Tag: Troy Trojans

Oregon vs. Troy: Instant reactions to Ducks win over Trojans

The Ducks improved on almost everything from the previous game and easily handed the Troy Trojans an 82-61 loss Sunday afternoon.

Whatever message head coach Dana Altman gave to his team after the Portland victory and before today’s game with Troy obviously sank in and it was understood.

The Ducks played a lot better as they easily dispatched the Troy Trojans 82-61 inside Matthew Knight Arena Sunday afternoon. Oregon might have used the Oregon football team’s defensive effort as an inspiration because the basketball team played a full 40 minutes of defense. They held the Trojans to just 23 first points and held a 20-point lead throughout the second half. Troy could never muster up a rally to challenge the Ducks.

Oregon is now 4-0 on the season and they will now prepare for a Thursday night affair in Corvallis to face the Beavers for the first road game of the season.

Oregon vs. Troy Keys to the Game

  • The Ducks got defensive in the first half, a nice change from their previous game where it seemed as if everything Portland shot went in the hoop. Troy didn’t have the same luck as the Trojans shot just 26 percent (9-of-35) from the field in the first half.
  • Keeshawn Barthelemy was hot from the field at the end of the previous game and hit sharp shooting continued. He nailed a trio of threes in the first half for 13 points and 15 points for the game to lead the Ducks.
  • Oregon obviously worked on crashing the boards in between games as the Ducks outrebounded Troy 38-31.
  • The Ducks got their first look at Supreme Cook, the Georgetown transfer who will back up Nate Bittle at center. He didn’t disappoint with 11 points and five rebounds in just 13 minutes of action.

Oregon vs. Troy Players of the Game

  • Keeshawn Barthelemy: 15 points
  • TJ Bamba: 13 points, 3 assists
  • Nate Bittle: 12 points, 8 rebounds
  • Supreme Cook: 11 points, 5 rebounds
  • Myles Rigsby (Troy): 15 points

Oregon vs. Troy Notable Stats

  • Oregon: 29-of-56 FG (52 percent), Troy: 25-of-67 FG (37 percent)
  • Oregon: 17-of-19 free throws
  • Turnovers: Oregon 17, Troy 17

What’s Next for Oregon Ducks

  • Nov. 21 — at Oregon State Beavers
  • Nov. 26 — vs. Texas A&M Aggies (Las Vegas, Player’s Era Festival)
  • Nov. 27 — vs. San Diego State (Las Vegas, Player’s Era Festival)
  • Nov. 28 — TBD (Las Vegas, Player’s Era Festival)
  • Dec. 5 — at USC

The schedule is about to get a lot tougher, but first the Ducks have to travel up to Corvallis to play the Beavers. After that, Oregon better be ready as it goes down to Vegas to play two teams, at least, that are likely bound for the NCAA tournament. Then league play gets underway with a quick road trip to face USC.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Chargers highlight: Kimani Vidal’s first NFL touch is a touchdown

Kimani Vidal’s first NFL touch goes for 6.

A vocal contingent of fans has been clamoring for rookie Kimani Vidal to see the field. A healthy inactive for the majority of the season behind JK Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Hassan Haskins, Vidal has been waiting for his opportunity since Los Angeles drafted him in the sixth round this April.

With Edwards on injured reserve with an ankle injury, that opportunity arrived this week, and Vidal instantly took advantage.

After two long runs by Dobbins, the Chargers lined up for a first and 10 on the Broncos 38 yard line. Justin Herbert dropped back and waited as Vidal beat his defender on a wheel route. Herbert put the throw on the rookie, who had to extend for the ball, accelerating down the sideline and beating two Broncos defenders to the end zone.

The play gave LA a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and gave fans a glimpse of what could be to come for the sixth rounder out of Troy.

Which players we’re most excited to see in Chargers training camp

Highlighting the players we’re most excited to see in Chargers training camp.

Today marks the first day of Chargers training camp at The Bolt in El Segundo, CA, where there will be plenty of action for the last couple of weeks.

While there are plenty of storylines to follow, we’re focusing on the players and the ones we’re most excited to see.

Here are Chargers Wire’s staff thoughts on who we want to see the most and why.

Gavino: CB Tarheeb Still

There will be a competition for the starting slot cornerback spot and Still will be in contention for it alongside third-year Ja’Sir Taylor. Luckily for the fifth-round pick out of Maryland, he’s already made a case after a strong showing in minicamp, where he deflected multiple passes and picked off Justin Herbert once. I expect Still to continue to make plays in camp and push Taylor for the job.

