Tuesday morning was filled with intensity and defense in Troy’s eighth practice of fall camp.

“It was competition Tuesday today,” said Trojans head coach Neal Brown. “I was proud of our guys, probably the most proud that I have been the last two years.”

After having their first two-a-day practice of the fall on Monday, the Trojans turned around on Tuesday and had their third practice in a 24-hour time frame.

“Our guys competed. I am not saying it was pretty. Our execution wasn’t great, but we competed,” Brown said. “It was five drills won by the offense and five drills won by the defense.”

The competitions on Tuesday were filled with game like situations where the players went 11-on-11. After splitting the first 10 periods, the defense stole the show in the overtime period by stopping the offense for four downs before getting in the end zone.

“The defense won the day,” Brown said. “We are going to do a couple more competition Tuesdays. I think the guys enjoyed it.”

The Trojans are racing towards opening day with the hopes of getting better.

“Today was sort of a hump day for us,” Brown said. “I felt like this was going to tell us where we are, and if we are getting better and making a move. I think we have.”

Brown was curious to see how his players would bounce back on Tuesday after a long day of practice on Monday.

“I was worried about it,” Brown said. “When I made the schedule I did it intentionally that we had to come back after a two-a-day and get up early in the morning and go. Our leaders did a good job early in practice. We challenged them, and I thought they responded.”

The Trojans enter the 2016 with one of the best-projected defenses in the Sun Belt Conference. With all of the excitement building up, the defense is starting to live up to hype.

“By far, today was the best day they have had,” Brown said. “Our execution wasn’t great, but we made more plays in the secondary. (Trojan safety) Cedarious Rookard made the play of the day when he made a great pick. I am confident we are going to be able to rush the passer.”

Troy’s first test of the camp will be on Saturday when they hold the first of two open team scrimmages.

“We have to find out where we are at,” Brown said. “We have a good feel for where the returners are at. These two scrimmages in the fall are really about the newcomers, the junior college transfers and the freshman. We want to see how they perform.”

Kick off for the first scrimmage is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium.