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Austin Peay Governors Football take on the passing attack of the Murray State Racers at Governors Stadium Saturday

Murray State vs. Austin Peay

October 6th, 2012 • 6:00pm
Clarksville, TN • Governors Stadium (10,000)

Austin Peay State University GovernorsClarksville, TN – Picked third in the preseason Ohio Valley Conference race, Murray State got off to a slow start, winning just one game in its first four contests, including a heartbreaking overtime loss to Eastern Illinois.

The Racers took out their early-season frustrations on Tennessee Tech last Saturday, scoring 49 first-half points en route to a 70-35 drubbing of defending league champ Tennessee Tech.

Austin Peay Football. (Courtesy: Keith Dorris/Dorris Photography)
Austin Peay Football. (Courtesy: Keith Dorris/Dorris Photography)

Preseason OVC Offensive Player of the Year and All-American Casey Brockman, on the preseason Walter Payton Watch List, was an incredible 32 of 38 for 381 yards-he has completed 176 of 260 yards for 1679 yards on the season.  He connected with Walter Powell 10 times for 162 yards against Tennessee Tech-Powell has 51 catches on the season.

The Racers also got a strong rushing effort from running back Jaamal Berry, the Ohio State transfer, who had 13 carries for 142 yards.

Linebacker Qua Huzzie is the anchor of a defense that showed great resilience after permitting 50 points against the Panthers.  He had eight tackles for loss on the season, including a pair against Tennessee Tech.

The Governors, meanwhile, still are seeking their season’s first victory after a disappointing defeat at Eastern Illinois which saw the Governors defense permitting 606 yards in total offense, including 509 through the air.

Offensively, quarterback Jake Ryan completed 23 of 46 for 205 yards. Junior running back/receiver Terrence Oliver had 9 catches for 100 yards.

Worth Noting

  • This is Austin Peay’s 76th season of college football, including nine non-scholarship seasons (1997-2005).
  • This is Austin Peay’s 40th Ohio Valley Conference season. The Govs are 95-180-2 all-time in OVC play.
  • After winning its first two OVC games a year ago, the Govs have now lost nine straight league contests.
  • Austin Peay has enjoyed only 18 winning seasons in 75 years of football and only two winning seasons since the turn of the century–a 7-5 mark in 2002 as a non-scholarship program and a 7-4 record in 2007 in Rick Christophel’s first season.
  • After owning a school-record 26 seniors in 2009, the Govs had half that many (13) in 2010. This season the Govs have 15.
  • Fifth-year seniors Antwaun Majors, Jake Ryan, Preston Rouse and Zac Burkhart are in graduate school after receiving their degrees either in May or August. Senior offensive tacke also graduated last spring and is in graduate school.
  • APSU head coach Rick Christophel (1971-74) was the first of three brothers who migrated from Reading, Ohio, to play quarterback at Austin Peay. Randy Christophel played quarterback at APSU from 1975-78 while Rob played the position from 1981-82.

Scouting Murray State

Senior All-America quarterback Casey Brockman, who made his first career start against the Govs as a freshman, has completed 67.7 percent (1276-270) of his passes for 1679 yards. He completed 32 of 38 for 381 yards versus Tennessee Tech.

Running back Jamaal Berry had 142 yards rushing on 13 carries against Tennessee Tech.

Wide receiver Walter Powell already has 51 catches this season, including 10 against Tennessee Tech, for 544 yards.

Linebacker Qua Huzzie has eight tackles for loss this season, including two against Tennessee Tech.

Rover Brandon Wicks leads the team with 36 tackles.

Offensive Notes

Jake RyanAustin Peay enters the game with a streak of scoring in 77 straight games. The last time APSU was shutout was by Drake, 54-0, September 24th, 2005.

APSU finished the 2011 season ranked 13th in the FCS in sacks allowed per game (1.0). It was the second straight year the Governors were ranked in the Top 15 in fewest sacks allowed per game. They were 8th in 2010. However, with a revamped offensive line in the season opener, senior quarterback Jake Ryan was pressured constantly, being sacked twice. Since then he has been sacked just twice. The Govs are tied 17th nationally in sacks allowed this season.

APSU ran 89 offensive plays against Eastern Illinois, the most they have run since they had 90 against Virginia’s Wise, November 6th, 1999.

Wes KittsSenior Wes Kitts is ranked 27th nationally in rushing, averaging 100.40 yards per game. He was held to a season-low 79 yards on 22 carries against Eastern Illinois.

Junior running back/wide receiver Terrence Oliver enjoyed a career performance against Eastern Illinois, catching nine passes for 100 yards.

Senior wide receiver Devin Stark has caught at least two passes in all five games this season. He has 23 receptions for 278 yards on the season.

With a 12-yard first-quarter pass reception against Tennessee State, Devin Stark reached the 1,000-career pass reception yard mark in his career. He became only the 13th receiver in school history with 1,000 receiving yards. Stark followed up his 1,000 receiving yards with a spectacular one-handed 20-yard TD catch in the right corner of the end zone.

Devin StarkDevin Stark finished the Tennessee State game with nine catches for a career-high 124 yards, his second career 100-yard receiving game. His previous 100-yard performance came against Memphis a year ago.

When Wes Kitts finished with 110 yards on 22 carries against Virginia Tech it made it two straight games for the senior running back with 100 yards rushing (he had 104 versus Western Kentucky). Kitts is the first APSU running back to open with two consecutive 100-yard rushing performances since Chris Fletcher opened 2007 with four straight 100-yard rushing efforts.

