Jones, Brown vie to lead Troy at QB

By Drew Champlin

Published: October 13, 2008

TROY — Levi Brown left spring a little dejected, since the junior was passed over as Troy’s starting quarterback by a sophomore.

Tanner Jones, a different sophomore, had to feel the same way. How would either get to see the field if Jamie Hampton played well enough to keep them off?

Hampton has played well, but suffered a season-ending knee injury last Tuesday against Florida Atlantic.

Now, it’s up to either Brown or Jones to win the job in time for Saturday’s 6 p.m. game with Florida International.

Offensive coordinator Neal Brown inserted Jones in to finish the game because Jones finished games last year for Troy. Brown sat out last year after transferring from Richmond. Both have seen spot duty this year.

“He could finish a game better because he’s done it, but finishing and starting a game is a totally different deal,” Neal Brown said.

Levi Brown ended spring as the No. 2 quarterback behind Hampton, but Jones evened up the competition this fall. Still, there is no clear-cut guy, but Neal Brown said he hopes to make a decision by today.

“I hope one of them jumps up and says it’s mine and makes the decision easy,” Neal Brown said. “If they don’t separate, it might be a deal where we go with the hot guy.”

The offense won’t change, players and coaches say, despite the fact that Hampton was the more mobile of the three.

“If I need one of them to go get 7 yards, they can do it,” Neal Brown said. “Jamie just had the ability to cut, make a guy miss and get more yards.”

Levi Brown came to Troy because of former offensive coordinator Tony Franklin’s offense. Though he was disappointed with not being named starter, he stayed on course.

“I was definitely frustrated, that’s for sure,” Levi Brown said. “I wasn’t real happy about the situation, but I never thought about quitting.
“I felt like I had a pretty good spring, but obviously you’re never perfect so I guess I could have done better.”

Jones, who compared notes with Hampton last year when the two backed up Omar Haugabook, said he was rusty Sunday after a 3-day layoff.

“I figure that the more I can joke around and smile, the better off I’ll be,” Jones said.

He, too, said he never thought about leaving after Hampton was named starter.

“You know you’re always one play away,” Jones said. “You’re just right there, so hang in there and work hard. Another part is that it’s hard to leave some place that you’ve been at for this long. I really enjoy being at Troy.”

Franks says he’ll play: Junior center Danny Franks says he’ll play Saturday after a high ankle sprain suffered against FAU, but coaches are preparing as if he won’t. Franks will try to practice Wednesday.

If he can’t go, Steven Adams shifts from right guard to center and Wes Potter starts at right guard.

“He’s practiced a lot at center and gotten game reps at center,” OL coach John Schlarman said. “He’s got to be consistent with his snaps, and I think he’ll do a fine job. It’s only a problem if you make it a problem. Our guys believe in each other in the fact that if one guy goes down, another guy has to step up.”