Troy QB Goose Crowder to miss remainder of 2024
Published 9:41 am Tuesday, October 22, 2024
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On Tuesday, Troy head football coach Gerad Parker announced that starting quarterback Goose Crowder would miss the remainder of the 2024 season.
Parker was asked on Monday at his weekly press conference about Crowder’s status and he said that the junior Gardendale native’s season was in question.
“Goose is one of the toughest football players that I’ve had the privilege of coaching,” Parker said in a statement announcing Crowder would be out for the rest of the season. “This is never the outcome that you want, but at the end of the day, what is best for the long-term health of our student-athletes will always outweigh any other alternative. Goose has handled this with the class and maturity that you would expect from a man of his character.”
Crowder has been out of action since suffering an “upper body” injury against ULM in week five. He also suffered a shoulder injury in week two against Memphis before returning to face Florida A&M on Sept. 21.
Crowder completed 43-of-62 passes for 543 yards and five touchdowns with one touchdown on the ground and no interceptions in the 2024 season. He transferred to Troy in 2023 after starting his college career at West Virginia.
In Troy’s statement about Crowder, it’s stated that the decision was made at the advice of the university’s medical team. “The health and well-being of Troy’s student-athletes will always be at the forefront of all decisions regarding their return to competition,” the statement read.
Both Brantley sophomore Tucker Kilcrease and Auburn junior Matthew Caldwell have earned starts at quarterback this season in Crowder’s absence. Caldwell has completed 44-of-75 passes for 430 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions with one rushing touchdown. Kilcrease has completed 28-of-50 passes for 377 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He’s also rushed for 118 yards.
“We’ve played three quarterbacks over 130 snaps (each) this year,” Parker said during his Monday press conference. “As much as that is good for everybody to play, and get out there, it’s certainly not best for you as an offense to play three different quarterbacks to that amount.”
Parker said that both Caldwell and Kilcrease would have opportunities to play for the remainder of the season.
“Both are growing and both have shown flashes of improvement and high play, and unfortunately both have certainly shown times where we have to grow and get better. That’s everyone at every position.
“Both will be involved in the future of our offense this season. We will continue to evaluate that this week to see who practices best and who puts us in the best chance to go to (Arkansas State) and play well. I believe both can play efficient and play good football for us. We just have to continue to find ways to do what they do best and give them those opportunities. Both will be involved in playing this week.”