2023 Troy Trojans football team

2023 Troy Trojans football
Sun Belt champion Sun Belt West Division champion
Sun Belt Championship, W 49–23 vs. Appalachian State
Birmingham Bowl, L 10–17 vs. Duke
Conference	Sun Belt Conference
Division	West Division
Record	11–3 (7–1 Sun Belt)
Head coach	Jon Sumrall (2nd season) Greg Gasparato (interim, bowl game)
Offensive coordinator	Joe Craddock (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Greg Gasparato (1st season)
Base defense	Multiple 4–2–5
Home stadium	Veterans Memorial Stadium
Seasons ←  2022 2024  →

2023 Sun Belt Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
James Madison* x		7	–	1					11	–	2
Appalachian State y		6	–	2					9	–	5
Coastal Carolina		5	–	3					8	–	5
Old Dominion		5	–	3					6	–	7
Georgia State		3	–	5					7	–	6
Marshall		3	–	5					6	–	7
Georgia Southern		3	–	5					6	–	7
West Division
Troy xy$		7	–	1					11	–	3
Texas State		4	–	4					8	–	5
Arkansas State		4	–	4					6	–	7
South Alabama		4	–	4					7	–	6
Louisiana		3	–	5					6	–	7
Southern Miss		2	–	6					3	–	9
Louisiana–Monroe		0	–	8					2	–	10
Championship: Troy 49, Appalachian State 23
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant * – Ineligible for postseason play due to FCS-to-FBS transition rules

The 2023 Troy Trojans football team represented Troy University as a member of the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by second-year head coach Jon Sumrall, the Trojans played home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Alabama. The Troy Trojans football team drew an average home attendance of 27,121 in 2023.

Preseason

Media poll

In the Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, the Trojans were picked to finish in first place in the West division. ^[1]

Media poll (West division)
Predicted finish	Team	Votes (1st place)
1	Troy	92 (10)
2	South Alabama	85 (4)
3	Louisiana	64
4	Southern Miss	62
5	Texas State	36
6	Arkansas State	33
7	ULM	20

Defensive linemen TJ Jackson and Richard Jibunor and defensive back Reddy Steward were named to the preseason All-Sun Belt first team. Running back Kimani Vidal, offensive lineman Daniel King, defensive lineman Javon Solomon, defensive back Dell Pettus, and all purpose back Kimani Vidal were named to the second team. ^[1]

Schedule

The football schedule was announced February 24, 2023. ^[2]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 2	6:00 p.m.	Stephen F. Austin *	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	ESPN+	W 48–30	28,179
September 9	11:00 a.m.	at No. 15 Kansas State *	Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium Manhattan, Kansas	FS1	L 13–42	51,940
September 16	6:00 p.m.	James Madison	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	NFLN	L 14–16	26,634
September 23	11:00 a.m.	Western Kentucky *	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	ESPNU	W 27–24	26,124
September 30	6:00 p.m.	at Georgia State	Center Parc Stadium Atlanta, GA	ESPN+	W 28–7	16,536
October 7	3:00 p.m.	Arkansas State	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	ESPN+	W 37–3	26,957
October 14	2:30 p.m.	at Army *	Michie Stadium West Point, NY	CBSSN	W 19–0	27,829
October 28	2:00 p.m.	at Texas State	Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX	ESPN+	W 31–13	22,369
November 2	6:30 p.m.	South Alabama	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL (Battle for the Belt)	ESPN2	W 28–10	28,212
November 11	1:00 p.m.	at Louisiana–Monroe	Malone Stadium Monroe, LA	ESPN+	W 45–14	7,683
November 18	6:00 p.m.	Louisiana	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	NFLN	W 31–24	26,621
November 25	11:00 a.m.	at Southern Miss	M. M. Roberts Stadium Hattiesburg, MS	ESPNU	W 35–17	19,766
December 2	3:00 p.m.	Appalachian State	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL (Sun Belt Championship Game)	ESPN	W 49–23	20,183
December 23	11:00 a.m.	vs. Duke	Protective Stadium Birmingham, AL (Birmingham Bowl)	ABC	L 10–17	20,023
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings released prior to game All times are in Central time

