Troy freshman running back steals the show

TROY — In a scrimmage filled with Troy’s stars watching from the sideline, freshman running back Shawn Southward made a big impression.

Southward carried 12 times — far more than any other back — and ran for 69 yards and a 5-yard touchdown. Most of his carries came with the first team as starter DuJuan Harris didn’t play. Harris, wideout Jerrel Jernigan, linebackers Boris Lee and Bear Woods and defensive linemen Brandon Lang, Cameron Sheffield and Eugene Kinlaw sat out.

But in the race to become Harris’ backup, Southward took a giant leap. He’s battling with senior Maurice Greer and redshirt freshman T.J. Mitchell.

“He’s a really good player and our most impressive freshman that we have on offense,” offensive coordinator Neal Brown said. “He’s made a move. We’ll evaluate it. Greer did some good things, running with lower pad level, but Shawn’s definitely going to play.”

Southward came to campus this summer with a good physical frame for his 5-foot-9 size and put on eight pounds during workouts.

“He’s way ahead physically for a smaller back,” head coach Larry Blakeney said. “He knows how to pick up a blitz and he’ll tattoo them linebackers. He’s the one back of the group that will go north and south with the ball at the earliest convenience. I don’t see how we can redshirt him.”

Quarterback Levi Brown threw for 111 yards on 12-of-15 passing and a 1-yard touchdown pass on a fade to Josh Jarboe. Cornelius Williams led the receivers with 48 yards on five catches. Defensive end Mario Addison got a touch safety of Brown on a blitz, and defensive end Jeremy Hawkins had two sacks.

Neal Brown said he was happy with the offense’s effectiveness in running out the clock. Southward had most of the carries in that situation. Freshman quarterback Corey Robinson was impressive with the third teamers, throwing for 59 yards on 7-of-10 passing. Greer scored a touchdown in a short-yardage situation.

The Trojans have been practicing for two weeks and have two and a half more weeks before the Sept. 3 season opener at Bowling Green.
“It’s a long training camp,” safety Courtland Fuller said. “Sometimes when we get tired, we’re really just tired of practicing and we’re ready to prep (for Bowling Green).”

Injury update: The two most serious injuries appear to be running back Nate Nolin (knee) and linebacker David McDowell (knee). Early indications are that both would miss a couple of weeks, but both will have MRIs this week.

“If there’s one thing about Nate, he’ll work 36 hours a day to get back,” Blakeney said.

Nolin was injured this week and McDowell during the scrimmage.

Linebacker Donnell Golden also had a minor knee injury but should be practicing soon.

Ware no longer with team: Senior wide receiver Kenny Ware, who came from the basketball team, is no longer with the football team because there wasn’t a scholarship among initial counters (part of the 25 new players) available for him.

“It was my assumption, and the key word being assume, that Kenny Ware would count as one of the 85,” Neal Brown said. “Then I found out late last week that he counts as an initial and we didn’t have one. He worked really hard and did everything that he was asked to do. He made some plays and probably could have helped us toward the end of the year.”

The 6-foot-5 Ware played two years for the Troy basketball team and was working at the X-receiver spot.

Gill, Calvin battle: One of the top battles at camp has been between X-receiver TeBiarus Gill and top returning cornerback Jorrick Calvin.

“Jorrick made a couple of plays today,” Blakeney said. “Before that, (Gill) had been taking him to the woodshed. In the last two days, Jorrick has gotten the better of the little battle, it looks like.”

Corley gets some action: LSU transfer Sidell Corley, wearing No. 89, played some at defensive tackle during the scrimmage. There is no acclimation period after school starts, so he can wear the full gear and practice.

Next up: Troy is off today and will return to work Monday. The next scrimmage is Thursday for the young players.