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Austin Peay State University Athletics

Postgame Notes and Quotes: Govs at Stephen F. Austin

September 24, 2023

GOVS-LUMBERJACKS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following Austin Peay's 22-20 win over Stephen F. Austin to pick up its first United Athletic Conference victory at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches, Texas.

FROM THE TOP

  • Austin Peay won its first-ever game in the State of Texas and its first-ever game against a team from the Lone Star State.
  • Austin Peay's 13-point deficit overcome was its largest since a 17-point comeback win against Eastern Kentucky (9/24/22) on Homecoming at Fortera Stadium.
  • Jevon Jackson's 197-yard rushing night was the most yardage gained by a Govs back since Brian Snead's 227-yard performance against Tennessee State during the 2021 season.
  • Cedarius Doss' two interceptions make him the first Governors defender with a multi-pick game since Demetries Ford's two-pick game at Kennesaw State last season.

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

  • Captains Jalen Armstrong, Travis Bates, Mike DiLiello, and Chandler Kirton took the coin toss for the Governors. Sam Howard, Kam Thomas, and Jau'Von Young served as alternate captains. Jeremiah Collins served as Austin Peay's honorary team captain. 
  • Austin Peay won the coin toss and deferred until the second half. Stephen F. Austin elected to receive the opening kickoff.
  • Austin Peay is 1-3 at the opening coin toss this season. 
  • The Governors are 1-0 this season and 11-3 under Walden when winning the opening coin toss.
  • Weather in Nacogdoches at kickoff: 93, clear, winds southeast at 8 miles per hour.
  • Saturday's 93-degree kickoff is the warmest for the Governors since the start of the 2010 season.

SERIES UPDATE                                           

  • Austin Peay won its first-ever meeting with Stephen F. Austin and now leads the all-time series, 1-0.

CONFERENCE OPENERS                                           

  • Austin Peay won its first game as a member of the United Athletic Conference.
  • The Govs won a conference opener for the second consecutive season.
  • APSU also won its third-straight conference game after closing last season's Atlantic Sun race with back-to-back wins.  

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

  • Austin Peay improved to 1-2 this season and 3-7 under Scotty Walden when trailing at halftime.
  • The Governors also improved to 1-2 this season and 3-10 under Walden when trailing at the end of the third quarter.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

  • Jackson closed the game with 144 rushing yards and the game-tying touchdown on his final 13 carries.
  • Austin Peay improved to 10-1 under Walden when amassing 200 or more rushing yards.
  • Trey Goodman's 78-yard touchdown in the second quarter was the longest reception of his career, topping a 52-yard scoring grab at Tennessee (Sept. 9).
  • The 78-yard touchdown throw to Goodman was DiLiello's longest touchdown pass of the season but still trails an 84-yard pass to Jaden Barnes for the longest passing play of the season.
  • Goodman had four touchdown receptions during the 2022 season and has already hauled in a team-leading three touchdown catches in four games this season.
  • After seeing its defense record interceptions on back-to-back drives in the third quarter, the Austin Peay offense put together three drives that amassed 172 yards on 22 plays, resulting in a touchdown, a turnover on downs at the one-yard line (that led to an SFA safety), and a punt in SFA territory.
  • Austin Peay won despite being held to 87 passing yards. It is the Govs first win while being held to under 100 passing yards since a 28-17 victory against Eastern Illinois during the 2017 season in Clarksville.
  • The Govs failed to pass for 100 yards for the first time since a 71-yard passing outing against Eastern Kentucky in 2018.

DEFENSIVE STANDS                   

  • After SFA kicked a field goal with 3:41 left in the third quarter, building a 20-7 lead, they gained only 44 yards offense over their final five drives. The Govs defense recorded back-to-back interceptions, forced a punt, recorded a safety, and ended a drive on downs to close the game.
  • Doss' pick-six was the first by a Governor since Koby Perry and Isaiah Norman each had one at UT Martin in 2021.
  • Jevon McIver Jr. led the defense with a career-best 11 tackles and a forced fumble, it was his first double-digit tackle performance and makes him the fourth Gov with a 10-plus tackle game this season.
  • Tyler Long was third on the team with eight tackles and also had the game-securing pass breakup on SFA's final drive.  
  • Sam Howard was credited with 1.5 tackles for loss as part of his six-tackle night.
  • Michael Ruttlen Jr. also had a tackle for loss among his five tackles.
  • The safety was the first recorded by the Govs since scoring a safety at Jacksonville State during the 2012 season.
  • Austin Peay recorded an interception for the second game this season and improved to 16-6 under head coach Scotty Walden when picking off a pass.
  • The Govs saw their streak of games recovering a fumble end at three games. They have forced a turnover in all four games this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

  • A week after setting a program record with 123 punt return yards, Kam Thomas amassed 111 yards on four kickoff returns. He now has 322 combined kick return yards through four games this season.
  • Riley Stephens averaged 40 yards on his four punts, including a key 46-yard boot in the third quarter.

