Tennessee’s Marlin Lane (15) breaks past Austin Peay’s Johnathan Shuler (26), Josh Owens (35) and Corey Teague (40) in route to a touchdown during their NCAA college football game on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013 in Knoxville.KNOXVILLE – On the job less than two months, Austin Peay athletic director Derek van de Merwe helped schedule none of the three FBS opponents the FCS level Governors will play this season.
But in the final minutes before visiting APSU faced Tennessee on Saturday evening, van de Merwe already considered his program a big winner, regardless of the numbers on the scoreboard.
“We’re getting $450,000 for this game,” he said. “The three [FBS] games combined (UT, at Vanderbilt this Saturday and at Ohio on Sept. 21) will generate $1 million for our program. That money is designated for our $17 million stadium renovation.”
Mindful that 61 members of the Govs’ 89-player roster are from Tennessee — including starting defensive tackle Malcolm Goines from Red Bank High and reserve wide receiver Mikhail Creech from Ooltewah — van de Merwe quickly added, “It’s not just about dollars, though. It’s a dream of every one of our kids to run into Neyland Stadium. Right now, this program is about building opportunity.”
Fans of the UT-Chattanooga Mocs will get an opportunity to see the Governors at Finley Stadium on Sept. 14. It will be the third of five straight road games APSU will endure to start the season. Due to its three guarantee games, the Clarksville school will play just four times at home in its 12-game schedule.