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After being a late addition to the travel roster, former Pike Liberal Arts Patriot Tyler Hussey got on the stat sheet with his first-ever collegiate touchdown in Troy’s win over Middle Tennessee State on Saturday afternoon.

Hussey got his first action with the Trojans last season against Texas State. Hussey made his first catch and first touchdown all in one play on Saturday.

“It was pure euphoria,” Hussey said. “I have been ready for that call up for a long time. I have been playing for three and a half years and it’s been a lot of hard work. Those few moments of being on top of the world makes it all worth it.”

With the Trojans leading 40-7 late in the fourth quarter, Hussey ran on to the field and immediately lined up for the next play. After running the ball throughout the drive, Hussey expected to get a blocking call. Instead, quarterback Jacob Free looked to his side and gave a route.

“(Jacob) Free put it in the only spot I could catch it,” Hussey said. “I was amazed he got it off. It was a low snap that he pinned on his leg and he still got it off in a perfect spot.”

It was a trip Hussey initially wasn’t going to take. While in Birmingham, attending a risk management and insurance conference with teammate Evan Legassey, Hussey was sent the travel list for Saturday; he wasn’t on it.

“I can’t lie I was a little teed up that I wasn’t on it,” Hussey said. “I called my mom and talked to her for a minute. She told me God has a plan and your time will come. Just keep your head up and do what you do. That was helpful.”

By Friday things changed and Hussey was told to get ready for a trip to Murfreesboro.

“By 9:00 Friday morning, the day we were supposed to leave, I get a call saying pack your bags your coming with us,” Hussey said. “I jumped out of bed and got everything ready and rushed over to the facilities for meetings and a walk through.”

Hussey came to Troy in the fall of 2017 as a walk on. He started out as a long snapper under then head coach Neal Brown. After doing that for two years, Hussey decided to broaden his skill set.

“I asked coach Blackmon if I could broaden my horizons and get on special teams and do different things,” Hussey said. “They ended up moving me to slot receiver.”

After playing linebacker and tight end in high school, playing receiver wasn’t on Hussey’s radar when he joined the Trojans in 2017.

“I would say it would have been a stretch,” Hussey said. “Catching a touchdown for a Division-I team was almost unfathomable. I always wondered what it would feel like. Now that I have felt it, it feels really good.”

Now that he has his first collegiate catch and touchdown, Hussey will get back to work and prepare for his next opportunity.

“It definitely motives me,” Hussey said. I’m nowhere near content. I’m going to keep my nose to the grindstone and work my tail off and do what I’m told. I’m going to get the job done when ever I’m needed.”