Alex: RB Kimani Vidal

Usually, getting excited about a sixth-round pick projected to be a third-stringer would be reserved for only the most deranged training camp viewer, but there’s a real shot that Vidal carves out a role in this offense. Greg Roman’s scheme has lent itself well to late-round or UDFA backs before, including presumed starter and former Raven Gus Edwards. Edwards has always been more of a committee back and JK Dobbins is coming off an Achilles tear. The momentum for Vidal could come steaming through the hole sooner than later, just as it did with Baltimore UDFA Keaton Mitchell a season ago.

Valentina: WR Joshua Palmer

Many question marks have surrounded the wide receiver position since Keenan Allen and Mike Williams left the team. Palmer is perfectly poised to take the lead. He has the most chemistry with quarterback Justin Herbert and this is his opportunity to have a breakout season. Palmer has shown flashes of greatness, and if he can find consistency with those moments, he will be poised to lead the wide receiver crew this year.

Chargers and Ladd McConkey, Kimani Vidal among draft’s best scheme fits

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar laid out his favorite scheme fits from the 2024 NFL draft on the offensive side of the ball.

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar laid out his favorite scheme fits from the 2024 NFL draft on the offensive side of the ball and mentioned two players the Chargers selected: Ladd McConkey and Kimani Vidal.

Starting with McConkey, Farrar highlighted his route-running prowess and ability to get open to all areas of the field, adding that he will quickly become Justin Herbert’s best friend because of his skill set.

Love the speed, 4.38 [40-yard dash], but he plays to it. Harbaugh said of McConkey. He plays to that 4.38 every single play. You can see it in the way that he rages off of the ball, and once he has the ball in his hands.

Me and Joe [Hortiz] were talking about him, he’s very [Raiders TE] Brock Bowers-like with the way that he gets yards after the catch,” Harbaugh added. “Competitor, big-time. Those things. He catches the ball. A terrific route-runner. He has the quickness, he has the speed that is going to be great for our offense. I love the guys that can run in the 4.3s.

The Chargers want to run the ball at a high level under new offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

They began the building process with the signings of Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins and Vidal, the team’s sixth-round selection.

Troy’s Kimani Vidal is one of my favorite backs in this class, and the Chargers got him with the 181st overall pick in the sixth round. Greg Roman loaded up on Pocket Hercules runners in Baltimore when he was the OC there, and Vidal is exactly that type of guy. Last season, the 5′ 7⅞”, 213-pound Vidal gained 1,661 yards and scored 14 touchdowns on 295 carries, with 94 forced missed tackles (by far the most among all backs in this class), and 19 carries of 15+ yards. He’s a do-it-all back in a package the Chargers seem to like.

Vidal will have to fend off Isaiah Spiller. But he has the skillset with the explosiveness, vision, contact balance, lateral agility, and passing game impact to do so and contribute early on.

Chargers RB Kimani Vidal lauded as Day 3 pick who could surprise

The Chargers got great value with Kimani Vidal in the sixth round.

The Chargers have made it clear that they will run the ball a lot, which meant bringing in the right group of guys to make it happen.

After signing Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins in free agency, they selected Kimani Vidal in the sixth round.

Despite being drafted late, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler believes Vidal could surprise this upcoming season.

The Chargers added J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, but I expect Vidal to play a meaningful role almost immediately. He might not be a home run-hitter, but he is the type of running back Jim Harbaugh appreciates — someone who gets the singles and doubles and can be trusted to stay on the field in any situation.

Vidal was Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a third-team All-American in 2023 after he rushed for the second-most yards in the FBS (1,661). He left as Troy’s all-time leading rusher with 4,010 yards.

There’s a good chance that a player with that type of production in college will have the opportunity to crack the rotation in Year 1, which is why I expect Vidal to get his.

Vidal will have to fend off Isaiah Spiller. But he has the skillset with the explosiveness, vision, contact balance, lateral agility, and passing game impact to do so and contribute early on.

Duke builds early lead, holds on to secure a bowl victory

Duke held on to secure the victory over Troy.

The Birmingham Bowl should have been called the interim bowl game on Saturday. The Duke Blue Devils were led by Trooper Taylor, who would fill in for Mike Elko, who left for Texas A&M. Greg Gasparato took on the role of interim coach since Jon Sumrall left for the vacancy at Tulane.

Duke raced out to a 14-0 first half lead thanks to a touchdown to Jaylen Coleman. Todd Pelino made it 14-0 after two field goals, including a 37-yard attempt as time expired in the half. Troy’s defense would tighten up in the second half.

The Trojans finally got on the board with a 44-yard field goal with 01:36 left in the third quarter. Duke quickly answered a 45-yard field goal from Pelino to give them the 14-point lead once again.

