you can do it in the game,” Blakeney said.

Crosby making a move: Neal Brown said junior Donnie Crosby had pushed past sophomore Matt Stidham on the depth chart at tight end. The duo and starter Travis Boyd could all play in different formations today.

“Donnie’s practiced better than (Stidham) the last couple of weeks,” Neal Brown said. “Stidham played a little bit in our two-tight end sets, but Donnie’s played better than he has.”