Troy quarterback Goose Crowder out for rest of season based on advice of team medical staff

TROY, Ala. (AP) — Troy quarterback Goose Crowder won’t play the rest of the season based on the advice of team medical staff.

The school announced the decision Tuesday on social media but didn’t specify the nature of Crowder’s injury. He had been knocked out of games against Memphis on Sept. 7 and Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 28 with what was described as an upper-body injury.

Crowder, a junior, passed for 535 yards and five touchdowns without an interception in four games for the Trojans.

“Goose is one of the toughest football players that I’ve had the privilege of coaching,” Trojans coach Gerad Parker said in a statement. “This is never the outcome that you want, but at the end of the day, what is best for the long-term health of our student-athletes will always outweigh any other alternative.

“Goose has handled this with the class and maturity that you would expect from a man of his character.”

Tucker Kilcrease and Matthew Caldwell have split time in the past two games with Crowder sidelined. Caldwell has passed for 430 yards with two touchdowns against three interceptions. Kilcrease has 377 passing yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

The two-time defending Sun Belt Conference champions are 1-6 and 0-3 in league games in Parker’s first season. The Trojans play at Arkansas State on Saturday.

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