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Troy High School
School Info
Conference: 1AD1 Whitepine League
Classification: 1A D1
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Head Coach: Curtis Blum
Years as Head Coach: 1st Season
Previous Experience: 7 years JH Football (1 in McCall, 6 in Troy)
Record Last Year: 3-4
State Titles: 1980, 2010
Assistant Coaches:
Scott Barnes
Jake Blazzard
Nick Accord
Returning Players:
Chase Blazzard, QB, Sr.
David Blum, FB/LB, Sr.
Cameron Barnes, TE/DB, Sr.
Jonah Lay, TB/LB, Sr.
Cody Gludt, OL/DL, Sr.
Brandzen Atkinson, OL/DL, Sr.
Hunter Holloway, OL/LB, Sr.
Nicholas Powell, TE/LB Jr.
Joshua Lay, TE/DB, Jr.
Mitchell Sandquist, OL/DL, Jr.
Isaac Stoner, QB/DE, Jr.
Alex Chastain, TE/DB, Jr.
Dakotah Holloway, TE/DL, Jr.
Returning Players with Honors:
2nd Team All Conference- David Blum-LB
Honorable Mention-David Blum-FB, Cameron Barnes-TE/DB, Jonah Lay-TB/DB, Brandzen Atkinison-DL
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Team Preview:
Written by: Brandon McIntosh
For the Troy Trojans, missing out on the playoffs is a rarity.
The 2015 season is one the Trojans would like to put behind them as quickly as possible as they missed the post season for the first time since 2009. If history tells the story, there is some light at the end of the tunnel this season. The year following their postseason absence, 2010, the Trojans went on to win the State 1A D1 championship. Three years later, in 2013, they reached the championship but fell in the final game.
Taking over the coaching role for the Troy Trojans this season is Curtis Blum. Although it is his first head coach position at the high school level, Blum is no stranger to the program as he has served the past 6 seasons as the junior high football coach. He is well versed with this current squad as he was the coach laying the foundation for the high school program over the years at the junior high level.
Blum will have his hands full in what he refers to as “one of the toughest leagues” in the State of Idaho. The Whitepine League has seen one team the past 8 years play for the State Championship and have won it 4 times. One positive with the scheduling, Troy will host Lapwai, Genesee, and Kamiah at home this season. All three teams qualified for the post season last year. They will be on the road the first week of October to face the State runner-up, the Prairie Pirates and finish with a Saturday trip up north with new Whitepine foe, the Wallace Miners.
With the disappointing finish to last season, Coach Blum is excited and upbeat with this year’s squad, especially the “solid senior class that love football”. The team he is taking over only lost 1 senior from a year ago. Loaded with 13 upperclassmen, 5 of which received league honors last year, Troy looks to compete for the league title this season.
Offensively, the Trojans will be led by seniors David Blum and Jonah Lay in the backfield who were among those to receive honors a year ago. Cameron Barnes, another player who received honors, will be a hot target at a receiver for senior quarterback Chase Blazzard. Coach Blum believes that the strength of his offense lies within the all-around team speed. One area the coach wants to see improvement on is working hard every play and winning every down. In the eyes of the coaching staff, this is very achievable.
On the defensive side of the ball, Coach Blum believes the strength lies with how smart the players are and with individual speed and strength. Led by senior defensive lineman Brandzen Atkinson, the defense looks to become more physical. Atkinson will look to set the tempo by disrupting the opponent’s running game and applying pressure to the opposing play callers.
This year’s motto for the Trojans is to “get better every play” said best by the new head coach. That focus is being put into both sides of the football. Coach Blum says that the Trojans will be successful this season if they bring the intensity, work unselfishly, remain health, and stay strong together.
If this team can do that, the State of Idaho will see the Trojan back in the playoffs this season.
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