Troy Preview 2006 - Offense

Troy Trojans Preview 2006 - Troy Trojan Offense

What you need to know ... The Trojans are going to spread things out with four receivers in an attempt to do something, anything, to generate more than 15.9 points and 285 yards per game. JUCO transfer QB Omar Haugabook will look to resuscitate the passing game with a good group of receivers to work with. Kenny Cattouse leads a quick group of running backs working behind a big line that has to be more consistent in all phases.

Returning Leaders
Passing: Carl Meadows:
80-169, 974 yds, 6 TD, 10 INT
Rushing: Kenny Cattouse
89 carries, 314 yds, 4 TD
Receiving: Smokey Hampton
39 catches, 582 yds, 2 TD

Star of the offense: Senior WR Smokey Hampton
Player that has to step up and become a star: Junior RB Kenny Cattouse
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore WR Darius Williams
Best pro prospect: Sophomore OT Will Chambliss
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Hampton, 2) Cattouse, 3) Chambliss
Strength of the offense: Wide receiver
Weakness of the offense: Proven quarterback

Quarterbacks
The quarterbacks need to be far more productive after throwing a mere six touchdown  passes and 14 interceptions. Most importantly, the quarterbacks have to get the offense moving and put more points up on the board. JUCO transfer Omar Haugabook is the new starter with a great résumé and a big-time arm, but Julian Foster, Larry Dockery and Carl Meadows all have experience and will be ready to step in if needed.
The key to the unit: Consistency. No one could keep the chains moving last year for four quarters.
Quarterback Rating: 4

Projected Starter
- Omar Haugabook, Jr.
The JUCO transfer got the job almost by default. He threw for over 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns last year for Dodge City Community College and should be an immediate upgrade for the passing attack. While not all that big at 6-1 and 200 pounds, he has a live arm.

Top Backups
- Julian Foster, Soph. - 63-112, 56%, 797 yds, 5 TD, 4 INT, 52 carries, 24 yds
Foster stepped in when the offense was dying in the middle of the season and led the team to a win over Florida Atlantic with 271 yards and three touchdown passes. He was more accurate than expected and showed off a little bit of his mobility. He'll be the number two man early on and will get a little bit of playing time to stay sharp.

- Larry Dockery, Jr.
The former JUCO transfer saw a little bit of action completing six of 14 passes in the loss at Missouri. Interceptions were his big problem in high school and in junior college, and now he has to prove he can be consistent enough to deserve more of a loss for the starting job.

- Carl Meadows, Sr. - 80-169, 47%, 974 yds, 6 TD, 10 INT, 1 rushing touchdown
Meadows was the starter over the first half of last season and did next to nothing. He has one of the best arms of the team and knows the offense, but he wasn't accurate, threw too many interceptions, and had a hard time putting points on the board. To be fair, he was the starter against the best teams on the schedule.

Running Backs
The Trojans have to replace Joel Whinghter who carried the ground game at times and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. There's plenty of speed with Kenny Cattouse, Xavier Walker and Tim Bolton all quick enough to be dangerous, but it would be nice if one back could emerge from the pack and be the go-to guy. It would be nice to have a 100-yard back to rely on if the passing game struggles like it did last season, so the hope is for Cattouse to be strong from the first carry.
The key to the unit: The average has to get over four yards per carry with more than the six rushing touchdowns of last year.
Running Back Rating: 5

Projected Starters
- Kenny Cattouse, Jr. - 89 carries, 314 yds, 3.5 ypc, 4 TD, 6 catches, 75 yds, 12.5 ypc
A speed back who tore off 109 yards in the win over North Texas and 89 yards and two scores against UL Lafayette. He has a little bit of pop at 5-10 and 207 pounds and needs to break off more big plays after only averaging 3.5 yards per carry with a long run of 16 yards. Expect him to be used more as a receiver.

- Fullback Anthony Jones, Soph. - 36 carries, 188 yds, 5.2 ypc
While not a true fullback at 6-2 and 198 pounds, Jones is a decent blocker and one of the better athletes in the running back corps. He'll be used more as a north-south runner and as a receiver who'll get the ball on the move in space.

Top Backups
- Xavier Walker, RFr.
A tough 5-10 and 185 pounds, Walker can do a little bit of everything. He has the best hands in the backfield and will be a key receiver as well as a the number two back.
- Tim Bolton, RFr.
Recruited as a safety as well as a running back, the speedy Bolton will be the third man in the mix and should add even more flash than the rest of the fast backs.
- Fullback Sean Dawkins, Sr. - 76 carries, 285 yds, 3.8 ypc, 5 catches, 9 yds, 1.8 ypc
One of the team's top runners over the last few seasons, Dawkins gets work as a between-the-tackles rusher as well as a blocker. At 225 pounds he's the team's biggest back and will be used for his power.

