Normally a 20-yard touchdown catch in an early spring scrimmage doesn’t warrant too much excitement, but new Troy receiver Reggie Todd’s touchdown on Saturday morning left many teammates and spectators in awe.

Todd hauled in a short dump pass and rumbled his way in for a touchdown, leaving a pile of his teammates in his wake.

“I saw them coming in the corner of my eye and I knew what to do,” Todd said. “I had a plan.”

Watching from the sideline, Troy quarterback Sawyer Smith was left impressed.

“How many tackles did he break, like three?” Smith said. “I think he broke like three tackles right there. That’s impressive.”

Todd came to Troy by way of Hinds Community College and Mississippi State. Todd arrived at Mississippi State as a four-star receiver and after sitting out his freshman season with the Bulldogs, Todd played in all 13 games as a redshirt-freshman in 2017. He hauled in 14 passes for 160 yards and had a touchdown. His lone touchdown came against Arkansas.

Todd caught 20 passes for 324 yards and had three touchdowns in his time at Hinds Community College.

Todd was somebody that was on Lindsey’s radar from day one. After arriving at Kansas to become the Jayhawk offensive coordinator, Lindsey recruited Todd to come to Kansas. After arriving at Troy, Lindsey was able to convince the four-star receiver to make Troy his new home.

“Chip is my guy, I love Chip,” Todd said. “He gave me my first offer in high school. We have some history going back. Everything happens for a reason. It’s a blessing that I am here and everything worked out in my favor.”

Todd at 6’5” is part of a new group of big receivers on Troy’s roster. Fellow receiver Khalil McClain came to camp at 6’4 227 pounds.

“I have known Reggie a long time, recruited him in high school when I was at Southern Mississippi,” Lindsey said. “Both of them are great kids, they are working hard, trying to get better every day. They have a great attitude, I think that’s what sticks out the most with those guys.”

Although he has the size and the hands, Todd believes his number one strength is his speed.

“Speed, I can go get the ball,” Todd said.

Being a former basketball player, Todd brings that mentality to the football field.

“I was a former basketball player and with the releases and the jump balls we can go get it, it’s a big advantage for us,” Todd said.

After spending the first two weeks on the practice field, Todd was energized and excited to run full speed during Saturday’s scrimmage.

“Very excited,” Todd said. “We got after each other. It was different.”

With each passing day, the tempo of practice continues to increase for the young receiver.

“Everything is fast and everything is quick,” Todd said.

Todd’s size and ability is not only helping the offense, but he is also giving his team’s defense a good workout during practice.

“He is really a gifted athlete,” said Troy defensive coordinator Brandon Hall. “He has great ball skills. When the ball goes up he feels like he is going to catch it every time. Obviously, that is good work for our guys.”

Todd and the Trojans will get back to practice this week and on Saturday will play in their final scrimmage leading up to the annual T-Day game on April 20.

“It’s going to be way different,” Todd said. “The tempo is going to be all the way up. I didn’t know what to expect in the first scrimmage. I know what to expect now.”