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Austin Peay State University Athletics

Postgame Notes and Quotes: Govs vs. Mississippi Valley State

September 10, 2022

GOVS-DELTA DEVILS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following Austin Peay's 41-0 win against Mississippi Valley State in nonconference action at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee.

FROM THE TOP

  • Austin Peay has played three-straight games in the rain to open the season, its longest stretch to open any campaign and ties the longest stretch in program history (2019).
  • The Governors won consecutive games played in the rain and eight of their last 10. They are 9-4 in such instances since 2018. 
  • The Governors have won four-straight games at Fortera Stadium by an average of 37 points and have averaged 48.5 points in those contests.
  • Austin Peay has won four-consecutive afternoon games by an average of 33.5 points and five of the last six by an average of 35.
  • The Governors have won four of their last five nonconference home games by an average of 41 points.
  • Austin Peay hosted and defeated a team from Mississippi for the first time since a 20-0 win over Delta State on Oct. 10, 1953.
  • The Governors improved to 2-1 all-time against teams from Mississippi in Clarksville.
  • Austin Peay improved to 3-3 all-time in games on Sept. 10 and won on this day for the first time since 2005, a 24-15 victory over Cumberland in Clarksville.
  • The Governors improved to 2-2 on this date in games played in Clarksville. 

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

  • Captains Trey Goodman, Josh Rudolph, Antoine Williams, and Jau'Von Young took the coin toss for the Governors. Ethan Caselberry. Mike DiLiello, Sam Howard, and Drae McCray served as alternate captains.
  • Austin Peay won the toss and deferred. Mississippi Valley State elected to receive the ball to start the game. 
  • Austin Peay won the coin toss for the second time this season and the 12th time in the Walden Era. The Govs are 2-0 this season and 7-5 under Walden when winning the opening coin toss.
  • Weather in Clarksville at kickoff: 75, overcast, winds south at 5 mph.

SERIES UPDATE                                           

  • Austin Peay leads the all-time series, 1-0, and is now 1-0 all-time against the Southwestern Athletic Conference. 

UNIFORMLY

  • Austin Peay improved to 3-0 in the Scotty Walden era when wearing red helmets, jerseys, and pants.
  • The Governors improve to 6-2 in the Scotty Walden era when wearing red helmets, 5-1 when donning red jerseys, and 4-3 when wearing red pants. They have won two-straight games in all instances.

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

  • The Governors improved to 2-0 this season when leading at the end of the first quarter.
  • Austin Peay improved to 2-0 this season and 10-3 under Scotty Walden when leading at halftime.
  • The Governors are also 2-0 this season and 10-3 under Scotty Walden when leading at the end of the third quarter.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

  • Mike DiLiello found James Burns for a 56-yard touchdown pass on the second play from scrimmage, marking the second-straight game with an opening-possession touchdown for Austin Peay. 
  • The Governors tallied an opening-possession score for the third-straight home game.
  • The Governors scored 21 points in the first quarter for the second-consecutive game. 
  • Austin Peay has scored 104 unanswered points.
  • One hundred thirty-five of the last 142 points scored at Fortera Stadium have been by Austin Peay.
  • The Governors scored a touchdown on five of their first seven drives.
  • Austin Peay scored on seven of the first nine drives.
  • In the first half, Austin Peay outgained Mississippi Valley State 408-51 in total offense, including 307-34 through the air.
  • In the first half, Mike DiLiello completed 17-of-21 passes for 307 yards and five TDs.
  • Mike DiLiello posted a school-record five passing touchdowns in a half.
  • Austin Peay's 408 yards of total offense in the first half were the second most in a half in the FCS this season.
  • Mike DiLiello's 307 passing yards and five passing TDs in the first half are the most in a half in the FCS this season.
  • Drae McCray caught six passes for 115 yards and two scores in the first half, his second-consecutive 100-yard game. 
  • Drae McCray's 115 receiving yards were a season-high in the first half alone.
  • Drae McCray posted his first back-to-back 100-yard receiving performances and is the first Austin Peay player to break the century mark in consecutive games since DeAngelo Wilson on March 21 and 28, 2021, against UT Martin (107) and Jacksonville State (118). 
  • Drae McCray caught a career-high 10 passes for 158 yards, the second most in his career.
  • Drae McCray's 10 catches tied for ninth most in a game in program history.
  • Drae McCray tallied his fourth-career 100-yard receiving game, all coming in the last six games. 
  • The Governors are 4-0 when Drae McCray breaks the century mark in receiving yards.
  • Mike DiLiello ended 25-of-33 through the air for 383 yards and five touchdowns, all career-highs.
  • Mike DiLiello's 383 passing yards are the third most in a game in school history.
  • Mike DiLiello's 25 completions are tied for seventh most in a game in program history.
  • Mike DiLiello's 25 completions are the most since Jake Ryan's 27 (27-of-38) against Tennessee Tech on Nov. 17, 2012.
  • Mike DiLiello's 383 passing yards are fifth most in the FCS this season.
  • Mike DiLiello's five passing touchdowns tied for second most in a game in program history.
  • Mike DiLiello's five passing touchdowns tied for third most in the FCS this season.
  • Mike DiLiello recorded a career-high 75.8 completion percentage.
  • Mike DiLiello is the first Austin Peay quarterback to have two games north of 70-percent completion percentage in a season since JaVaughn Craig in 2019.
  • Mike DiLiello's 11 touchdown passes this season lead the FCS.
  • Austin Peay outgained Mississippi Valley State 512-121 in total offense, including 383-50 through the air. 
  • Trey Goodman caught his third touchdown of the season and found the endzone in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. 
  • James Burns caught a touchdown in a second-straight game for the first time in his collegiate career.
  • Kellen Stewart caught a nine-yard touchdown for his first-career score. 

