GOVS-RUNNIN' BULLDOGS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following Austin Peay's 41-14 win over Gardner-Webb to close out nonconference play at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee.

FROM THE TOP

• Austin Peay remained unbeaten at home this season behind quarterback Mike DiLiello's 372 passing yards and two touchdowns, in addition to running back Jevon Jackson's 108 yards on the ground.
• The Governors earned the 27-point victory in front of a crowd of 7,502 fans, marking the fifth-straight game with an attendance of over 7,000, and the third-straight with more than 7,500.
• On the Govs' current four-game winning streak, they have combined to outscore 178-47.
• With its win over Gardner-Webb, Austin Peay has defeated the reigning Big South Conference Champions and the reigning Western Athletic Conference champions Stephen F. Austin this season.

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• Captains Mike DiLiello, Khatib Lyles, Brennan Smith, and Michael Ruttlen Jr. took the coin toss for the Governors. Jau'Von Young, Sam Howard, Kam Thomas, and Jalen Armstrong served as alternate captains. Jeremiah Collins served as Austin Peay's honorary team captain.
• Austin Peay lost the opening coin toss and deferred its option until the second half. Austin Peay elected to receive the opening kickoff. The Governors selected to defend the north endzone.
• Austin Peay is 1-5 at the opening coin toss this season.
• Austin Peay improved to 3-2 this season and 10-10 under head coach Scotty Walden when losing the coin toss.

WALDEN; OR, LIFE AT AUSTIN PEAY

• With the win, Scotty Walden passed Rick Christophel for sole possession of fourth place in wins at the helm of the APSU football program.

SERIES UPDATE                                           

• Austin Peay picked up its first -ever win against Gardner-Webb, improving to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in Clarksville in series history.

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

• The Governors are 3-0 this season and 16-3 under Scotty Walden when leading at half. They also are 3-0 and 17-3 under Walden when leading at the start of the fourth quarter.
• Austin Peay's 179 points in its last four games are the most in a four-game stretch in program history, surpassing the previous record of 166 held by the 2019 program.
• Austin Peay now is 4-1 overall and 4-0 against FCS opponents when coming off a bye week.
• Austin Peay improved to 3-5 under Walden in the month of October, and picked up its first win in the 10th month since a 52-17 victory against Murray State in Clarksville last season.
• The Governors improved to 2-0 under Walden when wearing black helmets, red jerseys, and black pants.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• Mike DiLiello's 372 yards through the air are the sixth-most in program history. He now has three of the top six passing games in program history.
• With his performance through the air, DiLiello became the first Austin Peay quarterback with six 300-yard passing games in program history, surpassing the previous record held by Brian Baker.
• DiLiello completed his 13th-straight pass, a streak that began in the third quarter in the Govs' most recent game against Lindenwood, on his 12th attempt of the game.
• With 108 yards on the ground, Jevon Jackson became the first Austin Peay running back with 100-plus rushing yards in three-straight games since Ryan White in 2011.
• The Governors did not allow a sack for the second-straight game.
• Eight of DiLiello's 14 touchdowns this season have gone to different receivers.
• Tre Shackelford and Trey Goodman became the first Austin Peay wide receiver duo to both have 100 receiving yards since Drae McCray and James Burns against Murray State last season.
• Shackelford and Goodman became the second and third wide receivers with 100-yards through the air, joining Jaden Barnes who eclipsed the mark against East Tennessee, Sept. 16.
• Shackelford's 126 receiving yards are the most by an APSU wideout this season, surpassing Barnes' previous total of 121 against ETSU.
• The Governors had two 100-yard receivers and a 100-yard rusher for the first time since Kevin Carter (110) and Lanis Frederick (124) had over 100 through the air and Chris Fletcher had 115 on the ground against Davidson, Sept. 23, 2006.

