GOVS-THUNDERBIRDS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following No. 22 Austin Peay's 33-17 loss to Southern Utah in United Athletic Conference action at Eccles Coliseum in Cedar City, Utah.

FROM THE TOP

• Austin Peay totaled 312 yards of total offense with 178 passing yards and 134 rushing yards.
• Kahlil Tate led the Austin Peay defense with a career-best 11 tackles.
• Carson Smith connected on a season-long 48-yard field goal.

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• Captains Jackson Head, Chandler Kirton, and Chris Parson took the coin toss for the Governors. Javious Bond, Davion Blackwell, and Myles Wiley also served as captains for Austin Peay.
• Austin Peay won the coin toss and deferred its option until the second half. Southern Utah elected to receive the opening kickoff.
• Austin Peay is 4-5 at the opening coin toss this season and 11-10 under head coach Jeff Faris.
• The Governors are 3-1 this season and 4-7 under Faris when they win the opening coin toss.
• Weather in Cedar City at kickoff: 66 degrees, clear skies, no wind.

SERIES UPDATE            

• Austin Peay falls to 1-2 all-time and 1-1 in Cedar City against Southern Utah.

RANKED GOVS

• Austin Peay drops to 22-17 all-time and 8-14 on the road when nationally ranked.
• The Governors fall to 4-3 overall and 0-3 on the road when nationally ranked under head coach Jeff Faris.

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

• Austin Peay drops to 0-3 this season and 0-6 under Faris when trailing at halftime.
• The Governors fall to 0-3 this season and 0-9 under Faris when trailing after the third quarter.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• Quarterback Chris Parson was 15-of-27 for 178 yards and two touchdowns; he is now tied with Brian Baker (2001) for the eighth-best single-season mark in program history with 16 passing touchdowns.
• Parson eclipsed the 2,000-yard passing mark for the season and now has the eighth-best single-season total in program history with 2,144 passing yards.
• Parson also is tied with Jeremiah Oatsvall (2018) for the fourth-best single-season total with 26 touchdowns responsible for.
• Parson led the Govs' offense with 66 rushing yards on 16 carries, while Courtland Simmons led the Govs' running backs with eight carries for 26 yards.
• Jaden Robinson caught his sixth touchdown of the season and is tied with Shemar Kirk for the team lead in receiving touchdowns.
• Freshman Kamari Maxwell scored his first collegiate touchdown on an eight-yard reception.

DEFENSIVE STANDS      

• Tate's 11 tackles are tied for the second-best single-game total by a Governor this season.
• Montreze Smith Jr. also added 10 tackles – his second-straight double-digit tackle outing – with 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack.
• Davion Hood also recorded a sack and has a tackle for loss in all nine games this season.
• Jake Stonebraker recorded a career-best eight tackles and a sack – his second of the season.
• Chase Allen and Jaycob Neely each added a tackle for loss.
• Deandre Creary and Antori Hamilton each tallied a pass breakup.

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

• With his season-long 48-yard field goal, Carson Smith is tied with Steve Munnell (1990-93) and Brian Yarbrough (1982-85) for sixth in APSU history with 21-career made field goals.
• Smith also kicked off four times for a 62.8-yard average with three touchbacks.
• Logan Leftrick punted three times for a 43.0-yard average with one punt downed inside the 20-yard line and a long punt of 47 yards.

• Javious Bond returned one kick for 16 yards.

GOVS-THUNDERBIRDS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Jeff Faris

Opening statement… "You've got to give Southern Utah all credit. They played well, and they're a good football team. We have a lot to learn from this game; we did not play our best ball in either phase. We just have to learn, we have to continue to work, and we've got a lot to play for these last three weeks. We've got to have a great week of practice, and we've got another great opportunity at home against a good Central Arkansas team."

On Southern Utah's defense... "I think their defense does a tremendous job of limiting explosive plays, which they did today. At the end of the day, I've got to give them credit, as they deserve, but there are a lot of times we shot ourselves in the foot tonight, and I think it's going to hurt when we watch this film, because I think we're better than we played today. But at the end of the day, they beat us."

On slowing down Southern Utah's rushing attack… "It's tough. I thought in the first half, as much success as they had offensively, we limited them to 44 rushing yards. Dye gets stronger as the game goes, and he's a heck of a back, and he's a tremendous challenge. And that's not just him, but it's their offensive line that does a great job. They've got a great team, and they're well coached."