Troy notebook: Trojans focused on UL-Lafayette

TROY — Troy players aren’t looking to coast through Saturday’s 6 p.m. game at UL-Lafayette, though they have earned a yet-to-be-accepted bid to the New Orleans Bowl.

The Trojans (8-3, 7-0 Sun Belt) are looking for a perfect league season and trying to become the first team in Troy’s era of the FBS to get nine wins.

“I’m glad the fans feel that security, but we’re still on a mission,” linebacker Bear Woods said. “We’re really not satisfied. We’re going into that game and treating it like a championship.”

ULL will be on a mission, too, as the Ragin’ Cajuns are 6-5, 4-3 in league play and trying to get that seventh win to get themselves in a better position for a bowl. Troy, with its 47-21 win over Florida Atlantic last weekend, has clinched its fourth straight Sun Belt title and holds all tiebreakers.

“This is what our whole season hinges on as far as the goals we set,” Woods said. “This is it. We’re not satisfied yet. We can enjoy this win we had (over FAU) after we win Saturday.”

Bowl talk not set: Despite the fact Troy can call the New Orleans Bowl and say they want to go, the school has not done so. Athletics director Steve Dennis deflected questions about looking at other bowls that could have an at-large spot.

Options include the Jan. 6 GMAC Bowl in Mobile, which has first rights to schools from the Mid-American Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference, but it’s unlikely the ACC will fill its spot with an eligible team. Other possibilities include the Dec. 19 St. Petersburg Bowl and the Jan. 2 Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, which the Sun Belt has secondary tie-ins.

The decision likely won’t come until next week.

Lang headed to Senior Bowl, Sheffield to East-West: Senior defensive end Brandon Lang has accepted an invitation to the Jan. 30 Senior Bowl in Mobile, strength coach Richard Shaughnessy said. Lang had already committed to the Jan. 23 East-West Shrine Game in Orlando, but could play in both.
After the season, Lang can hire an agent, and he’ll discuss possibilities with him, Shaughnessy said.

“If he has to pick one, he’ll pick the Senior Bowl,” Shaughnessy said. The Senior Bowl is regarded as the top senior all-star game. Last year, safety Sherrod Martin represented Troy and cornerback Leodis McKelvin and defensive end DeMarcus Ware have played in the game.

Fellow defensive end Cameron Sheffield has accepted a spot in the East-West game, Shaughnessy said, and he’s waiting to hear back from the Senior Bowl

The two defensive ends were all-conference picks last year. Several other Trojans, including quarterback Levi Brown and linebacker Boris Lee, are in the mix for postseason all-star games.

Lang leads the team with 7.5 sacks, and Sheffield has 6.5.

Jarboe’s status uncertain: Head coach Larry Blakeney wouldn’t answer any questions on freshman receiver Josh Jarboe, who did not dress in Saturday’s win over FAU. Jarboe was at practice Monday but is listed on the non-travel roster in Troy’s game notes for Saturday’s game.

Players of the week: Quarterback Levi Brown and linebacker Bear Woods were named Sun Belt offensive and defensive players of the week. Brown threw for a school-record 477 yards in the win over FAU and has set the school single-season records for passing yards (3,575) and total offense (3,611). Brown has now won the award a league-record five times. Woods had 13 total tackles, two for a loss.