Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Troy Trojans have had some of the most dominant linebackers in the country over the last several years and while they must replace more starters this season, the group may be the highlight of the Troy defense.

Troy has to replace starters like inside linebacker Jayden McDonald and bandit Richard Jibunor, but still features a slew of veteran players that come into 2024 with plenty of experience.

“I’m really excited about where this group is,” Troy Coach Gerad Parker said of the linebackers. “There is an uber amount of talent at those four positions. The second level of our defense is our most experienced and most impressive part of it going into the season.

“The athleticism, the range and the maturity is all there. I think the second level will be a key to this defense. I think we’ll get there on the line but the second level may be able to cover up some of the losses we’ve had up front.”

Junior Jordan Stringer (6-2, 219 lbs.) will man one of the inside linebacker positions and is coming off a 2023 that saw him record 68 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception in 14 games. Junior Terry Thomas (6-0, 214 lbs.) also earned 41 tackles, three tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks in 14 games last season.

“Stringer has been a mainstay there and is an absolute alpha of the standards we have there and those sorts of things,” Parker said. “He’s got to continue to grow but he’s an alpha and a leader in the locker room. He has that way about him. He’s vocal and energetic and plays with juice and is emotional. He ties a lot of our team together. Terry Thomas is also having a really good summer, too.”

Parker envisions Gardner-Webb transfer Brendan Jackson (6-2, 210 lbs.) and returner Steven Cattledge (6-3, 230 lbs.) battling it out for the other inside linebacker spot. Cattledge, a former JUCO All-American, struggled with injuries last season but recorded 10 tackles and one tackle-for-loss in four games. Jackson was an All-Conference linebacker at Gardner-Webb, earning 71 tackles, 11.5 tackles-for-loss and four sacks last season.

“It will be a good competition between (Jackson) and Cattledge,” Parker said. “They’ll both play but that is a real competition there. (Jackson) has been a really good addition for us, he has wonderful leadership skills and he’s a worker. Cattledge has also had a really good summer and will be involved, no matter what.”

Parker also pointed to freshman Keyshawn Campbell, sophomore Luke Hodge, junior TJ Thompson and freshman Kam Weaver as players that will all not only provide depth at inside linebacker but will likely see the field as special teamers.

The bandit position has been manned for the past four years by All-Americans Richard Jibunor and Javon Solomon, so replacing their production is next to impossible, but Parker is still excited about the players that Trojan fans will see there this season. Junior Phillip Lee (6-4, 220 lbs.), Cincinnati transfer junior Jah-Mal Williams (6-4, 238 lbs.) and junior Eric Shaw (6-5, 220 lbs.) will be competing for playing time there.

“Jah-Mal Williams is impressive, fast and powerful. He, Shaw and Phillip Lee are all impressive,” he said. “Those are three bodies that very few teams have, even some of the teams I’ve been on in the past didn’t have bodies like that.”

Lee recorded 15 tackles, three tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks before an injury ended his season in 2023. Shaw recorded seven tackles, one tackle-for-loss, one sack and a fumble recovery last season.

Shaw is one of the more intriguing prospects on the Troy roster. He transferred to Troy from South Carolina last season and transitioned from receiver to bandit. He was a four-star athlete coming out of high school, playing receiver and safety at the high school level. Parker sees big things for the Reeltown native.

“He is starting to really grow and mature about working,” Parker said of Shaw. “He’s a high 21-22 miles-per-hour guy, he’s freakishly gifted. He can really bend the edge and I would be very disappointed if he doesn’t have a big year rushing the passer. He will be an issue for offensive tackles to deal with.”

Troy’s spear position is a combination of an outside linebacker and safety and the Trojans will have to replace All-Sun Belt spear Caleb Ransaw and Chris Rodgers, who both transferred to Tulane in the offseason. Still, Parker is excited about the players there, which include Kansas State transfer Jordan Perry (6-2, 200 lbs.), Northern Illinois transfer Devin Lafayette (6-2, 200 lbs.) and junior Darrell Starling (6-1, 216 lbs.).

“Devin Lafayette is a steady player and knows he will be out there (on the field),” Parker said. “Jordan Perry is a young addition that is more gifted than he realizes yet and still very young. He’s so talented. Darrell Starling is another really good player. That’s three great players at that position for us.”

Parker also hinted that there could be some crossover between bandit and spear at times to ensure that the best players are on the field.

“If we play very long without Eric Shaw or Phillip Lee on the field, especially on passing downs, we’re wrong,” he flatly said. “You will see some things that aren’t necessarily what you would think of with a three or four down defense at times. We’re going to put the best players on the football field and rush the passer, period. We have to do that, we can’t sit there with our best pass rushers on third down not in the game.”

Previous Installments: 
Quarterbacks
Running Backs 
Receivers 
Tight Ends 
Offensive Line
Defensive Line