Huesman gets 32nd win as UTC coach

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman on Saturday earned his 32nd win since taking over six years ago. That equals the program's victory total the 10 years before his arrival.

Huesman, the Southern Conference coach of the year in 2009 and 2013, has a 32-27 overall record and led the program to a share of the league title last season. In the decade before he took over at his alma mater, UTC compiled a 32-81 record under three coaches, with just one winning season (6-5 in 2005). Huesman has had a winning record in four of his previous five years.

Williams moving up

With his second touchdown run of the game, coming just before halftime, senior running back Keon Williams moved into a tie for fifth on the Mocs' career rushing TD list with 18. His first scoring run of the game was also UTC's first rushing TD of the season.

Hudson highlights

Mocs senior receiver Tommy Hudson registered the first 100-yard receiving game of his career.

Hudson, who finished with seven catches for 102 yards, had four catches for 93 yards and a TD by the midpoint of the first quarter and became the Mocs' first 100-yard receiver since Terrell Robinson had 124 against Elon in the final game of the 2012 season. Hudson also added a 58-yard punt return for a TD, the program's first punt-return score since 2007.

Govs' local flavor

Two of Austin Peay's starters are former Chattanooga-area high school stars: senior defensive tackle Malcolm Goines from Red Bank and senior strong safety Mikhail Creech from Ooltewah.

photo UTC's Keon Williams (22) makes a long run that set up UTC's first touchdown. The UTC Mocs visited the Austin Peay State University Governors in the inaugural game of their new Governors Stadium in Clarksville, Tenn.

Goines started eight of 11 games in 2012, but after he played in the first two games of last season, academic issues sidelined him the rest of 2013. Back in good standing for this season, Goines (6-foot-2, 306) packed on more weight over the offseason to prepare himself for his new role playing along the interior of the line. A former receiver, Creech got his first action in the Govs' secondary in the season opener at Memphis.

Stadium unveiled

Saturday was the official opening of Austin Peay's new Governors Stadium, which underwent a $19 million renovation in the last year. The original stadium was built in 1946 and demolished after the conclusion of last season.

The new stadium has four levels on the west (home) side, with the lower level housing the player locker rooms, including new dark wood lockers and lounge, as well as the athletic training/equipment rooms. Levels 3 and 4 are club seating and skyboxes, each complete with a bar and televisions.

Mocs morsels

Saturday was the first time UTC had visited Austin Peay in football since 1968.

The Mocs are 6-0 all-time against the Govs, who have now lost 14 straight games. Austin Peay's last win was a seven-point decision over Tennessee Tech on Nov. 17, 2012.

This also was the second straight week the Mocs played a team from the Ohio Valley Conference. They have one more game against an OVC foe, at Tennessee Tech on Nov. 15.

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.

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