Troy Football: Blueprint is there for improvement in 2020
Explosive offense for Troy will create chaos for defenses
Gunnar Watson was the backup quarterback for the Trojans in 2019 and threw an underwhelming 22 passes in his appearances. He is the most experienced quarterback that the Trojans have.
With that being said, it’s looking as if Watson might get the nod as the starter to start the year. However, he will have some key competition as Parker McNeil and Jacob Free are hot on his heels to replace him as the starter if he slips up.
Parker McNeil has a lot of pedigree and could develop into something special for the Trojans should Watson underperform to start the year. Whoever the quarterback ends up being for the Trojans, they should be good in hands with their surrounding cast.
One of the best units for the Trojans is their receiving corps. The supremely quick wide receiver Kaylon Geiger returns for 2020 after an excellent 2019 season where he led the team with 77 catches for 873 yards including five 100-yard games, and five touchdowns. He is the sole leader in the receiver locker room and should have comparable or better numbers if he remains fit throughout the season.
Reggie Todd and Khalil McClain will provide Geiger with great backup options, adding to the depth of the Trojan’s wide receiving unit and giving Gunnar Watson a plethora of options to rely on.
Returning running back, BJ Smith has fully recovered from an injury that kept him out of the 2019 season. Smith achieved an incredible stat of having 13 rushing touchdowns along with finishing the season with 1,186 rushing yard in 2018.
It will definitely be exciting see what the performance levels Smith will reach this season. He will be joined by his counterpart DK Billingsley and the now eligible Charles Strong to form a running back unit that is as strong as any in the Sun Belt.
The clear leader of the Trojans offensive line for the 2020 season is Austin Stidham. In 534 pass block situations, Stidham only managed to allow just five quarterback hits and only two sacks for the 2019 year. On top of everything else, he was only called for three penalties for the entire season.
Along with Stidham, Troy has a fully stacked supporting cast of big and strong offensive line who should work well together in the trenches. This is definitely one of the more formidable offensive lines in the Sun Belt.