Teleconference Audio
Below is embedded audio from this week's OVC Football Coaches media teleconference. For a listing of this week's games and previews scroll down below the audio links.
This Week’s Schedule
Thursday, August 28
Eastern Kentucky at Robert Morris, 6:00 p.m.
Missouri Baptist
at Southeast Missouri, 6:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
#11 Eastern Illinois at Minnesota, 6:00 p.m. (BTN)
Union
at Murray State, 7:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
Kentucky Christian
at Tennessee Tech, 7:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
Friday, August 29
#6 Jacksonville State at #8 Michigan State, 6:30 pm (BTN)
Saturday, August 30
UT Martin at Kentucky, 11:00 a.m. (SEC Network)
Edward Waters
at #15 Tennessee State, 6:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
Austin Peay at Memphis, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
Eastern Kentucky Colonels (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Robert Morris Colonials (0-0, 0-0 NEC)
Thursday, Aug. 28 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Joe Walton Stadium (3,000) • Moon Township, Pa.
TV:..................................................... NECFrontRow.com
Live Stats:........
http://www.sidearmstats.com/rmu/football
Series Record:........................ Eastern Kentucky leads 1-0
Last Meeting:............ Eastern Kentucky won 38-6 (8/29/13)
Dean Hood at Eastern Kentucky:.................. 40-29 (6 yrs.)
Dean Hood Overall:................................................. same
John Banaszak at Robert Morris:.............. 0-0 (1st season)
John Banaszak Overall:........................................... same
Eastern Kentucky Last Week:..................................... Idle
Robert Morris Last Week:........................................... Idle
GAME NOTES: After hosting Robert Morris in Richmond last season, Eastern Kentucky returns the trip this season. The game is the first Thursday night home game in Robert Morris history. In the first-ever meeting between the teams, EKU jumped out to a 21-0 lead on its way to a 38-6 victory. The Colonels held a huge advantage in the rushing attack, out-gaining the Colonials 207 to 55 as five different rushers had 21 or more yards for Eastern. Quarterback Jared McClain passed for 155 yards and two touchdowns and carried the ball 12 times for 44 yards and two additional scores.
SCOUTING EASTERN KENTUCKY: Eastern Kentucky returns six starters on each side of the ball this season and was picked fourth in the OVC preseason poll. The Colonels, who were 6-6 a year ago, had one player on the Preseason All-OVC squad in senior kicker Andrew Lloyd. Lloyd connected on 8-of-10 field goals a season ago, including a season-best 49-yarder in the season finale. Lloyd also had 15 touchbacks on kickoffs, the most by an EKU kicker in six years under head coach Dean Hood. Offensively the team returns all five offensive linemen which should help bolster its offense. The running back group includes Kentucky transfer Dy’Shawn Mobley and sophomore JJ Jude. Mobley averaged 7.0 yards/carry in the SEC while Jude led the Colonels with 637 rushing yards as a freshman. OVC Freshman of the Year Devin Borders is back at wide receiver after racking up 509 receiving yards and six touchdowns a year ago. He could be catching passes this year from several different quarterbacks, including returning Jared McClain, Cincinnati transfer Bennie Conley or redshirt freshman Barton Mann. Among the team’s top defensive players is senior safety Brandon Stanley who led the team in tackles (61) last season despite missing the first three games of the season with an injury. Eastern Kentucky is currently receiving votes in both major FCS Top 25 polls.
SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS: Robert Morris is under the direction of first-year head coach John Banaszak, who became just the second coach in RMU history in December after serving as an assistant coach for the previous 11 seasons. Banaszak had been named Coach-in-Waiting in 2012 and assumed the top spot when Joe Walton (who started the program and whose name is on the stadium) retired. Following last season Banaszak had been named FCS Assistant Coach of the Year by the AFCA (one of just five coaches selected for the award). Among the team’s returning players is senior defensive back Antwan Eddie who was named a second-team Preseason All-American as a punt returner by the Sports Network. Last season he returned 27 punts for 405 yards and a touchdown; he led the NEC and ranked third nationally at 15.0 yards/return.
Missouri Baptist Spartans (0-0, 0-0 MSFA)
at Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
Thursday, Aug. 28 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Houck Stadium (10,000) • Cape Girardeau, Mo.
