GOVS-LIONS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following Austin Peay's 52-10 win over Lindenwood to close the first half of the 2023 season at Harlen C. Hunter Stadium in St. Charles, Missouri.

FROM THE TOP

• Austin Peay totaled 690 yards of total offense, which is the third-best mark in program history and the best single game with Scotty Walden at the helm.
• The Governors' 420 passing yards were also the fourth-best single-game mark in Austin Peay history and the most since Mike DiLiello passed for a program record 441 yards against ETSU, Sept. 16.
• On the Govs current three-game winning streak, they have outscored their opponents 137-33.

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• Captains Mike DiLiello, Trey Goodman, Tyler Long, and Kam Thomas took the coin toss for the Governors. Jalen Armstrong, Sam Howard, and Jau'Von Young served as alternate captains. Jeremiah Collins served as Austin Peay's honorary team captain. 
• Austin Peay lost the opening coin toss and Lindenwood deferred its option until the second half. Austin Peay elected to receive the opening kickoff.
• Austin Peay is 1-4 at the opening coin toss this season. 
• Austin Peay improves to 2-2 this season and 9-10 under Scotty Walden when losing the opening coin toss.
• Weather in St. Charles at kickoff: 87, clear, winds southeast at 8 miles per hour.

WALDEN; OR, LIFE AT AUSTIN PEAY

• Scotty Walden won his 20th game as the Governors head coach and is now tied with Rick Christophel for the fourth most wins by a head coach in program history.
• Walden is just the fifth coach in program history to win 20 games, doing so in 33 games.
• By winning 20 games in his first 33 contests, Walden ties legendary coach Dave Aaron as the fastest coach in program history to 20 Austin Peay wins.

SERIES UPDATE                                           

• Austin Peay won its first-ever meeting with Lindenwood and leads the all-time series 1-0.
• The Governors are 2-0 this season and 5-2 under Walden against first-time opponents.

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

• The Governors improved to 2-0 this season and 15-3 under Walden when leading at halftime.
• The Govs are now 2-0 this season and 16-3 under Walden when leading at the end of the third quarter.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• Austin Peay rushed for a season-high 270 yards while losing only one yard on the ground in the contest.
• The Governors racked up their 420 passing yards with 11 different receivers making a catch, however, no Gov had more than three receptions in the contest.
• Mike DiLiello threw for 349 yards and touchdowns, both marks are his second-best totals of the season.
• With 33 touchdown throws in his APSU career, DiLiello is now tied with Draylen Ellis for fourth in program history.
• DiLiello also moved past Jeremiah Oatsvall and ranks sixth in program history with 3,792 passing yards.
• With his 10th career rushing touchdown, DiLiello now ranks fifth in APSU history in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.
• Jevon Jackson carried the ball for 158 yards – not losing a single yard in the contest – and two touchdowns while averaging 6.9 yards per carry.
• Jackson is the first Governor to rush for 100-plus yards in back-to-back games since Ahmaad Tanner in the final game of the spring 2021 season and the first game of the fall 2021 season.
• With four rushing touchdowns this season, Jackson has already matched his total from the 2022 campaign.
• Kam Thomas led the Govs with 92 receiving yards and posted his first multi-TD game with two scores – both from 46 yards out.
• Trey Goodman caught his team-leading fourth touchdown of the season a 42-yard strike, three of his four touchdowns have been for 40-plus yards.
• Skyler Locklear came off the bench and went 3-for-4 for 59 yards and threw his first-career touchdown on a 46-yard strike to Kenny Odom.
• Tre Shackelford and MJ Singleton led the Govs with three receptions each, totaling 78 and 31 yards, respectively.
• DJ Carter recorded his first collegiate reception, making a 12-yard catch and run in the fourth quarter.
• Jake Johnson completed his first career pass for a 12-yard gain.
• Bryce Robinson also completed his first pass of the season.

