The Trojans entered the season with question marks at the wide receiver position thanks in large part to the departure of Deondre Douglas and Damion Willis.

Four games into the season, the Trojans just might have their deepest group of receivers in recent history.

Luke Whittemore and Tray Eafford were the more recognizable names heading into the season. Kaylon Geiger Khalil McClain and Reggie Todd were newcomers, but arrived with a lot of potential.

Troy’s receiving corps enters this week’s games with the second most receiving yards in the conference in both total yards and yards per game behind Arkansas State. They have 1,747 total yards and 291 yards per game.

Geiger has 34 catches for 439 yards and has four touchdowns to lead the Trojans. The Trojans have four players with at least 20 catches and six that have found the endzone for touchdowns.

The Trojans had seven different players haul in a catch last Wednesday against South Alabama. Five of them were receivers.

“We talk all the time about being able to play eight receivers,” offensive coordinator Ryan Pugh said. “We stress to them, ‘don’t worry about getting caught up in the number of catches you have in this game or that, because at any time your number can be called.’”

Bret Clark led the Trojans with four catches for 60 yards last Wednesday. Clark entered the game with 11 catches for 101 yards. Clark’s emergence gives the Trojans more depth at the receiver position.

“I think he’s just gotten more playing time,” Troy head coach Chip Lindsey said. “Tray’s been a little nicked up and just allowed him to get more reps. Going into the seaso,n he’d had limited reps, but I thought he had a good spring. We’re happy for Bret’s progress, for sure.”

The Trojan receivers will go up against a Panther defense that has allowed 226 yards per game.

“I have looked at the corners a little bit,” Whittemore said. “They’re aggressive guys. They’re good players. They’re going to play off coverage, but their whole defense is … feisty, I guess would be the right word. They’re aggressive, they’re going to get after the ball carriers. We’re going to have to be physical, both running, blocking.”