25 for 25: The Best Players in Troy FBS History, Part 2
I cannot tell you how difficult this list was to put together. Troy has had so many great players across these 25 season that I could fill this entire website with lists upon lists of players.
The story of Troy is incomplete without the names of players like Rayshun Reed, Bear Woods, Demontray Carter, Will Goggans, Johnny Faulk, Junior Louissant, Gary Banks, Brannon Condren, Greg Whibbs, DuJuan Harris, Eric Thomas, Teddy Ruben, Jabir Frye, Rashad Dillard, Jordan Chunn, John Johnson, Hunter Reese, BJ Smith, Tyler Sumpter, Reddy Steward or Dell Pettus to name more than a few.
Editor’s Note: That’s why we split this article into three parts. Each entry gets his own chance to shine.
#17) Gunnar Watson – Quarterback – 2018-2023
It has been documented that, for a time, I was not the biggest fan of Gunnar Watson on the field. However, I can say that I did grow to appreciate his talent.
Watson went 846-1,337 in his career for a 63.3% completion percentage. He threw for 10,275 yards, one of only three quarterbacks in Troy history to break the 10k mark.
He had a 65-29 TD:INT ratio. His yardage put him at nearly 200 yards per game with 197.6 ypg. His Quarterback Rating was 139.5.
Unfortunately for Gunnar, his rushing stats look strange because sacks are counted as rushes. He totaled 173 rushes for -427 yards (yes, negative) for a -2.5 yards per game average.
Regardless he added four more scores with his legs. He only one reception, but it was a 7-yard touchdown. That made Watson one of a small coterie of Trojans to score touchdowns in three different ways.
While Watson only made one All-SBC team (2023 3rd Team), he led the Sun Belt in pass completions, completion percentage, and yards gained per game in 2020. He also earned the 2022 SBC Championship MVP after going 12-17 for 318 yards and three touchdowns.
Gunnar is tied for two Troy records: most consecutive games with a TD in a season (13) and most career consecutive games with a TD (16).
#16) Brandon Silvers – Quarterback – 2014-2017
For a lot of rebuilding teams, the quarterback is the most crucial position to fill. Thankfully for Neal Brown (and all of the Wiregrass), Brandon Silvers was already on the roster when Brown took over for College Football Hall of Fame Coach Larry Blakeney.
Silvers would finish 969-1,504 for a 64.4% completion rate. He amassed 10, 684 passing yards, the second most in school history, and 71 touchdowns to only 29 interceptions. That gave him a 222.6 yards per game average and a 135.8 Quarterback Rating.
When rushing, Silvers transformed into his alter ego, “Wheels”. On 237 rushes, Wheels totaled 415 yards for 16 touchdowns and 1.8 yards per carry. That gave him roughly 8.6 yards per game.
He also had 1 catch for 9 yards. Note: This does not include his crucial catch on the 2-point conversion in 2016 to tie the Battle for the Belt at 21, which Troy eventually won.
Silvers was named part of the 2014 SBC Newcomer Team and was a 2016 1st Team All-SBC selection. He led the Sun Belt in completion percentage in 2014 and in pass completions, pass attempts, and passing touchdowns in 2016.
He also holds the Troy record for the most touchdowns responsible for with 87.
#15) Derrick Ansley – Defensive Back – 2001-2004
A few players on this list were included without setting (or tying) any Troy records because they were truly special players. Derrick Ansley is very much one of those players.
He snagged 19 interceptions at Troy for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns. That was 9.5 yards per interception.
He was named to the 2003 All-Independents Team and was selected as a 1st Team All-SBC pick in 2004. He led the Independents in interceptions and interception return touchdowns in 2003 and led the Sun Belt in interception return touchdowns in 2004.
As for records, Ansley would be the most prolific defensive back to ever wear the cardinal, silver, and black, if we only included Troy’s FBS tenure. He has four more interceptions in his career than the next closest player.
