Troy Bets on a Rebuilt Offense and a Rare Returning Quarterback to Defend the Sun Belt West
Troy went 8-6 (6-2) in 2025 and captured the Sun Belt West before losing to James Madison in the conference title game and dropping a bowl date with Jacksonville State. The Trojans took a clear step forward in Gerad Parker's second year, yet the offense finished at the bottom of the league in efficiency, and that is the story of the offseason. Parker replaced coordinator Sean Reagan with Adam Austin, who ran one of the most productive attacks in the FCS at Tarleton State, and paired the hire with a heavy influx of transfers. The formula is simple: keep a stingy defense afloat while the new scheme and new faces find traction.
Offense
Troy holds a rare edge in the Group of Six by returning a veteran under center. Sixth-year senior Goose Crowder is a proficient, effective passer with all-conference upside when he is on the field, which has been the catch. He missed roughly eight games in 2024 and six in 2025 to a run of injuries. When he was out, senior Tucker Kilcrease shouldered the load and went 5-2 as a starter, doing more than the game-manager label suggested. Having both back is a genuine luxury, but Crowder's durability is the swing factor for the whole unit.
This is the rebuild's steepest climb. Troy lost its top six pass catchers to graduation and the portal and enters the fall without a proven FBS receiver on the roster. The staff leaned on the transfer market to restock, headlined by former Ole Miss signee Noreel White, with Howard Kinchen and Jywon Boyd also in line for immediate roles. Mojo Dortch is a name to track after a season-ending injury shelved him a year ago; a healthy return could give the group a breakout. Jackson Worley anchors the tight end spot.
The most exciting addition is junior-college back Gavin Griffin, a JUCO All-America who led the nation in rushing at East Mississippi Community College with 1,168 yards and 22 touchdowns in just 10 games. He profiles as the every-down runner Troy has lacked since Kimani Vidal turned pro, and he gives Austin a foundation to build around. Jordan Lovett adds depth to the backfield rotation.
The front was the offense's undoing in 2025, surrendering an NCAA-worst 59 sacks, so protection is the non-negotiable fix. Center Tyler Cappi is the lone holdover from the group that closed the season, and the staff imported starters across the board: Darion Rivers from NC State, Luke Petit from Furman and Jordon Jones from Ohio. Elijah Prather, a returning lineman whose 2025 ended early because of injury, is back in the mix up front. If the transfers gel quickly, the sack total should fall sharply.
Defense
Even with heavy turnover, the defense should stay salty, and it starts with end Donnie Smith. A JUCO product who broke out with 11 sacks and first-team all-league honors, Smith is arguably the top returning defender in the Sun Belt and has grown into a vocal leader. The interior pairs holdover Kam Curry with Boston College transfer Ty Clemons for an experienced tandem. Arkansas transfer Kavion Henderson and Jermaine Paramore add rotational juice off the edge.
Linebacker projects as a team strength thanks to the portal. Bryce Steele, an inspiring story who fought back from cancer that cost him most of two seasons, and Keno Jones headline the transfer haul, while veterans Luke Hodge and TJ Thompson compete for snaps. The depth here gives coordinator Dontae Wright flexibility to keep the front seven fresh.
The secondary took the biggest hit from graduation and the portal, particularly at cornerback, and the group has real questions to answer. Safety Justin Powe is the lone returning starter, a steady, experienced presence entering another year in the lineup. Jabari Strait and Jordan Turner are penciled in at corner, junior-college transfer Doug Nelson steps in at Troy's Spear nickel spot, and Tennessee transfer Marcus Goree Jr. joins the safety rotation. How fast the new corners settle will decide whether the pass defense holds its 2025 form.
Punter Evan Crenshaw is a weapon and one of the best in the country, named Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Year after averaging 45.7 yards per punt, pinning 29 kicks inside the 20 and earning All-America and Ray Guy Award finalist recognition. Placekicking is the open question: the job appears to have gone to a West Virginia transfer coming out of a spring competition, though the reads on the battle are not unanimous and the position is less settled than the punting. The return jobs are also up for grabs.
Overview and Prediction
The nonconference slate is manageable outside a road trip to Missouri, and the Sun Belt West path runs through familiar names in Louisiana, South Alabama, Arkansas State and a crossover with James Madison. Parker has proof of concept after a four-win jump and a division title, and the defense should again grade out among the better units in the league.
The preseason consensus pegs Troy near the top of the Sun Belt West, projected first in the division by one read and among the conference's upper tier by another. Our verdict tracks that optimism with a caveat: the ceiling belongs to Crowder's health and to how quickly a nearly all-new receiving corps and rebuilt line come together under a new coordinator. Get competent, consistent offense to pair with Crenshaw's field position and Smith's pass rush, and a return trip to the conference title game is well within reach. Stay stuck at the bottom of the league in yards per play, and the margin in a deep division disappears fast.