As the 2023 college football season approaches, VolReport previews all 12 of Tennessee's opponents.
The Vols play the Austin Peay Governors out of the FCS in their home opener at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 9 as they look to kickoff another strong season at home after going unbeaten there in 2022.
Here is a closer look at Austin Peay.
ABOUT THE GOVERNORS
Head coach: Scotty Walden (fourth season, 25-17 overall, 17-11 at Austin Peay)
Last season: 7-4
vs. Atlantic Sun: 3-2
vs. Tennessee all-time: 0-1 (last played in 2013)
Austin Peay has improved in each of the three seasons that Scotty Walden has been the Govs' head coach. He led Austin Peay to a 7-win season in 2022 and tied for first in the Atlantic Sun Conference. In fact, two of the Govs four losses were against FBS teams as they took Western Kentucky to the wire in their season opener and fell to Alabama, 34-0 in November.
KEY RETURNERS
Mike DiLiello, QB
Stats: 200-of-328, 2,447 yards, 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions
CJ Evans, RB
Stats: 133 carries, 641 yards, 6 touchdowns
Jevon Jackson, RB
Stats: 95 carries, 572 yards, four touchdowns
Kory Chapman, DB
Stats: 67 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions
OFFENSE
Austin Peay lost a number of key producers from the 2022 season, including three wide receivers in Drae McCray, Kellen Stewart and James Burns, all of which transferred into the FBS ranks.
Walden was also tasked with replacing member of his coaching staff. He hired Jared Kaster from Houston Christian to take over co-offensive coordinator duties and work alongside co-offensive coordinator Lanear Sampson who is entering his second season with the team.
Both coaches will have an experienced quarterback to work with as former Middle Tennessee State signal caller Mike DiLiello returns after passing for 2,447 yards and 21 touchdowns for the Govs last season. The backfield will feature CJ Evans and Jevon Jackson while receiver Trey Goodman is also back after totaling 32 catches for 359 yards and four touchdowns.
A pair of FBS players joined the program out of the transfer portal in Brenen Hawkins (Kansas State) and Khatib Lyles (North Texas), which should help boost the offense.
DEFENSE
The transfer portal worked against the Austin Peay defense during the offseason. The Govs lost defensive backs Demeteris Ford and Shamari Simmons as well as linebackers Antoine Williams and Joshua Rudolph.
Like the offensive side of the ball, the Govs will breaking in new co-defensive coordinators after promoting linebackers coach J.J. Clark and defense line coach Chris Jones to the positions.
Safety Kory Chapman returns after racking up 67 tackles, seven TFL, two sacks and two interceptions last season and he will have some help around him. Austin Peay picked linebacker Tyler Long out of the transfer portal. Long had 184 tackles, 10.5 TFL and 6.5 sacks in two seasons at Norfolk State.
Miles Richardson and Michael Ruttlen Jr. also join the secondary as transfers. Richards started 20 games at Wofford and tallied 37 tackles last season while Ruttlen Jr. was named All-Ivy League at Princeton in 2022.
GAME OUTLOOK
Tennessee plays Austin Peay a week after facing Virginia at a neutral site in Nashville to open the season.
The Govs are the lone FCS opponent on the Vols' schedule and offer one final tuneup before SEC play begins at Florida the following the week. Though Austin Peay may have the pieces for another strong season in the A-SUN, it shouldn't give Tennessee too much trouble in Week 2.
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