The problem is that Ronnie Shelley from the 1960s happened to be the most impressive and legendary DB that Troy ever had and locked up all the records during the NAIA days. Shelley, along with guys like Carlton Martial, Jerrel Jernigan, and Kimani Vidal, set marks that are nearly impossible to reach and may prove to be unbreakable in the NIL era.
#14) Boris Lee – Linebacker – 2006-2009
One half of the Killer B’s, Boris Lee was a nightmare for Sun Belt offenses during The Streak. He totaled 353 tackles (195 solo & 158 assisted), 29 TFLs, and 9.5 sacks.
He also had 8 interceptions, and two were returned for touchdowns. Lee forced 2 fumbles and returned another for a touchdown.
He led the Sun Belt in interception return touchdowns in 2007 and 2009. He was also a three time 1st Team All-SBC selection (2007, 2008, 2009). If this didn’t get you hyped in 2009 (and now), you were (or are) dead.
#13) Kaleb Barker – Quarterback – 2016-2019
In 1993, Little Texas released the song “What Might Have Been”, a country song about a relationship that didn’t work out. I would dedicate that to Kaleb Barker, who might have been one of the best quarterbacks to ever wear a Troy uniform, had injuries not hampered him.
During his time in Troy, Barker went 402-603 for a 66.7% completion rate. He tallied 4,793 yards through the air, giving him 116.9 yards per game. He threw 42 touchdowns to only 12 interceptions. Barker’s QB Rating was an impressive 151.9.
Barker could also be a threat on the ground as well. He rushed 173 times for 680 yards (3.9 ypc &166.6 ypg) and 8 touchdowns. Unfortunately, an ACL injury in 2018 limited his mobility in 2019.
2019, however, was Barker’s best season passing. He led the Sun Belt in completions, attempts, passing yards, passing touchdowns, total plays, total yards, and yards gained per game. This netted him a 1st Team All-SBC selection.
Kaleb is tied for the most touchdowns responsible for in a game and the most touchdown passes in a game (6). He holds the highest single-season completion percentage with 73% (going 92-126) and casually becoming the only Trojan to ever tally 500+ yards in a game from any position (504 passing yards).
#12) Javon Solomon – Defensive End/Linebacker – 2019-2023
As a hybrid defender, the current Buffalo Bill dominated opposing offenses as a key piece of Jon Sumrall’s defenses. Solomon had 183 combined tackles (88 solo & 95 assisted), 50 tackles for loss, and 33 sacks. He also had 5 forced fumbles, 4 fumble returns, 2 pass deflections, an interception, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Javon earned an All-American Honorable Mention spot in 2021 and a 3rd team All-SBC selection in 2022, but 2023 was his best year in Cardinal. He led the NCAA and SBC in sacks with 16 and nabbed a first team All-SBC selection.
Solomon holds the record for tackles for loss in a game (5) and sacks in a game (4). He also set the single-season (102) and career (223) marks for yards from sacks.
It’s too early to say what type of pro career Solomon will have, but the potential for something special is there.
#11) Thomas Olmsted – Punter – 2002-2005
No, I am not crazy. Yes, a punter did almost make the Top Ten. When you are as good as Thomas Olmsted was, it isn’t a crazy thought.
On 288 punts, Olmsted logged 11,953 yards for a 41.5 yards per punt average. That yardage would have made him the second leading passer in Troy history.
Thought more prolific as a punter, he could kick too. Olmsted was 43-49 on extra points (87.8%) and 17-29 on field goals (58.6%) to go along with his 94 points scored.
Thomas was named to the 2002 Freshman All-American team and earned a spot on the 2003 All-Independents team. He led the Independents in punts, punt yards, and yards per punt in 2003. He led the SBC in punts and punt yards in 2004.
Olmsted set the record for yards per punt in a game (54.8) and most yards on punts in a game (441). He has the most yards on punts in a season (3,304). He also holds the #2 and #4 spots on that list.
