GOVS-TRAILBLAZERS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following No. 23 Austin Peay's 42-10 win over Utah Tech in its 2025 United Athletic Conference home opener at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee.

FROM THE TOP

• Austin Peay's 42 points against Utah Tech are the most it has scored in a United Athletic Conference game under head coach Jeff Faris.
• The Governors won their first conference game at home since beating No. 20 Central Arkansas, 14-12 (11/18/23), to clinch the 2023 UAC Championship.
• Austin Peay held Utah Tech's defense, which ranked fifth in the FCS and led the UAC in sacks (3.25 per game), to a single sack.
• Austin Peay's defense also held Utah Tech to just 94 rushing yards; the Govs' defense has held three-straight opponents under 100 yards on the ground and has only allowed 100-plus rushing yards in a game when it played at No. 3 Georgia.

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• Captains Jackson Head, Chandler Kirton, Chris Parson, and Myles Wiley took the coin toss for the Governors. Javious Bond and Davion Blackwell also served as captains for Austin Peay.
• Austin Peay won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.
• Austin Peay is 2-3 at the opening coin toss this season and 9-8 under head coach Jeff Faris.
• Austin Peay is 2-0 this season and 3-6 under Faris when it wins the opening coin toss.
• Weather in Clarksville at kickoff: 80 degrees, fair skies, winds north at 8 mph.

SERIES UPDATE            

• Austin Peay improved to 3-0 all-time and 2-0 in Clarksville against Utah Tech.
• The Governors improved to 4-1 against teams from Utah and 2-1 against teams from Utah in Clarksville.

RANKED GOVS

• The Governors are 20-16 all-time and 12-3 at home when ranked.
• Austin Peay is 2-1 when ranked under head coach Jeff Faris.

DEFEND THE FORT

• Austin Peay improved to 31-14 at Fortera Stadium since 2017, 2-0 this season, and 3-6 under Faris.
• The Governors surpassed their home win total from the 2024 season with their second win at Fortera Stadium this season.

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

• Austin Peay is 3-0 this season and 7-2 under head coach Jeff Faris when leading at halftime.
• The Governors are 3-0 this season and 7-2 under Faris when leading after the third quarter.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• The Governors gained 492 yards of total offense, their third-straight game with at least 400 yards.
• The Govs also rushed for 253 yards, their second game this season with 250-plus yards on the ground.
• Quarterback Chris Parson went 18-of-25 for 204 yards and a career-high three touchdowns while playing just three quarters.
• Parson is the first Austin Peay quarterback to throw three touchdowns in a game since Austin Smith threw four touchdowns at North Alabama (11/2/24).
• Shemar Kirk led the Govs with four catches for 52 yards and two touchdowns – his first two collegiate touchdown receptions – he is the first Gov with multiple touchdown receptions in a game this season.
• Kirk is the first Governor with two touchdown receptions in a game since Jaden Barnes caught two touchdowns against Abilene Christian (11/9/24).
• Freshman Kamari Maxwell also had four catches for a team-best and career-high 71 receiving yards.
• Corey Richardson had one catch, his first of the season, for a 20-yard touchdown reception.
• Richardson is the first Austin Peay running back with a touchdown reception since Jevon Jackson had an 11-yard touchdown reception against North Alabama (10/28/23).
• Parson also led the Govs on the ground with 11 carries for a career-high 91 yards and a touchdown; he has a rushing touchdown in three-straight games.
• Javious Bond had three carries for 14 yards and a touchdown.
• Richardson led the Governors' running backs with four carries for 56 yards.
• Quarterback Austin Smith entered the game in the fourth quarter and went 2-for-2 for 35 yards and a touchdown; he also carried the ball once for 21 yards.
• Parson and Smith each threw a touchdown for the Governors, marking the first time this season two Govs have thrown a touchdown pass.