DEFENSIVE STANDS                   

• The Governors' defense has allowed just 47 points in the last four games, the fewest in a four-game span since allowing 44, Nov. 9-30, 2019.
• Kory Chapman tallied his fourth-career interception and returned it 26 yards for his first touchdown to put Austin Peay up 21-7 with 10:28 remaining in the third quarter.
• Chapman's touchdown was the second pick-six of the season, and the first since Cedarius Doss' 20-yard interception return against Stephen F. Austin, Sept. 23.
• Chapman's two tackles for loss match his career-high which he set twice last season, most recently against Jacksonville State, Oct. 29.
• Austin Peay has eight interceptions in its last four games, and now has 12 turnovers gained this season.
• Jaden Lyles intercepted his first-career pass late with 4:43 remaining in the fourth quarter. He is the sixth Governor with an interception this season.
• The Govs' two interceptions marks the third-straight game with at least two picks this season, a streak that began with a pair of picks at Stephen F. Austin, Sept. 23.
• Jau'Von Young had a career-best 1.5 sacks. It marked his 16th-career game with a tackle for loss.
• Tyler Long had his second double-digit tackle performance with a team best 10 tackles against Gardner-Webb.
• In 34 games under Walden, Austin Peay has had 67 turnovers gained with 47 interceptions and 20 fumble recoveries. The Govs have recorded an interception in 24-of-34 games and have a turnover gained in 31-of-34. The Govs entered the game with 10 turnovers gained, which was 22nd in the FCS and third in the United Athletic Conference.

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

• Maddux Trujillo made his fifth and sixth-straight field goal of the season in the second quarter. He then had a streak of six-straight made field goals come to an end midway through the fourth quarter.
• Riley Stephens had four punts for 177 yards for a 44.3 yard average. He has averaged at least 40 yards per punt in all five games he has punted in this season.
• Stephens also added a career-long 56-yard punt in the second quarter.

GOVS-LIONS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Scotty Walden

Opening statement… "I am so proud of our program. I feel like we are a complete team win. We came in at half time and made some halftime adjustments. Gardner Webb is a good football team. They are a playoff team, they went to the postseason last season, and we're trying to be where they are at. I think one thing that is getting overlooked is that we have beat the reigning WAC champions and the Bid South champions now. We are just trying to earn respect now. We feel like we have not garnered the respect we deserve. That is something that is out of our hands, other than us just taking care of our job. We just have to worry about what we are doing every single day. I think this game was another statement of where we are at as a program, and I certainly am just proud. If you look at the culmination of this season, I am just very proud from game one to right now of where we are at. We have absolutely taken ownership of every detail of our program. Our kids came to work on the 'Opportunity Week' and did an amazing job of working hard. Yeah, we gave them some rest during it, but they all came to work when they needed to and I could not be more proud of them

On coming out of the Opportunity Week… "One thing that I do as a head coach, especially since I am a young head coach and am still learning every day, but I like to keep a tab of things that I like and don't like from a program standpoint… through that, we found a formula that I like and that we stick to wholeheartedly… heading into this opportunity week I looked at what we had done in the past and made adjustments that needed to be made like what days to give guy off, when to have them lift, and other things to just make the whole week better. I think our guys took full advantage of the week. We were a little banged up after the Lindenwood game and they just did a good job of taking are of their body and taking care of themselves in an elite way and it showed tonight with how fast and physical we played. We also just played to our full ability."

Austin Peay quarterback Mike DiLiello

On his passing game… " It starts with the guys up front. I feel like we protected better than we have all year, I mean, they had a phenomenal defensive line. They were long and were good pass rushers and we handled it very well up front. We had a great game plan. Coach Walden did a phenomenal job, but those guys on the front five did a great job as well. We just walked in here and Casey told me I had 300 yards and I didn't even know. The first thing out of my mouth and his mouth was it's really easy when those guys that receive are getting wide open for you. We scheme a lot of things up for certain guys to get certain picks and certain guys to get open and it's their job to do the rest when they get the football and they did a phenomenal job with that tonight."

Austin Peay defensive back Kory Chapman

On his pick six… "They were running the same play on third down and I jump it but I wasn't getting my hands on the ball so I kind of disguised it different because I knew where they were going with it so I dropped down and baited him and when he threw it, it was over, it was already seen."