DEFENSIVE STANDS                   

• Austin Peay recorded three interceptions – all in the first quarter – for its first three-pick game since Kennesaw State (11/12/22).
• The Governors held Lindenwood to just 202 passing yards, on their three-game winning streak, they are allowing opponents to pass for just 157.3 yards per game with just one passing touchdown.
• 28 Governors recorded a tackle in the contest.
• Austin Peay broke up seven passes and intercepted three passes for a total of 10 passes defended.
• The Govs have an interception in three-straight games and have multiple picks in back-to-back outings.
• With Hosea Knifeley Jr.'s strip-sack, which was recovered by Jaden Mckinney, the Govs have four turnovers gained for the first time since they played Kennesaw State (11/12/22).
• Jau'Von Young, Benji Johnson, and Michael Ruttlen Jr. all recorded the first interceptions of their Austin Peay career – it was the first collegiate interceptions for Young and Johnson.
• In addition to his strip sack, Knifeley Jr. added another sack in the third quarter for his first-career multi-sack performance.
• Garrett Hawkins led the Governors defense with a career-high nine tackles, including six solo stops.
• Tyler Long and Ruttlen Jr. ranked second and third on the team with six and five tackles, respectively, with both only recording solo stops.
• Jevon McIver Jr. added four tackles, his first tackle for loss as a Gov, and a team-leading two pass breakups.
• Xavier Smith totaled four tackles and KT Owens had two sacks with both recording their first-career sacks in the contest.

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

• Maddux Trujillo connected on a 28-yard field goal to improve to 4-for-4 this season and push his streak of games with a made field goal to four.
• Trujillo's 29th career made field goal makes his one made kick away from becoming the third Governor ever with 30 career made field goals.
• Trujillo is six field goals away from Stephen Stansell's program record of 35 career made field goals.
• Trujillo was also 7-for-7 on PATs and is tied for second in program history with 101 career PATs, he is 58 PATs away from Logan Birchfield's program record.
• Trujillo's seven made PATs are also tied for the sixth-best single-game total in APSU history.
• Riley Stephens punted four times for a career-high 43.8-yard average and a career-long punt of 52 yards, he also had a career-best two punts downed inside the 20-yard line.  
• Stephens also kicked off nine times for a 64.4-yard average with six touchbacks.
• Kam Thomas returned one punt for 40 yards and one kickoff for 14 yards to give him a team-leading 185 all-purpose yards in the contest.
• Jaden Barnes also returned one kickoff for 14 yards.

GOVS-LIONS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Scotty Walden

Opening Statement… "I am really proud of our team, talking big picture here, something we talked to them about last Sunday was showing maturity and growth, not only daily and weekly, but that should add up to yearly. Last year at this time, we won an emotional game against Eastern Kentucky, and then we went on the road at Central Arkansas and I did not have those guys ready to play. This year we were very on top, and I love our coaching staff, but more importantly, I love our players' approach to it. I really didn't have to say much this week, they kind of called it out in practice when things were slipping or our focus wasn't right, because Lindenwood is a good enough team to beat you. We knew if we didn't come to play, this could be a Central Arkansas thing like last year, that's kind of how we paralleled it."

On the first quarter… "We went back to focusing on finding our rhythm and finding our zone, we say that a lot in our offense. Just get the first first down and then everything kind of takes over, and I thought we did a great job of finding that first down and finding that rhythm, and then it was just guys making plays down the field. Kam Thomas, Tre Shackelford, Trey Goodman, you know [Mike] DiLiello was putting those balls on the money, but the key ingredient was the run game, we were getting vertical movement and could get our tempo established. Then our defense, with three takebacks and our offense capitalized on them, that was huge and we played true complimentary football. When our offense finds a rhythm, they are hard to stop, so we have just got to find that rhythm early and stay with it.

Austin Peay quarterback Mike DiLiello

On the quick start… "Coming out to start the game, we had a quick drive to get a quick lead and then the defense got three turnovers on the first four drives, that was huge for us. Capitalizing on those turnovers is something we preach all year long and it finally came to fruition this game, playing that complete complimentary football game that we always talk about. I've got to give hats off to the defense, they played a hell of a game and that's the reason why we scored as many points as we did tonight."

Austin Peay defensive lineman Jau'Von Young

On the defense's mentality… "I think we really preached this week about bringing that same edge we do every week. You know, last year we had a big emotional win similar to how we did last week at SFA, and then we came out flat. We really wanted to change things and show we were a mature football team and be able to respond and keep playing with the same type of intensity and edge that we had the weeks before. So, just to come out and get three picks, I think it really showed the growth of this team with how much of a title contender we can be, because of the maturity we all show."

On his first career interception… "With that being my first pick, I had come close a couple times, but it's a feeling like your first sack, first tackle for loss, or first something like that. You are happy to get it, but once you get it, you have to go to the next thing. It's the next play mentality."