TV:................................................... OVC Digital Network
Live Stats:
http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=semo
Series Record:............................................. First meeting
Last Meeting:.............................................................. n/a
Jason Burianek at Missouri Baptist:.......... 0-0 (1st season)
Jason Burianek Overall:........................................... same
Tom Matukewicz at Southeast Missouri:... 0-0 (1st season)
Tom Matukewicz Overall:......................................... same
Missouri Baptist Last Week:....................................... Idle
Southeast Missouri Last Week:................................... Idle
GAME NOTES: Two schools from the state of Missouri will match up to kickoff the 2014 season on Thursday night. The game is a matchup of first-year head coaches as well as being the first year for the Missouri Baptist football program.
SCOUTING MISSOURI BAPTIST: Missouri Baptist, a NAIA school located in St. Louis, is under the direction of head coach Jason Burianek and competes in the Midwest League of the Mid-States Football Association. Burianek played at Colorado and was a graduate assistant there before taking a full-time job at McKendree University. He also had a stint at Belleville West before returning to McKendree.
SCOUTING SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: Southeast Missouri begins its first year under head coach Tom Matukewicz after eight seasons under Tony Samuel. He has instituted a “Brick-by-Brick” approach to rebuilding the Redhawks into a championship football program. His squad returns nine offensive and eight defensive starters from a team that was 3-9 overall. The quarterback race includes two Mid-American Conference transfers in Kyle Snyder (who passed for 617 yards and six touchdowns for Southeast last season after transferring from Ohio) and Central Michigan transfer Alex Niznak. Those two will have Preseason All-OVC selection Paul McRoberts at wide receiver to throw passes to; McRoberts had a breakout session in 2013, catching 44 passes for 646 yards and nine touchdowns in a run-first offensive scheme. Also back is running back DeMichael Jackson who started nine games a season ago; he rushed for 977 yards and four touchdowns a season ago. Another multi-purpose threat for the team is Spencer Davis who caught 35 passes last season and also returns kicks and punts. On defensive the team has switched to a pro-style 3-4 scheme this season. Among the defensive players returning is sophomore Austin Black who was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman of the Year) last season after having 52 tackles and 4.5 sacks as a freshman.
#11 Eastern Illinois Panthers (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Minnesota Golden Gophers (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Thursday, Aug. 28 • 6:00 p.m. CT
TCF Bank Stadium (50,805) • Minneapolis, Minn.
TV:......................................................... Big Ten Network
Live Stats:.......................................
http://bit.ly/1m5mMiB
Series Record:............................................. First meeting
Last Meeting:.............................................................. n/a
Kim Dameron at Eastern Illinois:............... 0-0 (1st season)
Kim Dameron Overall:.............................................. same
Jerry Kill at Minnesota:................................. 17-21 (3 yrs.)
Jerry Kill Overall:...................................... 144-94 (20 yrs.)
Eastern Illinois Last Week:.......................................... Idle
Minnesota Last Week:................................................ Idle
GAME NOTES: Eastern Illinois will travel to Minnesota for the first-ever meeting with the Golden Gophers on Thursday night. It is the first game against a Big Ten opponent for the Panthers since the 2011 season (Northwestern). Eastern Illinois is 9-32 all-time against Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents, including a 1-1 record a season ago (topped San Diego State and lost narrowly at Northern Illinois).
SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS: Coming off a record setting season under Walter Payton Award winner Jimmy Garoppolo (who threw for 5,050 yards and 53 touchdowns), the Panthers begin year No. 1 under head coach Kim Dameron. Dameron served as an assistant coach at EIU under Hall of Famer Bob Spoo in 2000 and was most recently the defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech. He takes over an EIU program that has won two-straight OVC Championships and 14 of its last 15 Conference games. Despite losing Garoppolo to the New England Patriots and FCS single-season receptions leader Erik Lora to the Minnesota Vikings, the Panthers return several top players and were picked second in the OVC Preseason Poll. Among those returning players are Preseason All-OVC selections Collin Seibert (OL), Adam Drake (WR), Jeff LePak (TE), Shepard Little (RB/RS), Robert Haynes (LB) and Dino Fanti (DL). Little, who rushed for 1,551 yards a year ago is one of two OVC players on this year’s Walter Payton Award Watch List. EIU is ranked No. 11 in the Preseason FCS Coaches poll and No. 16 in the Sports Network Preseason Top 25.
