Aug. 31, 2009
At UCF, the "T formation" isn't what you might think.
Rather than referring to an outdated offensive formation with three runners in the backfield, UCF's version is much more menacing and downright defensive.
UCF's combination of Torrell Troup and Travis Timmons give the Knights one of the nation's top defensive tackle duos. Combined, they present 611 pounds of unmovable mass strong enough to lift a vehicle off the ground. And they are the very heart of a UCF defense that has every intention of being the best unit in Conference USA this season.
"We can be the best defense in the conference, maybe the best in the nation," Troup said. "We have that kind of confidence right now."
And then there's this from Timmons: "We have to be tactical and dominant this year. The coaches put a lot of responsibility on us and they won't accept responsibility, so we can't do that either. We can be really good."
Troup and Timmons are both seniors, best friends and likely candidates to play in the NFL in the very near future. Troup, a 6-foot-3, 320-pounder from Conyers, Ga., is a mountain of a man and the strongest player on UCF's football team. Timmons, a 6-foot-4, 297-pounder from Gainesville, is the more outspoken and more athletic of the two, and just as dominant.
Together, they form the guts of a defense that is strong and stingy up the middle. Because Troup is so strong and Timmons is so massive, they often require double-teams and free up the ends and linebackers to make uncontested plays. Although there is some playful trash-talk between the two regarding the issue of exactly who commands the most double-teams. As a three-technique (think: noseguard), it is Troup who is usually hit by both a center and a guard.
"I take on most of the double teams and then Travis gets the one-on-ones and the ends get the one-on-ones," Troup said with a laugh. "When I take that double team I know that it makes everybody's job a little easier. We have such talented players that they can beat anybody one-on-one."
They limited foes to 126 rushing yards a game last season, a number they feel UCF will improve vastly on this season. UCF returns all 14 players on its front seven two-deep depth chart from last season, allowing the Knights to keep fresh players on the field more often this season.
For a player like Troup, who is repeatedly hit with double-teams, that's a welcomed notion.
"Last year we were going like 70-something plays a game and we didn't really have much experience in our two-deep. But this year we do have that depth," said Troup, who had 52 total tackles, 12 stops for a loss and two sacks last season. "With Darius (Nall) back and Jarvis (Geathers) coming in on third down to rush the passer, that's going to be huge for us."
Timmons, who suffered through an injury-plague d junior season, has added 12 pounds of muscle from last season to weather a long season. He said the pressure is on he and Troup to set the tone for the defense and become leaders for the Knights. Timmons, a weight room monster who can bench press 350 pounds, said he and buddy, Torrell, are ready to shoulder the weight of massive expectations.
"Torrell and I, we've grown up since we were freshmen and we've always been paired together. We live together and we have a great relationship," he said. "We're the only two seniors on the defensive line and that makes our kinship a little closer. We take the responsibility on us to get three-and-outs because a defense has to be strongest up the middle. It's on us to make sure that we're strong in the middle."
A half-dozen NFL scouts have been to UCF's practices already, training most of their focus on Troup and Timmons in the trenches. Their rare combination of size, strength and athleticism make them a dream find for NFL scouts. Defensive tackle has suddenly become a glamour position in the NFL, with tackles such as Albert Haynesworth, Richard Seymour, Kris Jenkins and Marcus Stroud receiving massive contracts. Finding stars at defensive tackle has become a priority for NFL teams.
For Troup, the NFL dream is never far from his consciousness. In fact, he and Timmons often watch HBO's "Hard Knocks" shows, trying to envision themselves playing tackle in the NFL. But for now, Troup is focused on trying to secure another legacy.
"The NFL has been a big dream, one I've had since I first put on pads in the ninth grade," he said. "But I just try to put it in the back of my mind. I don't want to look forward and get relaxed. I want to have an outstanding senior year and I want to be remembered as UCF's No. 98, the good defensive tackle. I use that to drive me and give it all that I've got."
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John Denton's Knights Insider features run Monday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.