GOVS-LUMBERJACKS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Scotty Walden

Opening Statement… "I am just so proud of our team right now. It was a complete team victory. First of all, Stephen F. Austin is a great football team. I think we proved a lot of things to a lot of people tonight. We can win games in a multitude of ways and that is what this team is. When the defense is struggling, the offense can pick it up. When the offense is struggling like what it was tonight, the defense has the ability to pick it up and play in a big way. The pick six [by Cedarius Doss] and the kickoff return unit were both amazing. I thought we weren't great in short yardage; I have to do a better job at coming up with better plans for that to give our guys a chance. Stephen F. Austin has some massive human beings upfront on the defensive line and you have to give them credit, so you have to give them credit, they made some great plays. But I just love this team because I think a lot of people doubted our run game, and to run the ball for 230 yards tonight behind Jevon's 197 yards and Mike DiLiello pulling some. We weren't throwing the ball great tonight… it wasn't materializing, but Mike is gritty as all get out and found a way to win the game on his feet, and then [Jevon] and our offensive line, they came off the rock and we relied on him. What a heck of a performance by that kid and what a performance by our defense. We know we have a lot to clean up, but I am just so proud of this team."

On the win… "I do believe that teams can [win ugly], but a win is a win. All that matters is when they mark that tally mark in the win column. It wasn't clean. When you play a really good football team like Stephen F. Austin who were the WAC champions from last year. We were the ASUN champs and we had a chip on our shoulder and we wanted to show that the ASUN is the right side. There was a chip on our shoulder for a lot of reasons. I was a DIII coach in East Texas in 2014 and Coach Jourdan McNeil was my running back then and we played this same coaching staff back then. They put 98 points on us and put us on ESPN, so we got the last laugh tonight. We don't forget stuff. I am so proud of this team and the grit they played with. We played with fight, tenacity, and we wanted it and we felt like they were going to break, and they broke, and then we broke them."

On Doss' pick six… "It changed everything. Let me tell you something about Cedarius Doss. He's a senior corner from Tuskegee University, a Division II transfer to us as a walk-on. This kid, ever since he has come to our program, he has not worried about his playing time and hasn't worried about anything. He's proved and earned his way to that starting spot and that is what I love about this team. We do not have a team full of guys that expect handouts or want handouts. We have guys that want to earn it and it all starts with guys like him. For him to make that play, it brought tears to my eyes because I know how passionate he is about this game and I know his story. He is a first-class player and a first-class human being, and the play changed the whole complexity of the game."

Austin Peay running back Jevon Jackson…

On his increased workload… "There was a moment on the sideline where Mike [DiLiello] came up to me and told me 'we need you' and that was important for me to step up for the team and do what the team needed."

On his 24-yard touchdown run… "I got into space pretty quick, and I could not have done it without that front-five. They sprung me open, and once I got into the second level, I mean, it's just what I've been doing my whole life – I just have the make them miss and try to get into the endzone."

Austin Peay defensive back Cedarius Doss…

On tonight's performance… "First of all, I just want to thank God for blessing me and giving me these talents to go out and showcase what I can do. I also want to thank Coach Walden and everyone that has helped me on this journey and trusting me throughout the process to get to the point where I am right now… we talked about the game being complimentary football coming out of halftime. I told Coach Walden to put it on me and the rest of the defense. We went out there and executed our job. I told our defensive coaches that we can man these guys up and bring more pressure so the quarterback can't sit in the pocket, so we could challenge the wide receivers on the perimeter."

On being the catalyst for sparking the comeback … "We practice a lot of scenarios where we are down in practice, so it has really become second nature to us. We believe in our coaches, they believe in us, and we all believe in each other. When the defense is out there, the offense doesn't worry; and when the offense is out there, the defense doesn't worry either. We all know we'll handle our job. When we practice those scenarios, we get to fix the things we messed up, so that when it's game day, it's a like a no-brainer to us."

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