Troy’s offense plagued by turnovers

TROY — Troy’s super sophomore trio on offense has given fans plenty of reasons to look forward to the future.

They’ve also given fans many reasons to bang their heads against the wall.

Jamie Hampton has thrown seven interceptions for the Trojans in four games. Running back DuJuan Harris has fumbled three times and lost two, while receiver Jerrel Jernigan has lost two fumbles.

Three turnovers from the trio — two interceptions from Hampton and a lost fumble by Jernigan — led to 21 Oklahoma State points in last week’s 55-24 OSU win.

But the three helped Troy’s offense get more than 400 yards and the Trojans punted just once.

“If we don’t turn the ball over, we’re going to score 38 to 45 and it’s a whole different deal,” offensive coordinator Neal Brown said. “They weren’t stopping us either.”

Harris might be the fastest and most elusive running back in Troy’s new offensive era, while Jernigan might be the same way as a wideout. Hampton’s 6-foot-3 frame, speed and arm gives him the potential to be one of Troy’s best when his career is done.

But right now, coaches are having to live with the turnovers. Players aren’t blaming their ages, either.

“It’s not an age thing,” Harris said. “Pros turn the ball over. Jerome Bettis turned the ball over and it almost cost the Steelers getting to the Super Bowl (in 2006).”

Harris had one key fumble, but it went out of bounds. With Troy down just 7-0 in the first quarter, he took a pass from Hampton and went 16 yards down the right side to Troy’s 47 before the ball popped out of his hands.

No one was around him. Three plays later, Hampton was intercepted on a tipped pass.

“I don’t know how that happened,” Harris said. “I got real sweaty and didn’t wipe off my arms like I usually do. I saw all that grass and I was wanting to take off. I was running as fast as I can and wasn’t paying attention and the ball popped out.

“I could have scored on that one. I felt like I should have scored.”

Harris lost fumbles in Troy’s first two games. Jernigan muffed a punt against Middle Tennessee and lost a key fumble against OSU early in the second quarter at the OSU 26, when Troy was down just 14-0.

“DuJuan has a tendency to not put his second hand on the ball in traffic,” Brown said. “That’s when he gets in trouble. With Jerrel, he’s got to know when the
journey’s over. There’s a point of risk-reward where another half yard, the risk is greater than the reward for that half yard.”

Of Hampton’s seven picks, two have been tipped, one was ripped out of the hands of wideout Gerald Tate against Ohio State and against Alcorn State, receiver Mykeal Terry didn’t come back to the ball, Brown said.

“He’s had three legit interceptions,” Brown said. “The rest have been bad luck. Ninety percent of balls that get tipped end up on the ground, but he had two tipped Saturday.”

Troy has a golden opportunity to take a leg up on the Sun Belt race next Tuesday, when Troy (2-2, 1-0 league) plays at Florida Atlantic (1-4, 0-1) at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

With 416 yards of offense last week, Troy ranks in the top two in nearly every Sun Belt offensive category.

The offensive line dominated, Brown felt, giving up no sacks and just two pressures on 53 pass attempts.

“Looking back we should have ran the ball more, but when you’re down 21 it’s hard to call those plays,” Brown said.

“Our O-line has to keep playing like they’ve been, which is at a high level. We’ve got to get the three skill guys playing at a high level and not turning the ball over.

“If we do that, we’re going to have a good little run in the conference.”