GAMEDAY: Troy at Middle Tennessee

August 28, 2008

By Drew Champlin

When: Tonight, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Floyd Stadium, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

What to watch for: Troy brings a new QB, new offensive coordinator against Middle Tennessee’s young team hampered by injuries. Could the Blue Raiders play over their heads at home and pull off the upset? Or will Troy’s experience and edge in talent prevail?

Players to watch, Troy: Jamie Hampton (Soph., QB). For obvious reasons, people need to see if he can do it in game situations. The long ball will be the key as I expect MTSU to come out in man defense, giving Troy’s speedy receivers a chance to beat the Blue Raiders deep. But, the pass has to be there. Chris Bowens (Jr. CB). Bowens came out of camp as Troy’s top cornerback, but this is a position to watch for as two very good cornerbacks aren’t there any more. Sam Glusman (Jr., K) Troy doesn’t have a kicker with game experience, except for Glusman’s one kickoff last year against MTSU. It went out of bounds. He’ll be handling XPs and FGs tonight. Jorrick Calvin (Jr., CB) Calvin, who almost went to MTSU, is Troy’s third cornerback but could move up with a good performance. He’ll also be returning punts.

Players to watch, MTSU: Dwight Dasher (Soph., QB). I’m betting Joe Craddock starts, but the younger guy is always the fan favorite. He can run, but Troy will try to make him beat them with his arm. Both QBs are expected to play. Desmond Gee (Jr., RB). The little guy could line up anywhere and is as dangerous of a player in the Sun Belt as there is.

What happens: MTSU strikes first early, igniting a huge crowd. Troy slowly but surely takes control and holds off MTSU at the end. Troy 30, MTSU 21.

FROM THE GAME: I’ll provide some commentary, but it might be in just regular blog posts. The idea is to hopefully host a HALFTIME CHAT, but we’ll see how my internet connection is. Check out blueraiders.com, the Daily News Journal site, as I’m sure they’ll have some cool updates as well. If big-time stuff happens, you’ll read it here.

Thursday link

August 27, 2008

By Drew Champlin

Here is my game preview/notebook leading with stuff on Neal Brown.

Hard to link everything, but for complete Middle Tennessee coverage, the best you’ll find anywhere, go to their new blueraiders.com site.

Can’t promise anything, because I’d hate to do that and have bad internet connections, but I might try a pregame or halftime live blog chat. Just check back. I’d love to do it during the game, but I’ve got to write a lot of stuff from the game and I wouldn’t be able to fully concentrate.

Here in central Tennessee

By Drew Champlin

For the next couple of nights, it’s off I-65 toward Columbia, Tenn., at a Holiday Inn Express. Probably 40 miles southwest of Murfreesboro, but I like to cut down on drive time today and Friday. So, since 3 p.m., if any big-time news broke, I can’t say I would know about it. But, here’s some stuff to read

First, a blogger from Buckeye Commentary e-mailed me a month ago asking for some comments. He also talked to play-by-play guy Barry McKnight. Quotes from me came about a month ago, so I’m not real sure what all has happened since then. Here is that link.

Here is Middle Tennessee’s injury report, thanks to Adam Sparks from the DNJ. As far as I know, the only Troy guy injured and out is RB Xavier Moreland.

LB Danny Carmichael — forearm strain (probable)
DL Immanuel Chu — shoulder (out)
LB Lonnie Clemons — ankle (out)
OT Mark Fisher — shoulder (doubtful)
OT Rogeric Govan — knee (out)
OL Chris Hawkins — knee (out)
DL Antonio Hill — appendix (out)
CB Rod Issac — hip (probable)
DE Jamari Lattimore — leg strain (questionable)
OG Evon Lettsome — ankle (out)
LB Gorby Loreus — leg (questionable)
C Jake Padrick — knee (out)
CB Alex Suber — toe (questionable)
DE Andre Wicker — knee (out)

Wednesday links

August 26, 2008

By Drew Champlin

Here’s my feature on Troy linebackers Boris Lee and Bear Woods, who have dubbed themselves the ‘Killer B’s.‘ It’s a good story to tell (you decide for yourself if it’s a good read).

Also, for some VIDEO, go to the Dothan Eagle main Troy page here and you can see myself and Jon Johnson talk about the game.

From the DNJ in Murfreesboro, Larry Blakeney is concerned about one of MTSU’s quarterbacks more so than the other. For complete MTSU coverage by the DNJ, go here. On the right side of the page of that last article, two DNJ sports writers break down the game in some VIDEO.

Headed to Tennessee in the late afternoon. It’s been a whirlwind week, and a very busy one. Hard because I couldn’t write all what I had planned. I also spent some time with high school stories this week. I talked to Scott Horne, who lost his brother Todd in an auto accident July 29 in Ozark. If you don’t know the story, Todd was a longtime coach at G.W. Long but took over as head football coach at Dale County two years ago. Scott and Todd were very close, but Scott decided not to follow Todd to Dale County - yet. Strange enough, Dale County and G.W. Long play Friday to open the season, and there will be tributes.

Trojan Chat tonight

By Drew Champlin

We’ll chat for an hour at 8 p.m. CST