Sports Editor

Troy State closed out its five year association with the Southland Football League on Saturday night with a resounding 28-0 shutout of Jacksonville State.

"Our players accepted the fact that we had plenty of motivation to win that football game," said Blakeney.

Blakeney points to a statement made by Trojans’ running backs coach Mike Turk earlier last week; a statement the head coach feels really got the team’s attention.

"Mike told them (the players) ‘the game you play this week, if you win it, probably won’t be one of your most memorable wins. But if you lose, then it’s going to stick in your craw for the rest of your lives,’" said Blakeney.

Turk is also credited with a trick play, aptly named "Rooster-Right Gamecock", that led to the Trojans second touchdown of the game on only their second play from scrimmage.

After a JSU punt, quarterback Brock Nutter faked a hand-off to Demontray Carter coming across the field in motion. The junior then pitched the ball to fullback Thad Buttone, who threw deep to a wide-open Jonathan Carter for the score with 12 minutes left in the first quarter.

With a 14 point lead and the JSU offense held in check by the defense, Troy State kept the play calling a bit more conservative after that. Tailback Demontray Carter rushed for 154 yards, averaging almost seven yards a carry, as the Trojans’ offense accumulated 263 yards on the ground.

What was amazing to Blakeney and almost everyone else, was that despite the muddy, rain-soaked field of Paul Snow Stadium, there was only one turnover the entire football game. And that one was committed by JSU quarterback Reggie Stancil in the latter stages of the game. On first down at the TSU 22-yard line, Stancil dropped back and was picked off by Troy State’s Chris Archie at the 2-yard line with 10:02 remaining in the fourth.

"Chris broke on the ball like a banshee or whatever you call it," said Blakeney.

The shutout marked the second time this season the Trojans’ defense have held an opponent scoreless. TSU beat Stephen F. Austin 6-0 on Nov. 4.

Next year the Trojans move into their one-year Division 1-A transition period and will no longer participate in the SFL.

During the five year period from 1996-2000, the Trojans, under head coach Larry Blakeney went 25-10 in league play, which includes league titles in 1996, 1999 and this season.

McNeese State and Stephen F. Austin are the only two teams to hold winning records against the Trojans in conference play, both with three wins and two losses over TSU.