Austin Peay Post Game Observations

We only do post-game observations after a win. Hopefully, there will be one more this season.

*Undefeated at home in 2012!  Two of JSU's 3 FCS losses were gut wrenching affairs that could have gone either way; however, you can't forget that JSU also won close games against Murray, T. State and UTC.

*A win is a win, but this one was frustrating.  Peay's quarterback looked like Joe Montana.  Credit to him, but he had not looked that good against anybody else this year.

*Peay dominated JSU statistically.

*As Butch Barker said in the telecast, JSU has to learn to put teams away.  Twice during the second half, Peay was driving to get within one score.  After living through the horror of Tenn. Tech in 2010 and EKU in 2011, no lead is safe.   We will know we have arrived when JSU has a game that does not come down to the 4th quarter.

*It seemed that Peay ran about 500 screen passes and quick lateral passes to their wide receivers.  JSU's cornerbacks really struggled to get off the blocks to make the tackle.

*Defensive struggles aside, Dimetrio Tyson had an excellent game. What a great leader and player.  Likewise, Spiderman Smith made a lot of plays as well. If Jack Jackson comes back, it would be exciting to see a linebacking group of Tolson, Jackson, Smith and Endress.

*The Gamecocks are a run first team, but it seemed that they could have thrown for about 300 yards yesterday.  JSU's receivers have been outstanding all year. I can't remember more than about 5-6 drops this season.

*Good job by Griffin Thomas kicking a 40+ yard field goal to put the game out of reach.

*Thinking about next year.   JSU has so much depth at certain positions that it seems that they could really recruit for need next year.  On offense, wide receiver is a big need spot with Coop, Trey Smith and Alan Bonner all graduating.  Likewise, quarterback is a worry.  Ivory graduates and we don't know if Coty will return. Steven Coates is a big, talented player but has really battled injury.

*On defense, the Gamecocks only lose four seniors:   Nick Johnson, Brook Robinson, Keginald Harris and Dimetrio Tyson.  The entire starting secondary returns along with quality reserves, Bynum, Bender and Buxton.  Likewise, Endress, Spiderman, Tolson, Jamaal Johnson, Blake Glaze, JaJuan Lee and Dustin Gayton all return at linebacker.

The immediate recruiting need is defensive linemen.  Help is already on the way with Ked Wolfe and a tranfer from Georgia Southern, but it seems that this would be a position where JSU would look hard at JUCOs and scour the nation for FCS transfers looking for immediate playing time.  JSU just missed this past year on JUCO transfer Lucas Melo and Georgia transfer Derrick Lott. What a difference those guys would have made.

BEAT FLORIDA.