SCOUTING MINNESOTA: Minnesota, who is receiving votes in the preseason coaches poll, is under the direction of Jerry Kill, who spent eight seasons at Southern Illinois (2001-07) before moving on to Northern Illinois and eventually Minnesota. While at SIU Kill coached against the Panthers three times, winning twice. This season his Golden Gopher team returns eight offensive and seven defensive starters from a squad that was 8-5 overall (4-4 in the Big Ten) and lost to Syracuse 21-17 in the Texas Bowl. Among the team’s returning players is senior running back David Cobb who rushed for 1,202 yards and seven touchdowns a season ago. Sophomore quarterback Mitch Leidner looks to take over the starting spot after playing in 10 games a season ago, starting four of them. In those 10 games he passed for 619 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 407 yards and seven scores.
Union Bulldogs (0-0, 0-0 MSC)
at Murray State Racers (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
Thursday, Aug. 28 • 7:00 p.m. CT
Roy Stewart Stadium (16,800) • Murray, Ky.
TV:................................................... OVC Digital Network
Live Stats:
http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=55002
Series Record:............................................. First meeting
Last Meeting:.............................................................. n/a
Zak Willis at Union:.................................. 0-0 (1st season)
Zak Willis Overall:........................................ 55-37 (8 yrs.)
Chris Hatcher at Murray State:....................... 24-21 (4 yrs.)
Chris Hatcher Overall:............................... 118-48 (14 yrs.)
Union Last Week:....................................................... Idle
Murray State Last Week:............................................. Idle
GAME NOTES: Murray State will start the season on Thursday night when they host in-state foe Union College.
SCOUTING UNION: Union, a NAIA school located in Barbourville, Ky., is under the direction of new head coach Zak Willis. Willis previously served as a head coach at Pikeville and Division II Newberry and been on the staffs at Division I schools South Carolina, Michigan State and Miami (Ohio). Last season the Bulldogs were 3-8 overall and finished fifth in the Mid-South East Division with a 2-4 conference mark. Among the team’s returning players is senior wide receiver Domonique Jefferson, who has been named a Preseason All-American. Last season he had 41 receptions for 897 yards and 11 touchdowns. Entering this season he ranks seventh in program history in career receptions (95), third in career yards (1,734) and second in career receiving touchdowns (19).
SCOUTING MURRAY STATE: Murray State begins its fifth year under head coach Chris Hatcher. Hatcher has never finished below .500 in OVC play in his tenure at MSU. The Racers were picked to finish sixth in the OVC standings in this year’s preseason polls. The team returns seven offensive and six defensive starters from last year’s team that was 6-6 overall and 4-4 in OVC play. The Racers offense put up 29.8 points and nearly 400 yards of total offense per game a season ago but do have spots to fill at quarterback and wide receiver. Despite the departure of All-American Walter Powell to the NFL, MSU does return the quartet of junior wideouts in Jeremy Harness, Paul Rice, Nevar Griffin and Janawski Davis who combined for 122 catches a season ago. The quarterback race is a battle between redshirt sophomore KD Humphries, senior Parks Frazier (666 yards and four touchdowns last season) and senior CJ Bennett, who transferred from South Alabama.
Kentucky Christian Knights (0-0, 0-0 MSC)
at Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
Thursday, Aug. 28 • 7:00 p.m. CT
Tucker Stadium (16,500) • Cookeville, Tenn.
TV:................................................... OVC Digital Network
Live Stats:........
http://livestats.prestosports.com/ttusports
Series Record:............................................. First meeting
Last Meeting:.............................................................. n/a
Gene Peterson at Kentucky Christian:................. 3-8 (1 yr.)
Gene Peterson Overall:............................................ same
Watson Brown at Tennessee Tech:................ 33-46 (7 yrs.)
Watson Brown Overall:......................... 127-197-1 (29 yrs.)
Kentucky Christian Last Week:.................................... Idle
Tennessee Tech Last Week:........................................ Idle
GAME NOTES: Tennessee Tech opens the season on Thursday night by hosting Kentucky Christian at Tucker Stadium. It marks the first-ever game for Kentucky Christian against a NCAA FCS opponent.