When Wes Kitts rushed for 104 yards against Western Kentucky he became the first Governors to rush for more than 100 yards against a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program. He then eclipsed that yardage figure with 110 yards on 22 carries at Virginia Tech.

Jake Ryan’s 271 passing yards against Tennessee State ranked as the second most in the senior’s career. He had 314 yards against TSU in 2011.

Senior quarterback Jake Ryan recorded his season’s second 200-yard passing performance against Eastern Illinois when he completed 23 of 46 passes for 205 yards. He also had one TD pass, his first since the Tennessee State game.

Receiver-turned-running back Terrence Oliver recorded his first career TD with a 10-yard run against Virginia Tech.

Terrence OliverSenior wide receiver Devin Stark finished 2011 with 53 receptions on the season, the most by a Gov since Lanis Frederick grabbed 77 in the 2006 season. He also had seven TD catches, most by a Govs receiver since Frederick had seven in 2006.

Running back Wesley Kitts served as the third-string backup for two seasons to Terrence Holt and Ryan White and the back up to White a year ago. He finished the 2011 season with 495 yards, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. He owned the Govs’ longest TD run of 37 yards.

Stark was named second-team preseason All-America by the FCS Senior Bowl.

When wide receiver/running back Terrence Oliver looked up in the second quarter against Western Kentucky, good friend, former prep teammate and now roommate O.C. Brown was blocking for him. In 2009, Brown was the primary subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary “Undefeated” while at Manassas High School with Oliver also make appearances in the production.

Defensive Notes

Antwaun MajorsAlthough the Governors defense is more experienced in 2012, the depth chart still reveals much youth. In fact, only three seniors, safety Antwaun Majors, tackle Anthony Marion and linebacker Darrick Dillard were listed on the two-deep entering the season. Majors is out for the year after suffering a torn ACL while Dillard remains out with a a leg issue.

Against EIU, 24 different Governors recorded tackles against the fast-paced offense Panthers.

Junior linebacker Craig Salley led the Govs with seven stops against EIU, including one for loss.

A trio of sophomore defensive backs– Steve Rich, Montez Carlton and Johnathan Shuler–not only led Austin Peay in tackles against UT Martin with seven but also had interceptions

Junior linebacker Craig Salley, a former walk-on, recorded his career’s first double-digit tackle performance with 11 against Tennessee State, including 10 solo stops.

Junior defensive tackle Iosua Siliva was credited with a career-best five tackles against TSU, all solo stops.

Junior defensive end Earnest Smith produced his career’s best performance against Virginia Tech. Smith finished with eight tackles, including a sack of All-America candidate Logan Thomas. He also was credited with another tackle for loss along with forcing a fumble.

Craig SalleyJunior linebacker Craig Salley was credited with the Govs’ other sack of Logan Thomas while also recording eight tackles total against the Hokies.

Senior safety Antwaun Majors not only was APSU’s tackles leader (88) in 2011, but finished eighth in the OVC, averaging 8.0 per game. A former walk on, Majors had 80 or more tackles in each of the last two years, finishing with 84 tackles in 2010 and 88 in 2011.

Senior safety Antwaun Majors was named preseason first-team All-OVC by Phil Steele Magazine in its Fall 2012 Preview. Majors, who led Austin Peay in tackles last season with 88, was the Governors only first-team selection.

Reese BulmashJunior defensive lineman Reese Bulmash was named second-team preseason All-OVC by the Phil Steele publication. Bulmash again is expected to anchor the Govs’ interior defense in 2012. After gaining much experience in 2010, the Marietta, GA, native moved into the starting lineup in 2011, being credited with 21 tackles, including 2.5 for loss.

Antwaun Majors was named second-team preseason All-OVC by the website College Sports Madness. Junior linebackers Josh Carroll and Rip Rowan were named third-team preseason All-OVC.

Special Teams Notes

Stephen StansellSenior placekicker Stephen Stansell became Austin Peay’s all-time leader in field goals made (34) with a pair of 35-yard field goals against UT Martin. He passed the longtime mark held by Tom McMillan, who had 33 from the 1986-89.

Stansell is ranked second all-time in point-aftertouchdowns made with 76.

Stansell was the only OVC kicker to be perfect in point-after-touchdown attempts in 2011. He ended the season 22 of 22. In his career he is 75 of 77 (97.4 percent) in extra-point attempts, ranking No. 1 in career extra-point percentage.

Sophomore punter Ben Campbell averaged a season-best 42.3 yards per punt on six boots against Murray State, including a long of 50 and two down inside the 10-yard line. As a result, he was recognized the as College Football Performance Award honoree for OVC punting this past week.

Stansell has both a new holder and snapper in 2012. After Nick Newsome served as APSU’s long snapper for four seasons, the Govs have turned to redshirt sophomore Michael Dunphy in 2012. In addition, back-up kicker and long snapper Walter Spears now is serving as holder for Stansell after Jake Ryan handled much of the duties a year ago.

Ben CampbellBack at punter is sophomore Ben Campbell, who is exclusively playing the position.

Two seasons after losing All-America kick return specialist Terrence Holt, APSU still is seeking a replacement for kickoff and punt returns. Freshman J.J. Rutledge showed some of those abilities at Western Kentucky. He had a 54-yard kickoff return during the night. Meanwhile, Ean Pemberton returned his first career punts against Virginia Tech.

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