GOVS-OWLS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following Austin Peay's 31-14 ASUN Conference win over Kennesaw State at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia.

FROM THE TOP

• Austin Peay secured its second-straight season and the fourth season since 2017 with a winning season. 
• The Governors also locked up a winning record in the inaugural season of ASUN Conference football.
• The Govs improved to 3-0 against first-time opponents this season. 

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• Captains Trey Goodman, Sam Howard, CJ Evans Jr., and Kam Thomas took the coin toss for Austin Peay. Jau'Von Young, Josh Rudolph, Drae McCray, and Ethan Caselberry served as alternate captains for the Governors.
• Austin Peay won the toss and deferred until the second half. Kennesaw State elected to receive the opening kickoff. 
• Austin Peay is 5-4 at the opening coin toss this season.
• The Govs improved to 6-4 this season and 13-14 under Walden when they win the opening toss.
• Weather in Kennesaw at kickoff: 63, overcast, winds west at 10 mph. 

SERIES UPDATE                                           

• Austin Peay improved to 1-0 all-time against Kennesaw State.
• Austin Peay has won its last two games in the state of Georgia. 

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

• The Governors improved to 1-1 this season and 2-2 under Walden when tied at halftime.
• The Govs also improved to 6-0 this season and 14-3 under Walden when leading after three quarters.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• Austin Peay rushed for 200 yards and passed for 204 yards, it is the fourth time this season it has had 200-plus yards on the ground and through the air.
• Jevon Jackon led the Govs with 10 carries for 79 yards – all in the second half – and two touchdowns, it was his first-career multi-touchdown game.
• Josh Samuel rushed for 64 yards; he has run for 60-plus yards in back-to-back games for the first time this season. 
• Samuel also broke a 40-yard run, his longest of the season.  
• Kellen Stewart's first-career rush was a 19-yard reverse for a touchdown. 
• Mike DiLiello ran for his 8th touchdown of the season, which is the fourth-most rushing scores by a quarterback in a season in program history. 
• DeLillo's 445 rushing yards this season are the eighth-best rushing mark by a QB in program history.
• DiLiello also passed for 204 yards and his 2,300 passing yards this season are the fifth-best single-season total in APSU history. 
• Drae McCray matched his career-high with 10 receptions.
• McCray recorded 95 receiving yards against the Owls and is now 71 yards away from becoming the fourth 1,000-yard receiver in program history.
• McCray's 64 receptions this season are tied for the seventh-best single-season mark in APSU history. 

DEFENSIVE STANDS                   

• Austin Peay's defense limited Kennesaw State quarterback Xavier Shepherd to 3-of-9 passing with three interceptions and no touchdowns.
• The Governors also limited Kennesaw State's triple-option rushing attack to just 158 yards, which is a season-low for the Owls against FCS opponents. 
• The Governors had five turnovers gained, it was their first five-takeaway game since they had six interceptions against Eastern Illinois (11/6/21).
• Demetries Ford recorded his second and third interceptions of the season, it was his first-career multi-interception game. 
• Ford is the first Gov with two interceptions in a game since Shamari Simmons had two picks against Tennessee Tech (11/20/21).
• Ford now has 18 passes defended this season, which is the second-best season in program history behind Corey Phillips' 19 passes defended in 2002.
• Ford also added three tackles and a 45-yard return on the second pick. 
• Simmons posted a career-high 12 tackles with eight solo stops, a tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery. It was his second-straight week with double-digit tackles.
• Kory Chapman and Antoine Williams added nine and eight tackles, respectively. 
• Jau'Von Young matched his career-high with six tackles and posted a career-best three tackles for loss. 
• Ethan Casselberry recorded four tackles, a tackle for loss, and his third interception of the season. 

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

• Maddux Trujillo connected on a 39-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, his 11 made field goals are tied with Brian Yarbrough for the fifth-best single season in Austin Peay history. 
• Trujillo was 4-for-4 on PATs, his 44 made PATs this season are the second-best single-season total in program history – behind Logan Burchfield's 67 PATs in 2019.
• Riley Stephens kicked off six times and posted a 59.8-yard average with two touchbacks. 
• Stephens also recorded his third tackle of the season and his first career forced fumble.
• Matt Rigney punted three times and posted a 39-yard average.

GOVS-OWLS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Scotty Walden

Opening statement… "We are a playoff team. I know with all my heart and soul, we are a freaking playoff team. They just tell us where to go, you tell us to go to Maine, Vermont, or wherever the heck you want. The Govs are going to show up man, anyone anytime. It doesn't matter, but I know it's up to higher powers at be, but you know, we really believe in our football team. We believe in our program. Pick us fifth, pick us sixth all you want preseason, we just knocked off the preseason number one team in this conference, and keep doubting us, because we like earning everything."

On the slow start… "We did a great job overcoming it. And here is the deal, we had kind of prepared our team all week about these guys' style of play and then we made It real clear that every time we are on offense we need to capitalize on possessions because we don't know how many we are going to get and I thought we did a great job on the sideline of making a concerted effort of if the defense was on a long drive, the offense is warming up on the side, we are not sitting on the bench. I thought little things like that went a long way and then we always talk about process over result."

Austin Peay defensive back Demetries Ford 

On the Govs defense… "We knew initially we had a great game plan coming in, but just starting off, we started off a little slow and just didn't really have our head. So, we were making penalties and hurting ourselves, but we knew that our game plan was good and to just trust our game plan. Trust our keys. And then with the interceptions and the turnovers, that just came from us playing the way we know how to play. Shamari Simmons had a great fumble recovery. I had the two interceptions and Ethan Caselberry also had a pick. The defense was relentless and just played with a lot of energy and effort."

Austin Peay running back Jevon Jackson 

On his performance… "In this offense, as a running back, you have got to wait for your opportunities. I feel like when I have my opportunities, I got out there and I did what I had to do. I couldn't have done it without my o-line because they moved the pile for me and they kept me pushing, and we had to do what we had to do to get this win."