GOVS-TEXANS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following Austin Peay's 27-17 loss to No. 8 Tarleton State in United Athletic Conference play on Homecoming at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee.

FROM THE TOP

• Austin Peay's defense recorded three interceptions for the first time since it intercepted three passes at Lidenwood (9/30/23).
• Austin Peay lost a game in the month of October for the first time since falling to Jacksonville State, 40-16, on Oct. 29, 2022.

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• Captains Garrett Hawkins, Chandler Kirton, and Harrison Wilkes took the coin toss for the Governors.
• Austin Peay won the coin toss and deferred its option until the second half. Tarleton State elected to receive the opening coin toss.
• The Governors improved to 5-3 at the opening coin toss this season.
• Austin Peay is 1-4 this season when it wins the opening coin toss.
• Weather in Clarksville at kickoff: 64 degrees, overcast, winds north at 12 mph.

SERIES UPDATE            

• Austin Peay falls to 0-1 all-time against Tarleton State.
• The Governors fall to 1-1 all-time against teams from the State of Texas.

UAC WINS

• Austin Peay falls to 8-3 all-time in United Athletic Conference contests.
• The Governors fall 3-2 all-time at home in UAC action.

ON HOMECOMING

• The Govs fall to 31-47-1 all-time in Homecoming games at Fortera Stadium.
• Austin Peay has still won five of their last eight Homecoming contests dating back to 2017.

DEFEND THE FORT

• Austin Peay now is 29-16 (.659) at Fortera Stadium since the start of the 2017 season.

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

• Austin Peay falls to 0-4 this season when trailing at halftime.
• The Governors fall to 0-4 this season when trailing at the end of the third quarter.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• Austin Smith went 21-of-38 for 258 yards; his 21 completions and 258 yards are both his second-best single-game totals this season. 
• Austin Smith's 38 passing attempts are a career-high.
• Austin Smith's 258 passing yards pushed him over the 1,000-yard mark for the season, he has passed for 1,209 yards in his first season as a Governor.
• La'Vell Wright returned to action and led the Governors with 13 carries for 25 yards and a two-yard touchdown run on a direct snap.
• Wright scored his team-best fourth rushing touchdown and leads the Govs with 416 rushing yards this season.  
• Jaden Barnes recorded five receptions for a team-best 113 yards.
• Barnes' season-high 113 receiving yards give him a team-leading 475 yards this season.
• Romon Copeland Jr. also rushed three times for five yards with a two-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep.
• Copeland Jr. had a team-leading seven receptions for 73 yards.
• Copeland Jr. scored his team-leading fifth touchdown of the season; he now has two rushing, two receiving, and one special teams touchdown.
• Alec Pell posted season highs with four receptions for 21 yards.

DEFENSIVE STANDS      

• Austin Peay's defense held Kayvon Britten – the FCS' leading rusher – to just 106 rushing yards, his lowest single-game total against an FCS team this season.
• The Governors held the Texans to 169 rushing yards, their lowest single-game mark against an FCS opponent this season.
• Jaden Lyles and Dorian Davis recorded 13 and 12 tackles, respectively, marking the first time multiple Govs have had double-digit tackles in a game since Xavier Smith (13), Sam Howard (12), and Tyler Long (11) against Chattanooga (11/25/23).
• Lyles' 13 tackles are the most by a Governor since he recorded 13 tackles against Southern Illinois (Sept. 7).
• Davis' 12 tackles are a season high and one shy of his career high, which he recorded during the 2023 season while playing at Towson.
• Bo Spearman totaled a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss, the best single-game mark by a Governor since Ellie Ellis Jr. had 3.0 TFLs at Central Arkansas (Sept. 14).
• Jesse Johnson III recorded his second interception of the season and returned it 53 yards before fumbling the ball, which was then recovered by Jaden Lyles, who added nine more yards onto the return.
• Defensive lineman Kendyle Ball also recorded his first interception on a pass batted down at the line of scrimmage by Jakari Patterson.
• Dion Hunter added nine tackles and half a tackle for loss; he has recorded at least six tackles in every game this season.
• Brodie Williams made his first career start on defense and recorded three tackles and half a tackle for loss.
• Hosea Knifeley Jr. and KT Owens each had a tackle for loss, while Garrett Hawkins added half a TFL.

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

• Carson Smith connected on a career-long 53-yard field goal, marking his second-straight game with a 50-plus-yard field goal.
• Smith's 53-yard field goal is the third-longest in program history, trailing only 55-yard field goals by Maddux Trujillo (10/29/22) and Brian Yarbrough (9/24/83).
• Smith is now 7-of-11 on field goals this season and is 2-of-3 on 50-plus yard attempts.
• Dominik Stadlman punted three times for a 39.7-yard average with a long kick of 44 yards.
• Copeland Jr. returned one kick for 22 yards.

GOVS-TEXANS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Jeff Faris

Opening Statement…  "No one is okay with the outcome, but I am proud of the players in our locker room and the way that they fight in all three phases and how much they love one another. Their effort is something to be proud of. We are going to correct those that cost us. We had an opportunity to win this game in the fourth quarter, and we did not. We are going to study the tape very, very closely to find out how we can give our guys a winning edge to finish this game. But this was a quality opponent; I have a ton of respect for Tarleton State, but I love our locker room, our guys, and what they stand for."

On today's outcome… "We are never disappointed when we give everything we have for our program; there is no reason to be disappointed and hang our heads. You know, if we came out there and didn't play hard, didn't fight, didn't have any pride in Austin Peay State University, then we should be disappointed, but our guys understand we are building this the right way. The trajectory is not always linear, and our guys have rallied in the second and third quarters of our seasons. At times, when you turn this tape on, it's the best we have played all year, and that's a credit to them for how they have worked when they didn't get the results they wanted in the first chapter of the season. So, we are going to continue to attack this. Obviously, we don't like the outcome, but we are process-driven, and these guys love this University and love one another, and they will come back to work tomorrow."

On Jaden Lyles… "He played the game exactly how you want it to be played. He plays so hard; there are games where he plays every snap. He is maybe our most coachable player. He's probably our best in so many ways; for our culture, he is exactly what we want to be. He does it every single day in practice; he is never happier than when he is with his teammates on the field. You know, when things get hard in that game in the fourth quarter, he has a big smile on his face, because he knows he is going to make the play or help make the play that is going to change the game and get us a win. I can't say enough good things about Jaden Lyles; I love the young man. He is everything that we want and more."

Austin Peay defensive back Jaden Lyles  

On his interception… "I think it was really big; I think it was a momentum changer. When Ro [Romon Copeland Jr.] threw his pick, it kind of changed the momentum to them, but when I got it back it switched it back over to us."

On the team moving forward… "I think for us, it is just the small things, the little things, and the details. We come back Monday, go through film, and we try to figure out all the little details and fix it for next week. What keeps us going is how close the team is. I think the team is really close, and we are out there playing for each other more than anything. That's what keeps us going each week."

Austin Peay wide receiver Romon Copeland Jr.  

On what can help the Govs take the next step… "We need to do the little things early on. We got caught in the penalty game, jumping offsides and not being disciplined. It's really on us; every game we play is really on us and how we go out there and execute. It's pretty much the little things that are going to get us over the hump, we are going to make plays, and we are going to continue to fight. We are a good football team, but taking care of the little things are going to make us a great football team."