DEFENSIVE STANDS      

• After holding its third-straight opponent to less than 100 rushing yards, the Govs' defense is allowing just 85.2 rushing yards per game this season.
• The Govs' defense also held Utah Tech to 143 passing yards, marking the third time this season it has held an opponent under 200 yards and the second time it has held an opponent under 150 yards.
• The Governors held Utah Tech to 237 yards of total offense, marking the third time this season it has held an opponent under 250 yards of total offense.
• Austin Peay held Utah Tech to 10 points, which is the second time the Govs have held an opponent to 10 points or less this season and the third time under Faris.
• Austin Peay's 10 points allowed is the second-best single-game mark in a UAC under Faris, behind only the seven points it allowed against Utah Tech (10/19/24) in St. George.
• Myles Wiley led the Govs' defense with a season-best six tackles and a pass breakup.
• Jake Stonebraker and Davion Hood each recorded a sack, while Charles Crews III and TJ Cox Jr. each had half a sack.
• Ellis Ellis Jr. had three tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup.
• Montreze Smith Jr. had five tackles and half a tackle for loss.
• Marcus Howard also added two tackles, half a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup.
• Markell Redding also totaled four tackles and a pass breakup.

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

• Carson Smith went 6-for-6 on PATs and improved to 22-for-22 on the season.
• Smith also kicked off seven times for a 63.9-yard average and four touchbacks.
• Gavin Myers punted three times for a 40.0-yard average with two kicks downed inside the 20-yard line.
• Javious Bond returned two kicks for 27 yards and two punts for 34 yards; he led the Govs with 97 yards of all-purpose yards.
• Ellis Ellis Jr. also blocked a Utah Tech field goal in the first quarter; he is the first Governor to block a field goal since Sept. 16, 2017.

GOVS-TRAILBLAZERS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Jeff Faris

Opening Statement… "I love our team. I love the way that we fight. To respond in the manner that we did, I don't think it surprised anybody in our locker room or in our coaching staff. We went to work this week, and I think we improved. We have to continue to have that same blueprint, that same model. You know, it's about the next opponent, and we'll continue to improve and have a chance to be a special football team.

On his team's performance… "I couldn't be more impressed with that Utah Tech outfit. With that quarterback and his ability to run, that presents a lot of challenges schematically, and guys have to do a great job, and I think we did that today. But I could not be more impressed, and I think we talk every week about how that group of players is growing, and, you know, the number is growing, and then each individual is growing. You're seeing guys make plays that we didn't count on last year that are still on the team. Guys that we went and recruited, and then guys like Davion Hood, who are playing out of their minds, who have now been here two years, and I think all the credit goes to the players and their buy-in."

On quarterback Chris Parson… "You always knew he was a good kid. But then, when you spend 24/7 with the kid, you know, it blows me away, the job that his family has done in raising him, the influence he has on others in a positive manner, you know, it's been a ton of fun. Our relationship has grown tremendously. It's like you're not talking to a player out there, especially not a player who's really starting for the first time in college. He started one game at Mississippi State, but the way he sees it, the way he can communicate with teammates, I think he's special. And we look forward to continuing to build that relationship and continuing for his game to continue to grow and lead."

Austin Peay quarterback Chris Parson

On his growth in the Austin Peay offense… "Understanding my assignment and knowing my job on the play, where my eyes should be, and what my reading should be. Whenever it's time for me to scramble, I try my best to find a lane and keep my eyes downfield and do whatever it takes to create a positive play within the offense. Every play is independent of its own, and so I just try to do whatever I can, one play at a time, to put us in the best position to succeed."

On his wide receivers… "The receivers and I have a great relationship. We meet extra, and we do things outside of football to build great camaraderie, and I trust every guy in the wide receiver room. So, when we get out there on the field, everybody understands their job, they understand their assignment, and it all comes down to execution. We're firing on all cylinders. We have a really great offense, and so it's just up to us to continue to keep that going and continue to keep building on what we have so far."

Austin Peay wide receiver Shemar Kirk

On working with Chris Parson… "It just comes with preparation. Watching film together and seeing what it is from each of our perspectives to be ready. Every chance I get, I want to make sure that I'm running the right route."

On Austin Peay's wide receivers… "All of us have that chip on our shoulder to just come and get better and to want to make a play. We feed off each other. Every day we hold each other accountable, and there's always going to be somebody that steps up"