Troy Trojans: CFN College Football Preview 2021

College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Troy season with what you need to know

College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Troy season with what you need to know.


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
Top Players | Keys To The Season
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Troy Trojans Schedule Analysis
– Troy Trojans Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

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2020 Record: 5-6 overall, 3-4 in Sun Belt
Head Coach: Chip Lindsey, 3rd year, 10-13
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 84
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 105
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 90

Troy Trojans College Football Preview 2021: Offense

The offense didn’t do enough and was way too inconsistent. There were too many turnovers, the downfield passing game was missing, and the ground game averaged just 103 yards per game. However, depending on the alignment, 11 starters are expected to be back with a few key transfers coming in to raise the overall talent level.

QB Gunnar Watson was fine. He hit 70% of his passes for over 2,000 yards with 16 touchdowns, but he threw six picks, and Jacob Free wasn’t a whole lot stronger. Missouri’s Taylor Powell is coming in to add an interesting option to the mix.

No matter who’s throwing, the receiving corps is there to improve the passing game with three super-seniors in Kaylon Geiger, Reggie Todd and Tray Eafford back – they were the team’s three top targets last year. The backs can catch, too.

BJ Smith is a solid all-around back who’s back for his sixth year. He ran for 1,186 yards and 13 scores as a junior, was banged up in 2019, and wasn’t able to do much on the ground last year, but he caught 26 passes.

Freshman Kimani Vidal led the team with 516 yards and four scores – averaging five yards per carry – and the depth is there with Jamontez Woods and DK Billingsley are back. Also coming in is La’Damian Webb, a good recruit for Florida State who ran for 366 yards and three scores last year.

Now the O line has to do its job. All five starters are back around All-Sun Belt left tackle Austin Stidham, but there’s not a ton of size and the production has to be there. It wasn’t bad at keeping teams out of the backfield, but it struggled for the ground game.

– What You Need To Know: Defense
Top Players | Keys To The Season
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Troy Trojans Schedule Analysis

NEXT: Troy Trojans College Football Preview 2021: Defense

College Football News Preview 2020: Troy Trojans

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Troy Trojans season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Troy Trojans season with what you need to know.


Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Schedule Analysis
– Troy Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

2019 Record: 5-7 overall, 3-5 in Sun Belt
Head Coach: Chip Lindsey, 2nd year, 5-7
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 119
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 90
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 90

Obviously, no one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.

5. College Football News Preview 2020: Troy Trojans Offense 3 Things To Know

– The offense worked just fine until late in the year against the Sun Belt stars Louisiana and Appalachian State, and it should be terrific again once the right quarterback emerges.

The Trojans averaged 456 yards and 34 points per game, and most of the starters are expected back, starting with a loaded receiving corps. Seniors Kaylon Geiger, Reggie Todd and Khalil McClain all back after combining for 160 catches. In all, the top six wide receivers return along with the top tight ends, but …


CFN in 60 Video: Troy Trojans Preview
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– Who’s going to get all of the star receivers the ball? Kaleb Barker is done after throwing for 3,628 yards and 30 scores, and top backup Gunnar Watson only threw 22 passes last season. The 6-3, 205-pound Watson might have the inside track, but Vanderbilt transfer Jacob Free is a big bomber, and JUCO transfer Parker McNeil is an even bigger passer who’ll be in the mix.

The passing game buttered the bread, but there was a decent ground game when the offense gave it a go. DK Billingsley was effective when he had his chances, running for close to six yards per carry for 899 yard and ten scores. He’s great, but so is BJ Smith, a 1,186-yard, 13-touchdown runner in 2018 who missed almost all of last season hurt. Now the Trojans have one of the Sun Belt’s best 1-2 rushing punches. Texas A&M transfer Charles Strong is coming in, too.

Just two starters are back, but center Dylan Bradshaw and left tackle Austin Stidham have all-star potential. There’s a ton of size ready to fill in the other slots – the line will likely average around 310 pounds per man.

NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Troy Trojans Defense 3 Things To Know