Receivers
This should be one of the team's strengths if someone can spread the ball around. Smokey Hampton is a good number one target who should take the heat off everyone else. Josh Allen, Toris Rutledge and Gary Banks are talented veterans who should all have a few big moments, and speedy Darius Williams could be the team's best home run hitter by the end of the year.
The key to the unit: All the experienced talents have to be involved with someone breaking from the pack and being a sure thing playmaker on key downs.
Receiver Rating: 5

Projected Starters
- Josh Allen, Jr. - 14 catches, 121 yds, 8.6 ypc, 1 TD
Allen wasn't bad over the early part of last year before falling off the map over the second half of the season. He'll be used on the inside at the H position with the toughness to handle the job.  

- Smokey Hampton, Sr. - 39 catches, 582 yds, 14.9 ypc, 2 TD
The former JUCO transfer went from being a decent reserve to the team's top receiver highlighted by a ten-catch day against Missouri. A great deep threat at the X with good athleticism and route running ability, Hampton should be in the hunt for All-Sun Belt honors with improved play from the quarterbacks.

- Toris Rutledge, Sr. - 17 catches, 284 yds, 16.7 ypc, 3 TD
He has all the tools to be one of the team's top receivers, but he has yet to explode. He didn't catch a pass over the opening two games and then was a steady target the rest of the way. At 6-2 and 199 pounds, he has the size to go along with good deep speed with a team-leading (at least among the regulars) 16.7 yards per catch.

- Gary Banks, Jr. - 25 catches, 293 yds, 11.7 ypc, 2 TD
The former quarterback and former Chicago Cub, Banks is a strong receiver who looked like a natural finishing up last year as the team's second best receiver. He has to be more of a deep threat and more of a playmaker with the ball in his hands.

Top Backups
- Martin Teal, Sr. - 6 catches, 75 yds, 12.5 ypc
The 6-4, 207-pound junior is also one of the fastest players on the team. He'll start out at the Y position battling Toris Rutledge for the starting job, but he could also end up seeing time at the outside X position.
- Darius Williams, Soph. - 3 catches, 129 yds, 43 ypc, 2 TD
Williams only caught three passes, but he made them all count catching one pass for 37 yards against Cal Poly, one for 51 yards and a touchdown against FIU and one for 41 yards and a touchdown against Florida Atlantic. He has 4.3 speed and should be a major factor on the outside.

Offensive Linemen
The line struggled way too much in all phases last season allowing 38 sacks and doing next to nothing for the running game. There's too much size and too much experience to expect another lousy year with sophomores Will Chambliss and Chris Jamison looking like rising stars and several decent seniors filling in the gaps. The backups are bigger than the starters in almost every spot, so there should be several good options to play with.
The key to the unit: Do one thing really well. The Trojan line needs to have something it can rely on and has to do more to let the average skill players operate.
Offensive Line Rating: 5

Projected Starters
- OT Will Chambliss, Soph.
The 6-6, 292-pound sophomore take s over for Zarah Yisrael at right tackle. He's one of the team's strongest players with All-Sun Belt potential if he can grow into a consistent pass blocker.
- OG Kirbie Bodiford, Sr.
Bodiford went from being a decent reserve to one of the team's steadiest starters getting the starting nod from start to finish at right guard. While he's not the biggest lineman on the team, the 287-pound senior is one of the most experienced and physical.
- C Zach Yenser, Sr.
The team's long snapper turned into the starting center at the beginning of last year after injuries hit James Gardner. Now it'll be a battle for the spot in the middle with the 280-pound Yenser needing to use his toughness to keep the gig.
- OG Chris Jamison, Soph.
Jamison took over the starting job at left guard early on when Zarah Yisrael moved to tackle and never let it go. He's an athletic 285 pounds with great technique. He should be a fixture for the next three years.
- OT Rob Austin, Sr.
Austin went from tackle to tight end and back to tackle again. While not all that big at 267 pounds, his athleticism is enough to make him a solid pass blocker.

Top Backups
- G Danny Franks, RFr.
One of the team's strongest players, the 6-4, 320-pound Franks brings more size at right guard than the 287-pound Kirbie Bodiford.
- T Kenny Griffin, Sr.
The 315-pound senior saw a little bit of starting time before suffering a knee injury. He'll be a key blocker using his 315 pounds to rotate with the 267-pound Rob Austin at left tackle.