SCOUTING KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN: Kentucky Christian will play its only non-conference game of the season in its first contest of the season. After this game the Knights will play the remainder of its schedule against Mid-South Conference opponents. The team is under the direction of second-year head coach Gene Peterson. The team was 3-8 in his first season with KWC.
SCOUTING TENNESSEE TECH: Tennessee Tech begins the eighth season under head coach Watson Brown with a new wrinkle for its offense. Brown has instituted a “QW” position that puts two quarterbacks on the field at all times. One quarterback will be the tradition under center signal caller, where the other will lineup in various formations to give the team numerous plays to take advantage of each player’s strengths. Sophomore Jared Davis (935 passing yards, 9 touchdowns) will serve in the traditional QB role while senior Darian Stone (1,008 passing yards, 523 rushing yards, 11 combined passing and rushing scores) will be in the QW role. Overall Tech returns 49 letterwinners from last year’s team. Defensively the squad returns a pair of Preseason All-OVC selections in senior linebacker Tra’Darius Goff and senior defensive back Marty Jones. Goff led the team with 101 tackles a season ago while also registering 8.5 tackles-for-loss, 3.0 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Jones was second on the team with 98 stops while also netting 5.0 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
#6 Jacksonville State Gamecocks (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at #8 Michigan State Spartans (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Friday, Aug. 28 • 6:30 p.m. CT
Spartan Stadium (75,005) • East Lansing, Mich.
TV:......................................................... Big Ten Network
Live Stats:.........................................
http://bit.ly/1oh4Ot5
Series Record:............................................. First meeting
Last Meeting:.............................................................. n/a
John Grass at Jacksonville State:............. 0-0 (1st season)
John Grass Overall:................................................. same
Mark Dantonio at Michigan State:................. 64-29 (7 yrs.)
Mark Dantonio Overall:............................... 82-46 (10 yrs.)
Jacksonville State Last Week:.................................... Idle
Michigan State Last Week:......................................... Idle
GAME NOTES: Jacksonville State opens the season by traveling to nationally-ranked Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) foe Michigan State for a Friday night contest. The Spartans enters the season ranked No. 8 in the FBS while the Gamecocks are No. 6 in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Jacksonville State is 5-17 all-time against FBS opponents including a 32-26 victory over Georgia State a season ago and a 49-48 victory over Ole Miss in 2010. Michigan State enters the 2014 season having won 10-straight games. Overall the team has won 42 of its last 54 games overall dating back to the beginning of the 2010 season. The 42 victories over that time frame are the ninth-most in the FBS.
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE STATE: Jacksonville State enters the 2014 season as the OVC favorites in both polls conducted by the media and coaches/SID’s. The Gamecocks finished third in the OVC last year, but won two playoff games to advance to the FCS Quarterfinals. That run was led by now sophomore quarterback Eli Jenkins who had 330 rushing and 362 passing yards and four total touchdowns during the playoff run. Jenkins also has All-American running back DaMarcus James back after he rushed for a school record 1,477 yards and an OVC record 29 touchdowns in 2013. Those two players will play behind an offense line buoyed by All-American center Max Holcombe. For the second-straight season JSU is under the direction of a new head coach as John Grass was elevated from the Offensive Coordinator position following the Gamecocks impressive season last year; he brought an innovative offense with him to JSU, as the team set numerous school, OVC and NCAA records in 2013. This season JSU has 77 letterwinners returning, including nine offensive and six defensive starters. Jax State is ranked No. 6 in the Preseason Sports Network Top 25 and No. 8 in the Preseason FCS Coaches Top 25.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE: After winning the Big Ten Championship and finishing last season ranked No. 3 in the nation Michigan State begins the 2014 season ranked No. 8 in both the Preseason AP and Coaches Top 25. The Spartans return 46 letterwinners and 15 starters from last year’s team that was 13-1 overall, making them just the third team in Big Ten history to win at least 13 games in a season. The team has appeared in a school-record seven consecutive bowl games, including defeating Stanford 24-20 in the Rose Bowl to cap the 2013 season. Among the team’s returning players is junior quarterback Connor Cook who completed 223-of-380 passes for 2,755 yards and 22 touchdowns against only six interceptions; he had a season-best 332 yards in the Rose Bowl victory. Also back is senior running back Jeremy Langord who rushed for 1,422 yards and 18 touchdowns. Last season the team ranked No. 2 nationally in total defense (252.2 yards/game allowed) and returns fifth-year senior Marcus Rush and junior Shilique Calhoun on the defensive line.
