Troy notes: Parker loses redshirt

By Drew Champlin

Published: October 18, 2008

After five games of sitting on the sidelines, true freshman quarterback Dantavious Parker saw action Saturday in Troy’s 33-23 win over Florida International.
Parker’s first run was for five yards on Troy’s first series. He finished with four carries for five yards and a 1-yard score.

He hadn’t played at all this season. The plan was to redshirt the Miami, Fla., native, but Jamie Hampton’s season-ending injury Oct. 7 caused coaches to change their minds.

He didn’t object to giving up his redshirt.

“If we want to win a conference championship, we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do,” Parker said.

Parker has the speed that new starter Levi Brown and backup Tanner Jones don’t have. He wears No. 17 like former quarterback Omar Haugabook, but throws left-handed. He didn’t throw a pass Saturday.

“I had watched him on scout team and thought he improved as a passer to be a factor there,” Troy head coach Larry Blakeney said. “And I think he will be a factor. The plan was to start Levi and use Dan in run situations.”

Parker said the victory was especially sweet since he was in FIU’s backyard in recruiting. Both FIU and last week’s opponent Florida Atlantic offered Parker the chance to come as a preferred walk-on, but Troy came through with a scholarship offer.

Williams stays patient
Junior receiver Cornelius Williams doubled his season production with four catches Saturday. He had 50 yards receiving and a 15-yard touchdown.

The touchdown pass came when Levi Brown threw high enough for just Williams to catch it between three defenders. It was thought Williams would have more balls thrown his way by this point.

“Coaches were saying to continue to be patient,” Williams said. “I stayed focused and continued to work hard and it finally worked out for me. It was a really good pass. He trusted me on that one to make a play.”

Defensive line has fun
Troy’s defensive line pressured FIU quarterback Paul McCall all night. The Trojans were credited with 8.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. McCall was forced to rush 16 times.

Defensive end Cameron Sheffield had two sacks and three tackles for loss with his team-leading eight tackles. He forced and recovered a fumble at the FIU 17 early in the third quarter. Troy scored on that series to push the lead back to 10.

“I bull-rushed the tackle. I basically guessed where the ball was at and slapped at it,” Sheffield said. “Fortunately, I guessed right.”

Fellow defensive end Brandon Lang had two sacks and three tackles for loss. Defensive tackle Maurice Coleman, a Eufaula native who made his first career start, had sacks on back-to-back plays.

“I was just working hard,” Coleman said. “I said I was going to get me some sacks tonight because they like to pass a lot. I bent my ears back and went after them.”

Streak ends
Sam Glusman missed an extra point after Troy’s first score, as his kick doinked off the right upright. It snapped his perfect streak this year, as he had hit his first 19 tries.

He missed a 47-yard field goal earlier on the drive, but a roughing the kicker penalty negated that. Glusman hit field goals of 20 and 44 yards and is now 11-for-11 this year.

Fuller makes presence felt
Troy nickelback Terence Moore left in the third quarter with what appeared to be a stinger. Junior Courtland Fuller replaced him at the position.
Fuller came up with a big sack a few plays later on a third down when he came through untouched and dropped McCall for a loss of 7.

Last year, Troy gave up 59 points to Florida after nickelback Sherrod Martin was injured and coaches weren’t prepared with a backup.

Odds and ends
Jerrel Jernigan’s 86-yard TD reception in the first quarter was the longest since 2001, when Brock Nutter hit Heyward Skipper with a 90-yard TD pass against Cal State-Fullerton. ... Saturday was Band Day, as 2,300 students from 26 high school bands took in the game and performed at halftime.

BEST/WORST
Best sack: FIU’s Quentin Newman slammed down Troy’s Levi Brown for a loss of 10 yards on the first series.

Best throw: Troy QB Levi Brown threaded the needle on the Trojans’ first TD, hitting Cornelius Williams for a 15-yard TD pass between three defenders.

Best defensive play: At the start of the third quarter, Troy defensive end Cameron Sheffield forced and recovered a fumble at the FIU 17.

Worst penalty: FIU’s Dezariah Johnson roughed Troy kicker Sam Glusman, giving Troy a first down to the 15 on the first series. Glusman had missed the kick. Troy later scored a TD.

Worst snap: Backup center Steven Adams snapped one over QB Levi Brown’s head in the first quarter, out of the end zone for a safety.

Worst luck: A third-quarter punt by Troy hit FIU’s Jonathan Jackson when he wasn’t looking. Troy’s Jorrick Calvin recovered it at the FIU 9.