Clarksville, TN – After starting the season as the number two quarterback on the depth chart for the Austin Peay State University (APSU) football team, senior Javaughn Craig has steadily put together what could end up being record-breaking numbers this season, as the Governors are very much in the hunt for their first Ohio Valley Conference title since 1977.
Craig, who is from Chattanooga, TN, returned to the starting spot just two drives into the Governors second game of the season when then starter Jeremiah Oatsvall was injured on a run play versus Central Arkansas back on September 7th at Fortera Stadium.
While it may not have been the way back into the starting lineup Craig would have liked, it was a chance to get back into the lineup where he had 14 previous starts over his first three seasons – including starting the first seven games of the 2017 season.
And what has he done since his return in leading the Govs offense?
Craig has led Austin Peay to a record of 4-2 overall in his six starts – and easily could be 6-0 with the two loses coming by a total of eight points — but more importantly a 3-1 mark in Ohio Valley Conference play, including a win over defending OVC champion Jacksonville State, 52-33 – the first win by the Govs versus the Gamecocks since the two teams were both OVC members.
Along with the 52-point contest versus JSU, the 58-points Craig help lead Austin Peay to versus Tennessee Tech this past Saturday also makes him the first quarterback in program history to lead the Govs to two 50+ point games in the same season.
In fact, in his six starts this season the Governors are averaging just over 37 points per game and are on a current pace to break the program’s all-time single season scoring mark by a wide margin with four games remaining in the regular season.
Craig has also led the way by averaging what is currently a record-breaking single-season pace of 255.6 yards per game of total offence, along by being responsible for 20 touchdowns this season (six rushing, 14 passing), which is six TD’s short of tying for the most by any Gov in a single season in school history.
Craig has also become the fifth quarterback in program history to have 2000+ yards of total offense in a season (currently at 2045), and just 155 yards short of the second highest total in school history.
He has also tied the program’s single-game mark of five passing touchdowns this past weekend at Tennessee Tech, while also becoming only the second quarterback in program history to have at least 375 yards of total offense in a singe game twice in a career with his 378 yards of offense versus Tennessee Tech.
So, with four games left on the schedule for Craig and the Govs – baring injury – his numbers should finish among the best all-time in a single season by an APSU quarterback, while hopefully bring home the second OVC title in school history as well.
