It didn’t take Troy University wide receiver Sidney Davis long to make a strong first impression.

In his team’s first scrimmage of preseason camp Aug. 13, the former Natchez High School star darted across the middle to haul a pass, then spun away from pair of Trojan defenders and scampered 72 yards for a touchdown.

The sophomore wideout finished the scrimmaged with two grabs for 85 yards and the score.

“That was great, it was a great feeling,” Davis said. “I’ve been trying to make a lot of big plays so that was a big plus. I wanted to show the coaches what I can do.”

But Davis wasn’t the only former Bulldog turning heads at the Troy scrimmage.

From his safety post in the defensive secondary, junior Kris Weatherspoon delivered a slew of bone-crunching hits despite limited action.

“I’m a physical, smart safety,” Weatherspoon said. “I see things quickly, and I like to hit. I’m a physical safety, but I’ll also pick you off if I have to.”

Weatherspoon expects to start at one safety position, he said, which is the reason for his limited playing time in the scrimmage as the coaching staff wanted to take a closer look at younger players.

“I make the checks and calls and adjust the defense to different formations,” Weatherspoon said. “I just try to be a leader in the field.”

Davis and Weatherspoon took slightly different paths to get reacquainted on the Troy, Ala.-based campus. Weatherspoon spent the last two seasons at Hinds Community College, while Davis spent just one season at Southwest Mississippi Community College before inking with the Trojans in the summer.

The two are now roommates at Troy.

“I got excited when I found out he was coming here,” Weatherspoon said. “It makes me a lot more comfortable.”

Davis said there was a slight adjustment period going from the MACJC ranks to Division I football. But the 5-foot-11, 215 pounder said he is now fully acclimated to life at the FBS level.

“It kind of happened over time. I was making plays, but I wasn’t routinely making plays,” he said. “It wasn’t until I started making plays regularly that made me stand out and put me over the edge.”

The tandem is attempting to play key cogs in the rebuilding program under second-year coach Neal Brown. The Trojans went just 4-8 in their first season under Brown and haven’t had a winning record since the 2010 campaign, the last time the program made a bowl appearance.

Davis said he thinks that is going to change this year.

“We’re very talented all across the board,” he said. “We’ve got great quarterbacks, we’re very good at running backs, and the receivers, we’ve been making plays all fall camp.”

Weatherspoon echoed Davis’ sentiments, saying he thinks his squad can win the Sun Belt championship and reach a bowl game.

“Last year we had a bad year,” he said. “But we’ve improved in a lot of areas. We’re a lot better now.”

Troy opens the seasons Sept. 3 when it hosts Austin Peay.