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Very few teams in college football had to deal with the number of losses the Troy Trojans took in the defensive backfield and heading into 2024 it’s an almost completely new unit.

At cornerback, Troy must replace All-Conference players like Reddy Stewart, O’Shai Fletcher and Don Callis, while the Trojans must replace All-Conference safeties Dell Pettus and Irshaad Davis, as well. Troy also lost safeties Jack Tchienchou and Keyshawn Swanson to the transfer portal.

Despite the losses, Troy Coach Gerad Parker is excited about the future of this group. At cornerback, senior Demaje Yancey (6-1, 189 lbs.) and freshman LJ Green (5-10, 160 lbs.) have stepped up. Yancey played in nine games in 2023, recording three tackles and an interception, after transferring from Southern Utah.

“Demaje and LJ have ascended and sort of separated themselves and we’re really excited about those guys,” Parker said. “Demaje is such a great kid. He’s so mature and talented and is a gym rat. LJ has done the same, I really like where we’re at with those guys.”

Parker is also excited about Grambling State transfer junior Trent Henry (5-11, 195 lbs.) and junior college (JUCO) transfer Semaj James (6-0, 202 lbs.).

“Two guys that have all the talent and are still learning the ‘Troy Way’ are Trent Henry and Semaj,” said Parker. “Semaj is a guy that runs 22 miles-per-hour and Trent can go about 21 miles-per-hour. Those two guys are blazers.”

Parker also pointed to freshman Elijah Hall (5-11, 175 lbs.) and JUCO transfer Jabari Straight (6-2, 175 lbs.) as players that will push for playing time. Parker is most excited that there is just one senior in the entire group of cornerbacks.

“That’s going to be a fun group to watch grow,” he said. “We have some youth there that will continue to grow and that will be something we’re looking at a year from now not having to replace.”

At safety, Troy doesn’t have a single player returning that played a snap for the Trojans in 2023. North Carolina State transfer Cecil Powell (6-0, 205 lbs.) has seemingly grabbed one of the starting spots there. He recorded five tackles in 12 games at NC State last season.

“Cecil Powell has learned the position and is a mature guy that has really come forward,” Parker said. “The month of June has been great to Cecil. He’s really stepping up.”

The other safety spot will see Southeastern Louisiana transfer junior Ian Conerly-Goodly (6-0, 175 lbs.) and JUCO transfer Daivon Nelson (6-3, 195 lbs.) battle it out with both likely seeing the field. Both earned All-Conference honors at their previous schools in 2023.

“The best thing that happened to that position is that we brought in (Daivon) Nelson and Goodly,” said Parker. “Those are two new names and those are two guys that are really good and we feel like they instantly made the room better. They’ve created more competition that wasn’t there in the spring.”

Other players at safety that Parker is excited about include freshman Rondell Carter (6-1, 180 lbs.) and former walk-on Justin Powe (6-0, 201 lbs.).

“Rondell Carter is young but will be a good player,” he said. “Justin Powe will be hard to keep off the field. He’s a walk-on guy that has earned the right to play. We like where he is. Cecil, Ian, Powe and Nelson are the four we really feel good about now. We have way more depth there than we did in the spring.”

Goodly will also likely man the nickel back role when the Trojans move into nickel defense.

“Ian is a football junkie and is a really great kid with an A-plus personality and an A-plus way of approaching things,” Parker said. “He’s so good learning everything. He’s played both cornerback and safety and I think he’ll be able to play and handle playing both safety and nickel. He can handle it mentally.”

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Quarterbacks
Running Backs 
Receivers 
Tight Ends 
Offensive Line
Defensive Line
Linebackers