Personnel

2023 Troy Trojans football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class WR 1 Jabre Barber Jr TE 2 Deyunkrea Lewis Jr WR 4 Marcus Rogers Sr WR 6 Chris Lewis So WR 7 Devonte Ross So QB 9 Goose Crowder So QB 10 Tucker Kilcrease  Fr WR 11 Deshon Stoudemire Sr WR 12 MJ Johnson Fr QB 13 JD Sherrod Fr TE 14 Ethan Conner Jr RB 15 Jordon Ingram So RB 15 Jordan Lovett Fr WR 16 Peyton Higgins  So QB 17 Jameson Holcomb  Fr QB 18 Gunnar Watson Sr RB 20 Asa Martin Sr RB 21 Jarris Williams  So RB 22 Tae Meadows  Fr WR 23 Landon Parker Jr RB 24 Damien Taylor  So WR 25 Robert Marsh So RB 26 DeWhitt Betterson Jr.  Fr WR 27 TJ Booker Fr RB 28 Kimani Vidal Jr RB 29 Cameron Torres Fr RB 38 Christian Nunnery Fr TE 44 Alex Cash Fr FB 49 Tyce Khatri Fr OL 50 Boaz Stanley So OL 52 Elijah Philippe Jr OL 55 Tavon Matthews Sr OL 57 Noah Mercer Fr OL 58 Elijah Prather Fr OL 59 Derrick Keith Fr OL 62 Billy Gilmore Fr OL 63 Carson Burt  Jr OL 65 Tyler Cappi  Fr OL 66 Eli Russ So OL 67 Grant Betts Sr OL 69 Colby Smith So OL 71 Kyler Gibson  Fr OL 72 Obatare Jackson Fr OL 73 Tyler Bell Fr OL 74 Daniel King Jr OL 75 Kobe Williams  So OL 77 Derrick Graham  So OL 78 Jeremiah Frazier  So OL 79 Blake Austin Jr WR 80 Luke Harkless Fr WR 81 Robert Bruce So WR 82 Jackson Thomas Fr WR 83 DJ Epps  Fr WR 84 Caleb Chappelle So TE 86 Jackson Worley Fr TE 88 Brody Dalton So TE 89 Clayton Ollendieck  Sr	Defense Pos. # Name Class DT 0 Jamarcus Chatman Sr S 1 Dell Pettus Sr CB 2 Reddy Steward Sr S 3 Keyshawn Swanson  Jr DT 4 Buddha Jones Sr CB 5 Don Callis Sr DE 6 Javon Solomon  Jr S 7 Reggie Bracy Jr S 8 Irshaad Davis Sr BAN 9 Richard Jibunor Sr LB 10 Jayden McDonald Sr CB 11 O'Shai Fletcher Sr LB 12 Terry Thomas  So LB 13 TJ Thompson So SPR 14 Caleb Ransaw Jr DE 15 Zach Edwards Jr S 16 Dasheen Jackson Jr S 17 Carloss Crawford Sr CB 18 Damaje Yancey Jr SPR 19 Darrell Starling  So LB 20 Keyshawn Campbell Fr CB 21 LJ Green Fr LB 22 Steven Cattledge Jr SPR 23 Chris Rodgers Fr S 24 LaBarryon Moore Fr S 25 Justin Powe  Fr S 26 Dorion Jackson Fr S 27 John Butler  So CB 28 Tim Roberson Fr S 29 Jack Tchienchou Fr CB 30 AJ Swanson Fr DE 31 Raymond Cutts Jr BAN 32 Phillip Lee  So SPR 33 Rondell Cole Sr CB 34 Tavares Williams Jr.  Fr BAN 35 Malaki Pegues Fr CB 36 Tyre Young Fr S 37 KC Bradford Fr CB 38 Tye Pouncey  Jr BAN 39 Riley Slaughter  Fr LB 42 Blake Matthews  Fr LB 43 AZ Williams So LB 44 Jordan Stringer  So LB 45 Luke Hodge  Fr CB 46 Nic Floyd Fr BAN 47 Anthony Butler Jr DT 51 Jackson Stein So DE 52 Noah Wright So BAN 85 Eric Shaw  So DE 90 Ty'Quarius Perry Fr DE 91 Deshaun Batiste Fr DT 92 Julian Peterson  So DT 93 Jaden Palms So DT 95 Luis Medina  So DT 96 Kenny Reedy Fr DT 97 AJ Pierce Sr DE 98 T. J. Jackson Jr DE 99 Fabian Rogosch  Fr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 30 Nick Troemel Fr K 36 Gage Theus So K 40 Scott Taylor Renfroe  So LS 41 Will Spain  So P 43 Elliot Janish Jr K 46 Zach Long  So P 48 Robert Cole Jr LS 53 Quentin Skinner Sr LS 87 Colton Wals Fr	Head coach Jon Sumrall (Kentucky) Coordinators/assistant coaches Greg Gasparato (Wofford) Defensive coordinator/S Joe Craddock (Middle Tennessee) Offensive coordinator/QB Taylor Polk (Mississippi) Co-defensive coordinator/ILB Gary Banks (Troy) Wide receivers Joe Bernardi (Fresno State) Offensive linemen Bam Hardmon (Illinois) Defensive run game coordinator/OLB Brock Hays (Grambling State) Running backs Eric McDaniel (Purdue) Defensive linemen Evan McKissack (Troy) Tight ends/director of offensive recruiting Travis Pearson (Alabama State) Cornerbacks Rusty Whitt (Abilene Christian) Strength & conditioning coach Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: 18 January 2025

References

1. "Sun Belt Announces Football Preseason Awards & Poll". sunbeltsports.org. July 24, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
2. "2023 Football Schedule". Troy Trojans.com. Retrieved February 25, 2023.