DEFENSIVE STANDS                   

  • Austin Peay forced a three-and-out on the first two Mississippi Valley State possessions.
  • The Delta Devils completed only four of their first 17 passes, with 11-straight incompletions to end the streak.
  • Kam Ruffin recorded his third-career interception with 2:39 left in the first quarter.
  • Austin Peay has recorded at least one pick in eight of its last nine games.
  • The Delta Devils converted just 18.8 percent (3-of-16) on third down.
  • Ethan Caselberry notched his third-career interception and his first as a Governor on the first play of the second quarter.
  • Austin Peay's defense allowed Mississippi Valley State to cross midfield on only two of 13 drives.
  • The Governors have not allowed a point in eight-straight quarters. They have not allowed a point in nine of the last 10, 10 of the last 12, and 11 of the last 13.
  • Austin Peay has not allowed a point in 123:17 of clock time.
  • Saturday marked the sixth-consecutive game not allowing a third-quarter point.
  • Austin Peay posted consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1964 when blanking Tennessee Tech (29-0; Nov. 14, 1964) and UT Martin (35-0; Nov. 21, 1964). 
  • The Governors are two shy of a program-record four-consecutive shutouts, a streak that took place during the final three games of the 1946 season and the first game of the 1947 season.
  • Austin Peay allowed just 121 yards of total offense, the seventh-fewest in a FCS game this season.
  • The Governors surrendered just 50 yards passing, the fourth fewest in a FCS game this season.
  • Austin Peay allowed only eight completed passes, which tied for fifth fewest in the FCS this season.
  • Jau'Von Young tallied 1.5 tackles for loss, Kam Ruffin and Kwame Sutton each had 1.0, and Antoine Williams, Chukwuemeka Manning Jr., and Darryl Rogan each had 0.5.
  • Demetries Ford had a career-high four pass breakups.

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

  • Maddux Trujillo's 36-yard field goal four minutes into the second quarter made the score 24-0. He has made at least one field goal in 10 of his first 11 games with the Governors.
  • Maddux Trujillo connected on both field goal attempts Saturday, the first coming from 36 yards out and the second 30. Both came in the second quarter. 
  • After not seeing the field last week in the Governors' 63-0 win over Presbyterian, Matt Rigney averaged 45.2 yards per punt on five punts, with four being downed inside the 20 and a long of 51.
  • Riley Stephens averaged 61.5 yards and recorded three touchbacks on eight kickoff attempts.

GOVS-DELTA DEVILS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Scotty Walden

Opening statement… "I am obviously really excited about the win. I'm very proud of this football team, proud of our preparation. I think what you're seeing on the field is a culmination of the physical practices that we have. We believe if you practice fast and physical that you play fast and physical, and that's what you're seeing on both sides of the ball right now."

On the offense… "We had over 500 yards of offense tonight. Mike was 25-of-33 for five touchdowns, and 383 (passing) yards. We've got like 18 offensive linemen on scholarship. It's the deepest o-line that I've ever had. We really wanted to get the (second) o-line reps in the third quarter. I pulled (Mike) a little earlier than I liked to, but we needed to get other guys reps. He probably breaks the school record for passing touchdowns and whatever else if I leave him in because he's been on point."

On the offensive performance in the first half… "I thought they were electric. We got in that rhythm and that flow. That's what this game is all about, especially offensively. I thought that we made some explosive plays down the field. That was fun to watch us run by guys because they have an athletic secondary. To see Trey Goodman get loose, to see Drae McCray get loose, we had four different receivers catch touchdowns. Kellen Stewart, who's a guy I've been really high on, he finally got in there. He's a speed demon. James Burns, early in the game, made a huge play. I thought we were in rhythm and in sync."

Austin Peay quarterback Mike DiLiello

On keeping up the momentum… "Our game plan has been pretty simple for the past two weeks. Coach Walden has really emphasized taking what the defense has given us. Just going through my reads, going through my progressions. First progression, second progression, if it's not there, coach wants me to take off and run. Getting comfortable with seeing things on the field, trusting these guys to make good coaches for me, and trusting the o-line up front."

On Drae McCray… "It's definitely awesome having him out there. We're starting to really understand each other. We're really almost reading each other's minds. We're seeing coverages the same way. That's when things are starting to get really dangerous."

Austin Peay wide receiver Drae McCray

On Mike DiLiello… "(We) have a great connection. I think it starts off the field though. Before he even got here, we started a friendship that has helped us on the field. Mike is a great guy, so it's easy to work with somebody like that."

On Mississippi Valley State running two deep safeties and playing zone defense… "They showed that last week, and we saw that look all week during practice. Our developmental squad does a great job of giving us looks. I think anytime we can have a chance to have a big day on offense, it's just where's it going to come from? Is it going to be the run or the pass? This week, it just so happened to be the pass."

Austin Peay defensive back Kam Ruffin

On the team's defensive mindset… "We want to dominate every team we play. We want to put it in people's minds that it's not going to be easy to score on us, wherever you are on the field, even if you're at the one. You're going to have to put in 110 percent to put that ball in the endzone."

On the game plan against Mississippi Valley State… "We knew they were going to run the ball. We're big on stopping the run. People think they can run the ball on us because we (only) have three defensive linemen, and we don't really pack the box as much. Our heart and soul is stopping the run. That's what we're going to continue to do."

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