UT Martin Skyhawks (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Kentucky Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 SEC)
Saturday, Aug. 30 • 11:00 a.m. CT
Commonwealth Stadium (62,093) • Lexington, Ky.
TV:............................................................. SEC Network
Live Stats:......................................
http://bit.ly/1o5WX1Q
Series Record:............................................. First meeting
Last Meeting:.............................................................. n/a
Jason Simpson at UT Martin:........................ 52-39 (8 yrs.)
Jason Simpson Overall:........................................... same
Mark Stoops at Kentucky:............................. 2-10 (1 yrs.)
Mark Stoops Overall:............................................... same
UT Martin Last Week:................................................. Idle
Kentucky Last Week:.................................................. Idle
GAME NOTES: UT Martin kicks off the 2014 season with a game against Kentucky, its first of two matchups with SEC opponents during the year (they team will play Mississippi State in Week 11 of the season). The Skyhawks are 1-16 all-time against teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) with that long win coming in 2012 (a 20-17 victory at Memphis).
SCOUTING UT MARTIN: UT Martin was picked fifth in the OVC preseason poll and enters the ninth season under head coach Jason Simpson, who is now the longest tenured active coach in the league. Simpson has won 48 OVC games in his first eight years with the program; prior to his arrival UTM had managed just 37 total OVC wins in the previous 14 years (under five different head coaches). Simpson guided the team to a 7-5 record a season ago behind a two-quarterback system that featured now junior Jarod Neal and senior Dylan Favre. The duo combined for 2,610 passing yards and 18 touchdowns last season and will each see action once again this season. That duo will have four returning offensive line starters to protect them including senior Charles Sweeton who was a Preseason All-OVC selection. On the defensive side of the ball senior linebacker Tony Bell is one of 20 players nationally on the Preseason Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. In earning multiple All-American honors a year ago Bell had 80 tackles, an OVC-best 15 tackles-for-loss and 10.5 sacks while being named National Defensive Player of the Week twice during the season.
SCOUTING KENTUCKY: Kentucky begins year No. 2 under the direction of head coach Mark Stoops. Stoops welcomes back 15 starters from his inaugural season and has 36 returning players who have started at least one game during their careers. The team will welcome a new starting quarterback with sophomore Patrick Towles taking over the starting spot. A Parade All-American, Towles redshirted last season after playing in five games as a true freshman. Sophomore running back Jojo Kemp led the team with 482 rushing yards and three scores a season ago. On defense the team returns a pair of All-SEC players in Bud Dupree and Za’Darius Smith; Dupree had 61 tackles and seven sacks while Smith had 59 stops and six sacks a season ago.
Edward Waters Tigers (1-0)
at #15 Tennessee State Tigers (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
Saturday, Aug. 30 • 6:00 p.m. CT
LP Field (69,143) • Nashville, Tenn.
TV:................................................... OVC Digital Network
Live Stats:........................................
www.TSUTigers.com
Series Record:............................................. First meeting
Last Meeting:.............................................................. n/a
Alvin Wyatt at Edward Waters:........................... 2-2 (1 yr.)
Alvin Wyatt Overall:.................................... 92-56 (14 yrs.)
Rod Reed at Tennessee State:...................... 26-21 (4 yrs.)
Rod Reed Overall:................................................... same
Edward Waters Last Week:...................W, 65-10 vs. Faith
Tennessee State Last Week:....................................... Idle
GAME NOTES: Tennessee State opens the 2014 season by hosting Edward Waters in the 16th annual John Merritt Classic (JMC). It marks the first-ever meeting between the two squads. TSU is 10-5 all-time in John Merritt Classic games; the Tigers had won three JMC contests in a row before suffering a 12-9 defeat to Bethune-Cookman last season. Overall TSU has won four of the last six in the John Merritt Classic.
SCOUTING EDWARD WATERS: Edward Waters is a NAIA school located in Jacksonville, Florida and opened its season with a 65-10 victory against University of Faith (a St. Petersburg-based online school) on August 23. The team had a 34-year hiatus from its football program before starting the program again in 2001. The team is coached by former Bethune-Cookman head coach Alvin Wyatt who took over and coached the final four games of the 2013 season, leading the team to its only two victories of the season. Running back/kick returner Ray Dukes has been touted as one of the most exciting players in the NAIA. The junior, named a Preseason All-American this year, ranked in the Top 40 nationally in six different statistical categories in 2013, including fifth in all-purpose yards (168.4/game).
