Austin Peay Sports Information
Clarksville, TN – When the clock hits 11:00am, Saturday, Austin Peay State University’s football team will finally hit the field for the annual Red-and-White Spring Game at Governors Stadium, the pinnacle of a busy day on campus.
![Austin Peay Football prepares for Saturday's Red and White Game. (APSU Sports Information) Austin Peay Football prepares for Saturday's Red and White Game. (APSU Sports Information)](https://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/APSU-Football-47-480x322.jpg)
For the coaches, it’s one final opportunity to assess what their charges have learned during the spring and how they respond in a live-action setting.
With depth issues a concern at a number of key spots, the coaching staff elected to keep the offense and defense as separate entities, with a scoring system for both sides setting the standard for the game (see attached document).
“As a head coach, you look for a little bit of everything,” Cannon said. “We’re putting a premium on the offense’s ability to go out and get a first down on all drives and we’ll give extra points to the offensive score total if they can do that. It’s a way of emphasizing how important it is to move the ball and rest our defense.”
The offensive coaching staff will get one last opportunity this spring to see what the quarterbacks can do in live action. The scheduled 45-play affair will be a little more run-heavy than the first scrimmage on March 28, but Trey Taylor (who led all APSU signal-callers by going 12-for-17 for 102 yards in the first scrimmage), Mickey Macius and Darrien Boone all will get an opportunity to showcase their skills.
“We’ll run the ball a little more, treat it like a game,” Cannon said. “If we’re running it well, we’ll keep running it.”
The Governors defense, which recorded three sacks in the first scrimmage, has been aggressive during the spring and has seen some movement of late, with Malik Boynton converting from wide receiver to defensive back and Jeremiah Mitchell moving into the box with the linebackers.
“We’re always looking to move kids where they can have a bigger impact on the program,” Cannon said. “Boynton had a great year as a receiver last year and may end up back there, but we want to make sure we understand the best way to use our roster. We wanted to put Mitchell in a position where he can use his speed advantage.”
Austin Peay’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) also will be sponsoring a tailgate for the entire student body after the Spring Game, scheduled to begin at 11:00am.
Fans who present either a program stub from the spring game or a cell phone photo from either the spring game or tailgate will receive free admission to tomorrow afternoon’s baseball game, scheduled for a 2:00pm first pitch at Raymond C. Hand Park.