For the first time in three weeks the Troy Trojans return to the friendly confines of Veterans Memorial Stadium as they host conference rival University of Louisiana Monroe today.

The Trojans (1-3, 2-6) have spent the last two weeks the outer boundaries of the Sun Belt Conference by traveling to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to take on the Aggies of New Mexico State and Boone, North Carolina, to take on Appalachian State. Troy finished that tough stretch 1-1 and are looking forward to being back home.

“It seems like forever since we’ve played at home,” said Trojans head coach Neal Brown. “It’s a good match up. We’re excited. I’m looking forward to getting back and getting engaged with the student body this week and really reaching out to them and getting them here. We need local people here in the Troy, Dothan and Montgomery areas to come out and support us.”

The Trojans will seek to turn around a trend against Louisiana Monroe on Saturday. The Trojans haven’t won a game against the Warhawks since a 42-21 win in 2009.

“They’re struggling a bit, as are we,” Brown said. “Both of us are hunting a quality win. ULM has had Troy’s number the last several years and that is something that we have to change.”

Even after suffering a loss a week ago to the conference leading Mountaineers, there is a high level of optimism floating around the Trojan athletic facilities this week.

The Mountaineers came into that contest as one of the hottest teams in the country and the Trojans pushed the game into triple-overtime before failing to convert a fake field goal attempt.

“The thing that is encouraging to me is that I feel like that is the best team in the league,” Brown said. “The outcome of the game was disappointing, but I was encouraged about how well we played and how well we competed. The process is being made. We still have to get some wins in the win column to make that visual.”

This week the Trojans hope to beat a Warhawks team that is struggling. The Warhawks enter the game with an overall record of 1-7 and are winless within the conference.

The Eagles’ lone win of the season came in week two when they defeated Nicholls State 47-0.

The Warhawks are averaging 20 points per game with 320 yards of offense.

The Warhawks are led at quarterback by red shirt freshman Garrett Smith. The Trojans will be tested down field going up against a pair of wide receivers in Ajalen Holley and Rashon Ceaser who has potential to make big plays every snap.

“They are going to present a unique challenge for us,” Brown said. “We haven’t really played a team, other than Idaho, that is a pass-first unit. They will be a pass-first team – a lot of empty formations. Key players – they have a really good receiving corps.”

A week ago, the Trojans secondary hauled in their first interception of the year when LaMarcus Farmer picked off a Mountaineer pass.

“Hopefully they start falling in now and we can start racking up,” Farmer said. “In the secondary I think that may be our first interception on the season. I’m sure this week we will really practice the takeaways that way we can really get some more of those.”

The last two weeks have shown significant improvement for the Trojans. Brandon Silvers continues to improve at the quarterback position, and the Trojans are ready to turn the corner.

“That week against New Mexico State I thought our guys took it more serious with our preparation. I thought they practiced hard and they saw the results and that carried over,” Brown said. “And the look of hurt they had after that game, not that you want to see your guys hurting after a game, but anytime you’re hurt it means you’ve invested a lot, and I could tell our guys were visibly hurt about losing that football game. They’re a group that’s eager to go back and recapture that feeling in that locker room in Las Cruces.”

Trojans hope to improve 2-3 in the conference when they kick things off this afternoon at 2:30 at Veterans Memorial Stadium.