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Drae McCray’s monster day paces Governors’ season-ending win




Drae McCray breaks past the Tennessee Tech defense for one of his four touchdowns.ROBERT SMITH/APSU ATHLETICS

Drae McCray breaks past the Tennessee Tech defense for one of his four touchdowns.ROBERT SMITH/APSU ATHLETICS

The Austin Peay State Governors’ 48-20 win over the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on Saturday will henceforth be affectionately known as the “Drae McCray Game.”

The freshman wide receiver caught seven passes for 237 yards and four touchdowns, making him the team’s leader in all three stats as the season comes to an end. He was the first Governors to catch four touchdown passes in a game this season and the first Gov to have 200 receiving yards in a game since 2001. He was also the first freshman in the FCS to have 200 yards in a game and 10th player overall.

He had a chance at setting the school record for most receiving yards in a game, which has stood since 1969, but fell 15 yards short.

“In the moment of the game, I had no idea,” McCray said. “I was just playing and trying to make plays. Whenever I did find out, I just had to go in the team room, get away from everyone, sit down and just soak it all in.”

McCray’s production made up almost half of the Governors’ 479 total yards.

“We have been saying all year that Drae McCray… you expect him to go make those plays that he made today,” said APSU head coach Scotty Walden. “He is a diverse player that can literally play all over the field. I know that he is going to be a staple for Austin Peay State University for years to come. Fans better get used to hearing his name because he is a special young man and player.”

Of course, he wouldn’t have been able to put up those numbers without a strong day from his quarterback. Sophomore Draylen Ellis saved his best game for the last night of the season, completing 59% of his passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns.

Though they surrendered 405 yards, the Governor defense held the Golden Eagles to just 5.4 yards per play. Defensive back Shamari Simmons came down with two interceptions, both in the second half, bringing the team to 19 on the season.

“The thing I loved about our defense is that those guys had a hard time settling in early,” Walden said. “The big key to victory in this game was that we were going to have to get Tennessee Tech off the field and our offense was going to have to take advantage of their possessions because [TTU] does a good job of milking the clock and owning the time of possession. Today, we were going to take advantage of our possessions and we did that.”

It was also a good season for kicker Maddux Trujilio, who tied the program record for most field goals in a season with 14 after nailing a pair of 26-yarders on Saturday.

With the win, the Governors finish the season 6-5 overall and 4-2 in the OVC. They won four of their last five games, with the average margin of victory being 28.5 points. The only loss was a one-point defeat on the road at OVC champion UT Martin.

“This was our Super Bowl,” Walden said. “I am so proud of these seniors and this football program. When we were going through our three-straight losses, we have every right that. If any of our guys or coaches had an average mindset, they would have just turned it in. There are different ways to be a champion. Being a champion is not just always having a ring on your finger. You can be a champion defined by your character and your actions. I am not just saying that because we don’t have a ring on our fingers, it is 100% what I believe in and what this program believes in.

“At the end of the day, we had a choice to make after the UT Martin loss to either turn it in or to respond. I am so proud of the way that we came to work every day. We never wavered in any meeting or practice. In both the losses and wins, our kids played hard. I am forever thankful for this senior class and their leadership.”

The team will graduate 26 seniors and graduate students. Notably among the group are Troy Henderson, Johnathon Edwards, Baniko Harley, Eugene Minter, Koby Perry, Tanner, Isaiah Norman, Kordell Jackson, DJ Render, Jack McDonald, Seth Johnson and Kwame Sutton.

Austin Peay’s 2022 season will kick off on Aug. 27 against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. It will notably be their first game as a member of the Atlantic Sun conference, whom the program is joining effective July 1, 2022.

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