GOVS-CHARGERS POSTGAME NOTES

Notes following Austin Peay's 42-17 Homecoming victory against New Haven, Saturday, at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville.

FROM THE TOP

• Denver Harper became the first Governor in program history with two special teams touchdowns in one game.
• The Governors' two special teams touchdowns also are tied for the most in a single game in program history, with Austin Peay last accomplishing the feat, Sept. 1, 2007 against Bethel.
• With the win, Austin Peay extended its program-record home winning streak to 10 games. The Governors have not lost a game at home in 679 days.
• The Governors are 5-1 through their first six games for just the third time in program history, and for the first time since 1977.
• Redshirt junior quarterback Chris Parson went 19-for-23 through the air, with his 82.6 completion being the third-best single-game mark in program history.

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• Captains David Portu, Chris Parson, Markell Redding, Jackson Head, and Courtland Simmons took the coin toss for the Governors.
• Austin Peay won the opening coin toss and elected to receive the opening kick.
• Austin Peay improved to 3-3 at the opening coin toss this season and 14-16 under head coach Jeff Faris.
• The Governors improved to 2-1 on the season and 6-8 under Faris when winning the coin toss.
• Weather in Clarksville at tipoff: 70 degrees, cloudy skies, winds northeast at seven miles per hour.  

SERIES UPDATE            

• Austin Peay won its first-ever meeting against New Haven.

THOSE ARE THE BREAKS

• Austin Peay improved to 4-0 this season and 14-4 under head coach Jeff Faris when leading at halftime.
• The Governors also improved to 5-0 this season and 14-3 under Faris when leading after three quarters.

RANKED GOVS

• Austin Peay, who entered the game ranked #9 in the AFCA Coaches Poll, improves to 27-19 all-time when ranked and 9-4 under Faris.
• The Governors also improved to 18-3 at Fortera Stadium when ranked.
• With the win, the Governors earned their seventh-straight home win when ranked.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• In addition to his 82.6 completion percentage, quarterback Chris Parson recorded his sixth-career 300-yard passing performance with 309 yards through the air.
• Parson is the first quarterback in program history to post back-to-back games with a completion percentage of at least 80%.
• Parson also matched his career-high with four passing touchdowns, all to different receivers.
• With his four passing scores, Parson moved into sole possession of fifth all-time in career passing touchdowns (34).
• Marvin Sims had a career-high 141 receiving yards, while matching his season's best performance with six receptions.
• Sims' 141 receiving yards are the most by a Gov this season.
• Sims also recorded his second receiving touchdown in as many games.
• Jaden Robinson finished the day with two receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown. His 66-yard touchdown in the second quarter is the longest reception of his career.
• Robinson's 66-yard touchdowns and Sims' 65-yard score are the third and fifth-longest offensive plays for the Govs this season.
• With Denver Harper's 10-yard touchdown reception, the Governors scored on their first possession for the third time this season.
• Ben Marshall recorded his first-career touchdown on a 26-yard reception early in the fourth quarter.
• The Governors won a game when being held to less than 50 rushing yards (45) since being held to 27 yards in a 13-10 win against Jacksonville State, March 28, 2021.

DEFENSIVE STANDS

• The Governors held New Haven to 99 rushing yards, it is the third time this season, and the 11th time under Faris, that the Govs have held an opponent to less than 100 rushing yards.
• Trevor Hardy led the Governors with six tackles.
• Kelton Crisp led the Governors with 1.5 tackles for loss, tied for his most this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS SYNOPSIS

• Denver Harper's first special teams touchdowns was an 82-yard punt return score – his second punt return score of the season.
• His 82-yard punt return is tied for the third-longest in program history and the longest since Kam Thomas' 89-yard return touchdown against ETSU in 2023.
• Harper's two punt return touchdowns are tied for the most in a single season in program history and the most since Kam Thomas' two during the 2023 season.
• Harper's second special teams score was a 100-yard kick-six, the first in program history.
• William Wiebush blocked a New Haven punt in the second quarter, he is the first Gov to block a punt since Jaheim Ward at Lindenwood, Sept. 30, 2023.
• Logan Leftrick punted five times for 219 yards for a season-high 43.8-yard average.
• Harper's 227 all-purpose yards are the most by a Gov since Jaden Barnes' 241 against North Alabama, Nov. 2, 2024.

GOVS-CHARGERS POSTGAME QUOTES

Austin Peay head coach Jeff Faris 

Opening statement… "Big win for our program. There are a lot of things for us to clean and fix up. I give New Haven a ton of credit. They're well-coached. But we did not play our best today. We're going to have to have a great week of preparation to learn a lot of lessons in this and to continue to improve."

On going into the second half… "It wasn't a very pleasant conversation at the half. We didn't play as well as we could in the first half. Kind of like how we played against Moorhead defensively to start, but I thought our guys did respond. A lot of things to fix, but we got a good group, and they're bought in. We present a lot of issues for opposing offenses, and we're playing a lot of guys who have earned the right to play on a team that can compete for a championship. They bowed up in the second half when we needed them to."

On welcoming Tarleton State at home next week… "We need the fans. This is a top 10 matchup at home. This will be the first-ever top 10 matchup in Clarksville. We will not have lost at home in the regular season in 686 days. We need to keep that streak alive. They're the favored team to win the league this year. We went down to the wire with them a year ago, and this one means more. We need everybody in Clarksville and the surrounding area to support us, be the 12th man, and help us get another huge win at Forterra Stadium."

Austin Peay quarterback Chris Parson

On his consistency over the last two weeks… "I think it's a lot of things just put together. Obviously, just with the coaching staff, just getting us prepared throughout the week. And then just being true to our process, making sure we're on the same page throughout the week. From executing at a high level throughout the week to being on the same page whenever we get to the games on Saturday. Our players are executing at a high level, the O-line is blocking for me, the receivers are catching the ball, getting open, and also creating yards after the catch, the running backs as well. So, I think it's a collective effort, and I still feel like we need to play better. We have a certain standard here, and we're constantly striving to just be the best version of ourselves, and so we know that there's still room for improvement."

On the rematch against Tarleton State… "This is a whole new season. We have to find a way to go 1- 0. And so, I'm looking forward to preparing this week. Obviously, that's a really good team over there, and so we have to have a great week of practice, and we have to go out there and execute. I'm not looking at the past. I'm just focused on what's ahead of us."

Austin Peay wide receiver Denver Harper

On his touchdown return on the missed New Haven field goal… "I said if it was short, I'm just going to set the linemen up one way and beat them with speed the other way, and that's exactly what happened. I had a lot of blockers, a whole convoy with me, so they kept me protected until I got to the end zone."

On the special teams unit this season… "Coach Reed is a great special teams coordinator. He gives us that look every Thursday and every Friday, and we walk through it. We always go through stuff like tonight."