Michigan State University Athletics
AJ Troup: Fighting Through Adversity
10/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Nick Barnowski, MSU Athletic Communications Student Assistant
In the first quarter of his collegiate debut, AJ Troup lined up to Connor Cook's left in last season's opener against Jacksonville State. It was a moment that the wide receiver had worked so hard for, a moment that he would remember for the rest of his life.
After tearing his ACL three times in under four years, Troup had been forced to bend, but he never broke. He was on the field for his first-ever game as a Spartan, with the ball on the JSU 17-yard line.
Cook took the snap, scanned the field, and found Troup racing down the left side of the field. Lofting a ball over the defender, Troup jumped, made the catch, and acrobatically got both feet down in the end zone. Touchdown.
August 29, 2014. A day he'll never forget.
"It was a surreal moment," Troup said. "I remember it like it was yesterday. First catch and first touchdown all in one, which made it that much sweeter."
Some athletes are never able to come back after tearing their ACL. Troup has â€" three different times â€" and is now a valuable member of a Michigan State team that is ranked second in the country.
During the final game of his senior season at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minnesota, he tore his ACL, MCL and patella tendon. Troup said it was tough and chalked it up mostly to bad luck.
Just six months later, during a rehab session, he tore the same ACL a second time. He was prepping for his first season as a Spartan as a preferred walk on, and Troup had to tell MSU head coach Mark Dantonio and his staff the news.
"I was devastated," Troup said, "but with my family's support and my friends, I was able to push through. All credit to Coach D and Coach (Brad) Salem, they let me come and pursue my dream of being a Spartan."
So he began rehab again. As Troup's knee got stronger, the factors that helped earn him a roster spot â€" his speed, size and ability to be a deep threat â€" began to show once more. The 6-foot-2 receiver was poised for a breakout season, impressing coaches and teammates with his play during spring football.
He caught the game-winning touchdown in the 2013 spring game and scored twice during the first spring scrimmage. Then, the seemingly unthinkable happened â€" again.
A few weeks before training camp, Troup was running routes with the receiving corps when he went up for a high pass and landed awkwardly on his knee. It was a freak accident, he said, and knew it was bad when he hit the turf.
"That was probably the toughest time because I was so close to playing for the first time," he said. "But again, even more so, I had my teammates, my family and this program behind me, pushing me."
After tearing his ACL in the same knee three times, he wasn't sure how it was going to hold up. The typical ACL surgery recovery time lasts six to nine months, but Troup's situation wasn't the norm.
"Physically, as I kept rehabbing and kept practicing, I felt like I could play at this level," Troup said. "It took a long time to rehab and get completely healthy, but I did it and made it happen."
With a never-wavering commitment to play for the Spartans, Troup made his debut in the first game of 2014 and went on to play nine more for the Cotton Bowl champs.
MSU wide receivers coach Terrence Samuel said Troup's comeback is a testament to his work ethic and commitment to the game and his teammates.
"I've never had anybody go through the things he's gone through and come back," Samuel said. "He's one of the seniors I really appreciate and it's a tribute to him really wanting to be a part of this team."
Troup has developed into an even better leader, earning a spot on the team's leadership council, and is known for being a vocal presence among MSU receivers.
"The players on the team respect him," Samuel said. "It makes it easy to coach when you've got other guys who are playing and coaching. It's great to have him."
Playing for Michigan State has also meant opportunity for Troup. Born in Minneapolis, Troup said playing in the Big Ten was a dream come true and a chance he took and ran with. He also earned a degree in advertising last May, an accomplishment he holds in high regard, and is working toward a minor in theater.
"I was fortunate enough to earn my degree last spring, which was a huge testament to this program for giving me a shot," Troup said. "I've played this game since a young age and always dreamed about playing in the Big Ten. The Spartan football program means family and opportunity, the opportunity to come here and live out my dream and earn a degree."
