The 2021 Troy Trojans football team represented Troy University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Trojans played their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy, Alabama, and competed in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference.
Prior to the season, Luke Meadows took over as the team's offensive coordinator after the departure of Ryan Pugh.
Preseason
Recruiting class
Source:
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released
Preseason Chuck Bednarik Award Carlton Martial LB JR Doak Walker Award Kimani Vidal RB FR Rimington Trophy Dylan Bradshaw OL SR Butkus Award Carlton Martial LB JR Bronko Nagurski Award Carlton Martial LB JR Outland Trophy Will Choloh DT JR Sources:
Sun Belt coaches poll The Sun Belt coaches poll was released on July 20, 2021. The Trojans were picked to finish fifth in the East Division.
Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference teams
Offense
1st team Austin Stidham – Offensive Lineman, JR
2nd team Dylan Bradshaw – Offensive Lineman, SR
Defense
1st team Will Choloh – Defensive Lineman, JR Carlton Martial – Linebacker, JR
Schedule The 2021 schedule consisted of 6 home and 6 away games in the regular season. The Trojans would travel to Sun Belt foes Louisiana–Monroe, Texas State, Coastal Carolina, and Georgia State. Troy would play host to Sun Belt foes Georgia Southern, South Alabama, Louisiana, and Appalachian State.
Troy would host two of the four non-conference opponents at Veterans Memorial Stadium, Southern, from NCAA Division I FCS Southwestern Athletic Conference and Liberty, a FBS Independent, and would travel to Southern Miss of the Conference USA and South Carolina of the Southeastern Conference.
Personnel
Game summaries
Southern
Statistics SouthernTroy First downs 11 27 Total yards 189 467 Rushing yards 81 164 Passing yards 108 303 Turnovers 4 2 Time of possession 27:29 32:31
Team Category Player StatisticsSouthern Passing Ladarius Skelton 7/11, 85 yards, 2 INTs Rushing Devon Benn 11 carries, 50 yards Receiving Tyler Kirkwood 4 receptions, 39 yardsTroy Passing Taylor Powell 17/26, 234 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Kimani Vidal 15 carries, 81 yards, 1 TD Receiving Tez Johnson 5 receptions, 92 yards, 1 TD
Liberty
Statistics LibertyTroy First downs 22 13 Total yards 339 232 Rushing yards 185 21 Passing yards 154 211 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 38:59 21:01
Team Category Player StatisticsLiberty Passing Malik Willis 13/18, 154 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Malik Willis 20 carries, 93 yards, 1 TD Receiving Demario Douglas 3 receptions, 41 yards, 1 TDTroy Passing Taylor Powell 18/25, 211 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Kimani Vidal 11 carries, 38 yards Receiving Luke Whittemore 3 receptions, 71 yards
At Southern Miss
Statistics TroySouthern Miss First downs 17 15 Total yards 306 156 Rushing yards 51 -1 Passing yards 255 157 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 30:52 28:56
Team Category Player StatisticsTroy Passing Taylor Powell 27/39, 255 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Kimani Vidal 17 carries, 47 yards, 1 TD Receiving Tez Johnson 10 receptions, 106 yardsSouthern Miss Passing Ty Keyes 16/27, 157 yards, 2 INTs Rushing Frank Gore Jr. 15 carries, 31 yards Receiving Antoine Robinson 3 receptions, 49 yards
At Louisiana–Monroe
Statistics TroyLouisiana–Monroe First downs 18 15 Total yards 378 290 Rushing yards 67 122 Passing yards 311 168 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 31:32 28:28
Team Category Player StatisticsTroy Passing Taylor Powell 35/49, 311 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Kimani Vidal 12 carries, 60 yards Receiving Reggie Todd 6 receptions, 83 yardsLouisiana–Monroe Passing Rhett Rodriguez 10/16, 131 yards, 1 TD Rushing Andrew Henry 19 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD Receiving Zach Jackson 4 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD
At South Carolina
Georgia Southern
Statistics Georgia SouthernTroy First downs 17 18 Total yards 301 409 Rushing yards 82 139 Passing yards 219 270 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 33:19 26:41
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Justin Tomlin 15/22, 210 yards, 3 INTs Rushing Gerald Green 5 carries, 33 yards Receiving Derwin Burgess Jr. 2 receptions, 76 yardsTroy Passing Gunnar Watson 24/36, 270 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Jamontez Woods 9 carries, 98 yards, 1 TD Receiving Reggie Todd 4 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TD
At Texas State
Statistics TroyTexas State First downs 23 21 Total yards 387 370 Rushing yards 205 91 Passing yards 182 279 Turnovers 0 4 Time of possession 31:09 28:51
Team Category Player StatisticsTroy Passing Gunnar Watson 22/29, 182 yards, 1 TD Rushing Kimani Vidal 25 carries, 162 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Tez Johnson 9 receptions, 81 yards, 1 TDTexas State Passing Brady McBride 22/32, 279 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs Rushing Brock Sturges 11 carries, 49 yards, 1 TD Receiving Javen Banks 4 receptions, 96 yards, 1 TD
Coastal Carolina
Statistics TroyCoastal Carolina First downs 29 29 Total yards 514 443 Rushing yards 176 89 Passing yards 338 354 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 36:28 23:32
Team Category Player StatisticsCoastal Carolina Passing Grayson McCall 24/29, 338 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT Rushing C. J. Marable 20 carries, 120 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Jaivon Heiligh 11 receptions, 138 yards, 2 TDsTroy Passing Gunnar Watson 25/37, 260 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jamontez Woods 9 carries, 49 yards, 1 TD Receiving Kaylon Geiger 9 receptions, 103 yards
South Alabama
Statistics South AlabamaTroy First downs 22 17 Total yards 335 308 Rushing yards 148 107 Passing yards 187 201 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 36:25 23:35
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Desmond Trotter 20/32, 138 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Terrion Avery 23 carries, 75 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 4 receptions, 65 yardsTroy Passing Gunnar Watson 11/14, 121 yards Rushing B. J. Smith 12 carries, 49 yards Receiving Luke Whittemore 3 receptions, 59 yards
Louisiana
Statistics LouisianaTroy First downs 19 22 Total yards 370 391 Rushing yards 204 41 Passing yards 166 350 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 31:56 28:04
Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Levi Lewis 14/22, 166 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Chris Smith 15 carries, 102 yards Receiving Michael Jefferson 2 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TDTroy Passing Gunnar Watson 29/55, 350 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Kimani Vidal 11 carries, 21 yards Receiving Tez Johnson 6 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TD
Appalachian State
Statistics Appalachian StateTroy First downs 26 6 Total yards 445 142 Rushing yards 233 33 Passing yards 212 109 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 43:17 16:43
Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 17/24, 212 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Nate Noel 15 carries, 102 yards, 1 TD Receiving Thomas Hennigan 7 receptions, 85 yards, 1 TDTroy Passing Gunnar Watson 11/21, 109 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Kimani Vidal 10 carries, 40 yards Receiving Tez Johnson 4 receptions, 44 yards
At Georgia State
Statistics TroyGeorgia State First downs 18 21 Total yards 344 387 Rushing yards 57 247 Passing yards 287 140 Turnovers 4 2 Time of possession 32:56 27:04
Team Category Player StatisticsTroy Passing Gunnar Watson 21/38, 287 yards, 2 INTs Rushing B. J. Smith 13 carries, 35 yards, 1 TD Receiving Deshon Stoudemire 4 receptions, 80 yardsGeorgia State Passing Darren Grainger 11/22, 140 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Jaymest Williams 15 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD Receiving Sam Pinckney 3 receptions, 51 yards, 1 TD
References