Troy is the preseason pick to win the Sun Belt Conference West Division title, but that doesn’t mean the Trojans enter the 2023 season without question marks.

Troy — which opens preseason camp on Wednesday morning — must replace 10 starters from last year’s Sun Belt championship team, which went 12-2 in Jon Sumrall’s first season as head coach. Sumrall got his message across quickly to a veteran team in 2022, and he’s hoping to do that again despite the loss of some program cornerstones and with more than 30 newcomers on their preseason roster.

RELATED: Troy picked to win Sun Belt West; places 8 on preseason all-conference team

“I think in Year 1 what we were able to do by establishing our core values and our daily standards that we live by, and really having those set in place and in concrete, our returning players were help able to help with the transition of the new guys in the roster, understanding how we do things,” Sumrall said. “In the recruitment process, I’m brutally honest. … So most of the guys that choose Troy choose it because they love football, and they understand they’re going to get coached to great detail.

“And so when our guys are transitioning in, they’ve usually heard the hard facts in the recruiting process. They haven’t heard a whole lot of just slick recruiting talk. That’s not how we recruit. And I don’t have that in me. I think it allows those guys to walk in the door and get to the reality of why they’re there very fast. Because I tell them that in my first conversation with a lot of them.”

Troy won with defense and the occasional explosive play on offense last season, and does return several key players from a year ago. Back to lead the defense are linemen T.J. Jackson, Buddha Jones and Richard Jibunor, along with pass-rush specialist Javon Solomon, cornerbacks Reddy Steward and O’Shai Fletcher and safety Dell Pettus.

But the losses were key, including defensive tackle Will Choloh, safeties Craig Slocum and TJ Harris and linebackers Carlton Martial and KJ Robertson. All those players were multi-year starters for the Trojans (with Martial the all-time leading tackler in FBS history), and will be replaced by less-experienced players this season.

Sumrall named several players he was counting on this year, some newcomers and some holders. Among them are linebackers Jordan Stringer and Terry Thomas, cornerbacks Caleb Ransaw and Don Callis and safeties Keyshawn Swanson and Irshaad Davis, the latter an Alabama State transfer who is the younger brother of former Auburn standout Carlton Davis.

“We’ve got more experience up front, but I also think we’ve got more proven experience in the back end,” Sumrall said. “… That group, the front and the back, they’ve got to provide the middle maybe with a little bit of time to grow and mature, but I think they will. And I also think that middle group … some of those guys have been in the program for a while now. Jordan Stringer and Terry Thomas played some snaps last year in Carlton’s absence (due to injury), so I don’t think it’s like completely starting over. But we are breaking in guys to be full-time, first-time starters, to replace KJ and Carlton.”

The Troy offense returns five full-time starters — quarterback Gunnar Watson, running back Kimani Vidal, right tackle Grant Betts and right guard Daniel King and tight end Clayton Ollendieck. Gone are top receivers Ra’Jae Johnson and Tez Johnson (who transferred to Colorado) and three-fifths of the offensive line — left guard Deandre Butler, left tackle Austin Stidham and center Jake Andrews, a third-round pick of the NFL’s New England Patriots.

Vidal and King were preseason all-conference picks, while program veterans Deshon Stoudemire and Jabre Barber (who was injured midway through last season) look to fill the void at receiver. The Trojans also brought in highly regarded Oklahoma State transfer Eli Russ, who is expected to start at center.

But the key to the offense is probably Watson, who has fended off challenges for his job each of the last two seasons. After playing his best football down the stretch in 2022, the senior from Butler, Ga., might be ready for a breakout this year, Sumrall said.

“He’s been through some of those battles and he’s been calloused with adversity and he’s always responded in a really first-class manner,” Sumrall said. “But since January he’s really shown an individual commitment to his own development in regards to nutrition, diet, weight room, running in the workouts. I’m proud of the growth he’s made there. And that also coupled with really the confidence that I think experience has created in him has helped him grow as a leader. … He’s kind of found his voice and confidence in addressing the group with more assertiveness. So I’m proud of his growth in both areas.”

Troy will not have the benefit of sneaking up on teams this year, as perhaps it did a year ago. The Trojans enter 2023 riding an 11-game winning streak, second-longest in the country behind defending national champion Georgia’s 16.

And the schedule does the Trojans no favors. After the Sept. 2 opener vs. FCS opponent Stephen F. Austin, Troy faces defending Big 12 champion Kansas State, Sun Belt East favorite James Madison and Conference USA power Western Kentucky in succession.

“I’ve reminded these guys … quite a bit that the 2023 version of Troy football is 0-0,” Sumrall said. “And we don’t have the most production returning in our league. We’re probably middle of the road there. So everything we get we will earn. Nothing will be given to us.”

Troy will practice each day Wednesday-Saturday before the first off day of camp on Sunday. Scrimmages are set for Aug. 12 and 19.