Thomas is #1 in punt attempts in a season (78) and most punts in a career (288). His nearly 12,000 punting yards is a career mark for Troy as well.
#10) Omar Haugabook – Quarterback – 2006-2007
Sometimes a confluence of separate events can join together to make something truly special. This is what happened when Omar Haugabook committed to Troy the same year that College Football Hall of Fame Coach Larry Blakeney make the switch to The Tony Franklin System.
In two years with the system, Omar was 532-868 for a 61.39% completion rate and a 39-32 TD-INT ratio. He threw for 215 yards per game and had a 120.8 QB Rating. He had 3 300-yard passing games utilizing the spread to his advantage.
Haugabook made up for some of his worse passing statistics by being proficient on the ground too. He ran 296 times for 929 yards and 3.1 yards per carry and 16 touchdowns. He also hauled in 5 catches for 41 yards and another touchdown.
Haugabook was one of the most decorated players in Troy’s FBS history. He was chosen as the SBC Newcomer of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Sun Belt Player of the Year, and a 1st Team All-SBC selection in 2006.
In 2007, he added another Offensive Player of the Year award and a 2nd Team All-SBC nod. Omar led the conference in completions, attempts, completion percentage, passing yards, passing touchdowns, QB Rating, total plays, and total yards in 2006. For 2007, he led the league in completions, completion percentage, total plays, and total yards.
I don’t think it’s hyperbolic to say that, without Omar Haugabook, The Streak doesn’t start and Troy does not become the football leader of the Sun Belt.
#9) Leodis McKelvin – Defensive Back – 2004-2007
Without seeing him play, it could be difficult to understand the game-changing ability of Leodis McKelvin. He could turn the game on its head defensively or on special teams. Honestly, I’m surprised he only ever had two carries on offense.
Leodis had 148 total tackles (123 solo and 25 assisted), 5 tackles for loss, one sack, four interceptions, one interception return for a touchdown, and 4 forced fumbles.
Special teams was where McKelvin truly changed games. He returned 112 punts for 1,471 yards (13.1 ypr) and 7 touchdowns. He returned 99 kicks for 2,346 yards (23.7 ypr) and one touchdown. That gave him 3,873 all purpose yards.
Leodis was selected 2nd Team All-SBC in 2004 and was a three-time 1st Team All-SBC pick from 2005-2007. He was also selected as an All-American as a kick returner in 2007. He was drafted to the Buffalo Bills with the 11th pick in the 1st round of the 2008 NFL Draft (tying the highest Troy and Sun Belt draft pick).
In The League, McKelvin would have 15 interceptions with 2 returned for touchdowns, 64 pass deflections, 4 forced fumbles, 360 tackles (300 solo & 60 assisted), with 1 QB hit and 4 tackles for loss. As a returner, he would return 99 punts for 1,021 yards and 3 touchdowns. That gave him a 10.3 yard per return average.
On kick returns, Leodis would return 95 for 2,471 yards and one touchdown. That was a 26 yards per return average. He netted 3,635 all-purpose yards in the NFL before retiring after a 9-year career.
At Troy, McKelvin still holds the records for career punt returns (112), career punt return yards (1,471), return average in a game (35 ypr), career punt return TDs (7), career kickoff returns (99), and kickoff return yards (2,346). He is tied for the most kickoff returns in a game with 3.
In the NFL, McKelvin was named to the 2008 PFWA All-Rookie Team and was a First Team All-Pro that year as well. He led the NFL in punt return TDs (2) and Punt Yards per Return (18.7) in 2012.
The final entry in our series will pick right back up with the top 8 tomorrow.
There were any number of iterations that this list could have gone in and honestly, I understand that it is probably not a perfect one, but it was the one that made the most sense to me. Let me know in the comments or on Twitter (@benonsports) what you think and how your Top 25 Players in Troy’s FBS History would look.