Fumbles Cost the Trojans in Annapolis
Published 10:43 pm Sunday, November 6, 2011
Annapolis, Md. – The Trojan (2-6, 1-3) football team could not overcome the powerful Navy (3-6) triple option offense or the turnover margin in their 42-14 defeat to Midshipmen in their first ever meeting on Saturday.
In Navy’s first drive of the game, running back Gee Gee Greene recorded a 38 yard carry on third down to put the Midshipman in Trojan territory for the first time. The Trojan defense would hold on a later third down bringing up a fourth and one on Troy’s 27 yard line. A false start penalty on fourth down would help the Trojan defense by backing up the Midshipmen to the Trojans 32 yard line. Troy’s defense would stop Navy’s fourth down conversion giving Troy their first offensive start of the day on their own 32 yard line.
After a promising first drive that included a 13 yard rush by D.J. Taylor, a Corey Robinson to Shawn Southward reception for 14 yards and a Southward 14 yard rush, the Trojans would fumble and lose possession setting up Navy’s second drive on their own 24 yard line.
On Navy’s ensuing drive, quarterback Kriss Proctor connected to John Howell for a 42 yard pass that would go on to set up a 1 yard Proctor touchdown run giving Navy a 7-0 lead with six minutes left in the first quarter.
After moving the ball 24 yards on their next drive, the Trojans would not be able to dig out of a five yard substitution penalty and would be forced to punt the ball back to Navy. However, the 44 yard Will Goggans punt would force the Midshipmen to start their next drive on their own one yard line.
The Trojan defense would hold Navy and force a punt giving the Trojan offense their third drive on their own 49 yard line. However another offensive fumble would give the Midshipmen another possession starting on their own 35 yard line to end the first quarter.
On the ensuing Navy drive, Proctor would connect to Greene for a 48 yard navy touchdown giving the Midshipmen a 14-0 lead.
Troy would show life on the following Navy kickoff as freshman Chandler Worthy returned the kickoff 48 yards. Troy would start their next drive on the 50 yard line. However Troy would stall again on offense and would have to punt the ball away again.
Navy’s offense continued to pound the ball out on the ground, driving 87 yards for another Midshipmen touchdown giving Navy a 21-0 lead with about nine minutes left in the first half.
Another three and out for the Trojan offense would give Navy another offensive drive starting in Trojan territory after a Goggans punt. Navy would score in only three plays to make their lead 28-0.
Navy’s offense would not be looking for the locker room just yet as they tacked on one more touchdown to give them a 35-0 lead with 13 seconds left in the half. The touchdown would also give Troy their largest first half deficit of the season. However just before half time Chandler Worthy would have the final word with a 54 yard kickoff return topping his earlier 48 yard return for the longest kick return of the season for the Trojans as well as Worthy’s career.
Troy would take the first possession in the second half with Jamie Hampton at quarterback. The Trojans marched down the field 65 yards to claim their first touchdown of the game tacked on by a one yard DJ Taylor touchdown run, making the score 35-7.
Navy’s offense continued to roll in the second half as they moved the ball down the field 63 yards to answer the Trojans and build their lead to 42-7.
With the final minutes ticking off in the fourth quarter Troy’s offense would not stop as Corey Robinson connected to Chandler Worthy on fourth down for a 22 yard touchdown pass. However that would be the last time either team would put points on the scoreboard leaving the final score at 42-14 with Navy on top.
The Trojans now drop to a four game losing streak for the first time since 2006. The Trojans now look to their homecoming matchup with North Texas on November 12.