CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - In the past two decades-plus, one common theme permeated the Austin Peay State University football offices. Whether it was Emory Hale, Paul Brewster, Roy Gregory, Bill Schmitz or Carroll McCray...the head coaches bemoaned the fact they "didn't not have enough seniors."
That won't be the case in 2009. Austin Peay will begin report to camp Sunday with 26 seniors on its squad. APSU has not had as many as 20 seniors since the 1980 team saw 21 report to open practice.
"We have a lot of seniors, and while they may not all be starters, they fill a role on this football team," APSU coach Rick Christophel said. "Although we have a lot of seniors, we still are relatively a young football team if you look at our breakdown. We don't have a lot of juniors (12) but we have a lot of sophomores (15) and freshmen (33, including 2008 redshirts)."
Almost every senior has been with the Governors program since it returned to scholarship football in 2006. Fifteen of the original 24 signing class are still with the APSU program. The remainder of those 26 seniors came as walkons. (A 27th senior, Dusty Brady, is going to graduate Aug. 14 and recently told Christophel he was going to bypass his final season).
The senior class is the core for more than one reason-one, in particular, being the fact they are first recruiting class of APSU's return to scholarship football; secondly, they are the ones who helped usher the Governors back to the Ohio Valley Conference.
"They take pride in what has happened here," Christophel said. "I can't speak for their first year here, but in my three years here every time they have stepped on to the field they have left everything on the field-they have fought all the way to the end, no matter what the outcome has been. That is all we can ask of them.
"A lot of these seniors stayed around here this summer and worked out. I think that is how you build tradition, that is how you build your alumni support-kids who enjoyed themselves while they were here but also worked at it very hard. They certainly have worked very hard to garner the respect not only in this community but on this campus as well.
"I have to give kudos to Coach (Carroll) McCray for the type kids they recruited. Look at how many have stuck around, certainly playing time plays a part of it. But they are going to get their degrees and for the most part been successful and I would like to see them end their careers on a real positive note. I think it is important to them personally."
Two of the seniors, linebacker Daniel Becker and cornerback Kevis Buckley, along with junior kick returner Terrence Holt, earned preseason All-OVC honors. Three others seniors, defensive tackle Dee Peeler, linebacker Kit Hartsfield and safety Tremayne Townsend, also were recognized by Phil Steele's preseason publication.
When the Govs walk out for their first practice Monday afternoon, some 86 faces will be listening attentively to a position coach. The Governors return 53 lettermen, including 18 starters from last season's 2-9 team, a pothole in APSU's building program. In 2007-APSU's first season back in the OVC-the Govs were 7-4.
"The last two years in a way mirrored each other," Christophel said. "It is our goal to go into the fourth quarter with a chance to win the football game. Two years ago, we had those games where we won games in the fourth quarter with a play here or there, a kick or a punt.
"Last year, we didn't have those same plays or do the things we needed to do to win those games.
"We are going to approach things the same way this year-get into the fourth quarter with a chance to win and you do that mostly with your defense and kicking game. I hope with the experience and maturity we have, we can take advantage of that. Of course, most of the maturity we have is on the defensive side of the football."
Not many, if any, starting positions are open when camp opens-the first practice will be Monday afternoon, following physicals Sunday and meetings Monday morning. In fact, most of the battles will be occurring at reserve spots.
For instance, junior Trent Caffee will enter the fall camp as No. 1 quarterback but a battle still looms for the backup spot between junior T.C. Jennings, senior Gary Orr and redshirt freshman Jake Ryan. Orr opened 2008 as APSU's starting quarterback before a thumb injury ended it early. Jennings moved in as starter until Caffee took over against Tennessee Tech.
Christophel used the spring to reshape his staff, in particular, the defense. When immigration issues forced Granville Eastman to step away last fall, Christophel added former Tennessee Titan defensive back Dainon Sidney to coach the secondary. When Eastman's immigration issues cleared up, he returned after the season was over. Sidney again is coaching the secondary while Eastman, the Govs defensive coordinator, now handles the linebackers, while Ryan Taylor, the former football Govs, shifted to the defensive line. Graduate assistant Chad Creamer, who was a student assistant at Ohio State, is assisting Sidney.
On offense, assistant head coach Steven Haywood again is handling the line; Marcus Gildersleeve the wide receivers and Josh Roberts the running backs. In addition, former Navy star quarterback Craig Candeto will work with the Governors quarterbacks.
"I really like this staff," Christophel said. "All these guys have a real passion for it. We enjoy getting out there on the practice field and working with these kids. The game is just the culmination of what we do-the game is for the kids."
-AP-