Offensive lineman Derrick Graham had the play of the game when he ran into the endzone from two yards out to close the gap to seven with 5:54 left in the game.

Troy had one final shot to tie up the game or even take the lead late. With 1:46 left to go the Trojans began the drive from their own 11-yard line. The dream ending never came as Duke picked off Gunnar Watson just two plays and 24 seconds later.

Check out these images from the game:

Troy left tackle Derrick Graham scored a big-man touchdown to the delight of fans everywhere

The big man for six!

Troy’s magical season ended with a crushing loss in the Birmingham Bowl, 17-10, to Duke on Saturday.

The Trojans valiantly battled through head coach Jon Sumrall departing for Tulane — and a stomach bug that the ESPN broadcast said had the team in some distress — but they were still able to pull off one last miracle highlight before the clock hit zero.

On third-and-goal at the two-yard line late in the second half, 6’4″, 314-pound left tackle Derrick Graham took a delayed toss and powered his way into the end zone, slowing down just enough at the goal line to truck a Duke defender in his way.

It was beautiful.

Troy’s field level view of Graham’s run was even better.

Plays like these — and Northern Illinois’ kicker rushing for a 32-yard touchdown in the Camillia Bowl — are exactly why we tune in for these postseason games and college fans were pumped for Graham.

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Gerad Parker to be named next Troy head coach

The Fighting Irish offensive coordinator will replace new Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall after just one season as the offensive coordinator.

Troy has reportedly found its replacement for former head coach Jon Sumrall, as ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Monday that the Trojans are expected to hire Notre Dame offensive coordinator Gerad Parker.

Parker has been on Power 5 coaching staffs for a decade now. He spent four years as an offensive assistant coach for Purdue from 2013-16, working with tight ends and wide receivers. He was the Boilermakers’ interim head coach in his last year with the team after Darrell Hazell was fired in October 2016, although Purdue lost its final six games to finish 3-9.

After the Purdue stint, Parker worked as an offensive assistant and a wide receivers coach at Duke from 2017-18 and he worked as Penn State‘s wide receiver coach in 2019. He got his first coordinator job with West Virginia when he was in charge of the offense and wide receivers from 2020-21, and he joined the Notre Dame staff for the 2022 season. When former offensive coordinator Tommy Rees left for Alabama ahead of the 2023 season, Parker assumed his role.

Notre Dame’s offense was one of 2023’s best, as the Fighting Irish averaged 39.1 points per game this season, the eighth-best mark in the country, and finished ninth in the FBS at 6.95 yards per play. Notre Dame gained at least 400 yards in seven different games, and their 351 yards of offense against Ohio State was the second-most surrendered by the Buckeyes this season.

Parker will have big shoes to fill in his first head coaching job, as Sumrall led the Trojans to a 23-4 record in two seasons before he was hired as Tulane’s head coach.

Tulane expected to hire Troy’s Jon Sumrall as its next head coach

The Trojans coach has led Troy to a 23-4 record over the past two seasons and was linked to SEC openings previously this offseason.

Tulane is expected to hire Troy’s Jon Sumrall as its next head coach, according to reports from 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz and Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.

Sumrall has spent the past two seasons with the Trojans. After three straight five-win seasons from 2019-21, Sumrall led the team to 23 wins over the past two seasons. He is 15-2 in Sun Belt conference games and won back-to-back Sun Belt Conference Championship games, beating Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State by a combined 45 points in the two appearances.

The hire would also be a homecoming, as Sumrall served as Tulane’s co-defensive coordinator from 2012-14. He coached the Green Wave’s defensive line for two years before he coached the linebackers in his last year.

Sumrall, just 41 years old, also has SEC experience after he spent 2018-2021 on the Ole Miss and Kentucky coaching staffs as a linebackers coach. He served as the Wildcats co-defensive coordinator in 2021 before he took the Troy job.

Dellenger added that Sumrall was considered for Mississippi State’s opening before the Bulldogs hired Jeff Lebby, and Kentucky had its eyes on the Trojans head coach if they needed to replace Mark Stoops.

Sumrall will replace Willie Fritz, who had been Tulane’s coach since 2016. After winning 23 games over the past two seasons, Fritz was announced as the next Houston head coach.

Troy lands Hail Mary at end of first half against Western Kentucky

Troy scored on a Hail Mary as its first half ended against Western Kentucky

Gunnar Watson of Troy threw up a prayer at the end of the first half on Saturday against Western Kentucky.

Chris Lewis answered it and 40 yards later, the Trojans had a touchdown with no time left on the clock.

The pass and PAT gave Troy a 10-7 lead as it attempted to even its mark at 2-2.