SCOUTING TENNESSEE STATE: Tennessee State enters the season ranked No. 17 in the FCS Coaches Top 25 and No. 15 in the Sports Network Top 25. The Tigers are coming off a 10-4 season that saw them finish second in the OVC and top Butler in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. It marked the team’s first playoff appearance since the 1999 season. Now in his fifth season as head coach Rod Reed returns 58 players from last year’s team including six offensive and six defensive starters. The defense should once again be solid after ranking sixth nationally in total defense (296.9 yards/game) and scoring defense (18.1 points/game) and ninth nationally in turnovers gained (31) last season. That defensive unit is led by reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year Anthony Bass who was also tabbed this year’s Preseason OVC Defensive Player of the Year; in 2013 Bass had 34 tackles, 14.5 tackles-for-loss, 10.0 sacks, four pass breakups, six quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, a blocked kick and a safety. Also back is senior defensive back Daniel Fitzpatrick who was named the National Defensive Back of the Year by the FCS ADA a season ago. Fitzpatrick led all Division I players (FBS or FCS) with eight interceptions as a junior and is on the Preseason Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. The offense will be led by senior quarterback Michael German who missed the beginning of last season but worked his way back in the lineup before the end of the season. In seven games German completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,168 yards and 13 touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Austin Peay Governors (0-0, 0-0 OVC)
at Memphis Tigers (0-0, 0-0 AAC)
Saturday, Aug. 30 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Liberty Bowl (59,308) • Memphis, Tenn.
TV:...................................................................... ESPN3
Live Stats:.....................................
www.GoTigersGo.com
Series Record:.................................... Memphis leads 7-0
Last Meeting:......................... Memphis won 27-6 (9/17/11)
Kirby Cannon at Austin Peay:........................... 0-12 (1 yr.)
Kirby Cannon Overall:................................. 35-98 (12 yrs.)
Justin Fuente at Memphis:.............................. 7-17 (2 yrs.)
Justin Fuente Overall:.............................................. same
Austin Peay Last Week:.............................................. Idle
Memphis Last Week:.................................................. Idle
GAME NOTES: Austin Peay travels to Memphis for the eighth all-time meeting between the two in-state schools. The squads played two years ago with Memphis picked up a 27-6 victory in the Liberty Bowl. In that contest Memphis was led by Taylor Reed who passed for 332 yards and three touchdowns while APSU got 87 rushing yards from Ryan White and 245 yards through the air from Jake Ryan. Prior to that 2011 meeting the teams had not played since the 1957 season. Austin Peay is 1-17 all-time against teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
SCOUTING AUSTIN PEAY: Austin Peay is coming off its first season under head coach Kirby Cannon where the Govs were winless overall. But the team looks to snap that streak with 40 returning players this season including four offensive and three defensive starters. Overall the team will be young as 43 of the team’s 93 players are freshmen. Among the players to watch this season are senior defensive back Johnathan Shuler and sophomore linebacker Antonio Turner. Shuler led the team with 76 tackles last season while Turner was second on the squad with 67 stops, despite missing two games. A year ago the Govs played five-straight games on the road to begin the year (not playing a home contest until Oct. 10) but this season will play at home for the first time on Sept. 13 when they open a newly renovated Governors Stadium which underwent a 19 million dollar renovation in the offseason.
SCOUTING MEMPHIS: Memphis is under the direction of third-year head coach Justin Fuente, who spent five years at TCU before coming to Memphis. Fuente is familiar with the OVC, having played two seasons as quarterback at Murray State (1998-99) where he set numerous school and conference records. He did not, however, play against Austin Peay in those two seasons as the Govs were playing non-scholarship at the time. Memphis returns 18 starters from last season including eight from a defense that ranked 12th nationally against the rush. The Tigers were tabbed seventh in the Preseason American Athletic Conference Media Poll. The team returns quarterback Paxton Lynch who passed for 2,056 yards and nine touchdowns last year and rushed for two additional scores. Also returning is running back Brandon Hayes who led the team with 860 rushing yards in 2013.