Former walk-on surprised with scholarship

TJ Dennis

Brady Fitch photo

As fans were preparing to file into Veterans Memorial Stadium for Troy’s 2024 Fan Day, walk-on Justin Powe’s day turned into one that he would never forget. The redshirt sophomore officially signed the dotted line for his scholarship while surrounded by family and his teammates, but it was his family that broke the news.

Powe, a native of Mobile, Alabama, is one of only four returning safeties from last year’s team. Although he remained on Troy’s roster, he still had to pay for his education. That was until the offensive huddle broke, and he saw his parents standing in the middle of the circle.

“It felt good having that support system, having the people I love around me and knowing that in that moment my hard work had paid off,” Powe said.

Going into the 2024 campaign, there are many question marks surrounding the Troy Trojans. One of those questions being their defensive back rooms – specifically their safety room. Davidson High School alumni Powe looks to answer the call.

“He works his tail off, and that’s what Troy is,” said Dontae Wright, the new defensive coordinator and safeties coach . “They just go to work, and they don’t care if you got to go play on pavement or they have to play on pavement... they’re going to go out there and play football.”

The team swarmed the safety as the announcement was made. Smiles, jersey pulling and yelling filled the atmosphere, setting the stage for the Trojan faithful to enter The Vet. The instant embrace of Powe attests to the familial aspect of football.

“[Justin is] a hard worker” said teammate Kenny Reedy. “He is proactive, he gets to it; great teammate, and a great leader.”

Being one of four upperclassmen in the safeties room allowed Powe to inherit a responsibility larger than any on the field – becoming a leader. The defensive backfield of the Trojans is a question mark due to the youth of the department. From an on-field perspective Powe is a part of that youth, but off the field is what sets him apart.

“As a new father, he’s what I hope one day my son will be, as a person,” said Coach Wright.

Now, Powe is entering his redshirt junior season with 65 total snaps and 10 played during the 2023 football season. Per the Trojans official depth chart, Powe is slated to be the starting strong safety.