NFF National Scholar-Athletes
OL – Troy University
3.92 GPA – Biomedical Sciences
Head Coach: Jon Sumrall | Athletics Director: Brent Jones
Faculty Athletics Representative: Dr. Fred Green
The first Troy football student-athlete to earn Academic All-America honors, Austin Stidham has already earned his degree with a 3.92 GPA while blocking for one of the top passing offenses in the Sun Belt. The Russellville, Alabama, native becomes the Trojans' second NFF National Scholar-Athlete.
After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in biology/biomedical sciences in the summer of 2021, Stidham currently maintains a 4.0 GPA in pursuit of a master's in education. He is on track to graduate with the mater's degree in Spring 2023 with the goal of becoming a teacher. The two-time Second Team Academic All-American is just the fifth Trojan athlete across all sports to twice earn Academic All-America recognition. He has been named to the Sun Belt Commissioner's List as well as the Troy Chancellor and Provost's lists during his career.
This season, Stidham has helped block for the Sun Belt's second-best passing offense averaging 290.9 yards through the air per game. The Trojans are bowl eligible with a 6-2 overall record and they sit atop the Sun Belt West Division standings with a 4-1 mark in conference play. A game captain, Stidham has started in 56 career games at Troy.
A three-time All-Sun Belt selection, Stidham earned First Team honors in 2020 and 2021 after receiving Honorable Mention honors in 2019. In 2021, he finished third in the league among tackles with a 77.1 pass blocking grade per Pro Football Focus. In 2020, Stidham anchored an offensive line that ranked second nationally per PFF with a 93.0 pass blocking efficiency rating. In 2019, he helped pave the way for an offense that topped the 500-yard mark in total offense on six different occasions to tie the program's DI record. In 2018, Stidham led Troy to a 10-3 record and a win in the Dollar General Bowl.
Active in the football team's community service efforts, Stidham has also participated in school visits and the Common Ground initiative. He got married during Troy's bye week in 2021.
