Murray State
Austin Peay
Chaney sets MSU and OVC record in 42-6 victory over Austin Peay
11/12/2005 6:00:00 AM | Football
Chaney ended the game with 310 yards rushing after an amazing total of 219 in the first half alone. In fact, he had gained 100 yards when there was still 11:40 remaining in the second quarter.
After the game, the Racers' redshirt freshman was all smiles, and for more than the record performance. His mother Lewana, who serves in the United States Army, watched him play for the first time in 2-1/2 years since returning from Iraq.
"My teammates gave this chance. When they knew a record was in reach, they said they were going to make sure we got it," said Chaney. "And having my mom here was great. She is what keeps me going."
Chaney made history with 59 seconds left in the second quarter when he ran 97 yards for a touchdown to give the Racers a 21-6 lead. The run tied the Murray State all-time record for longest run from scrimmage set by Carl Walker against Austin Peay in 1954.
At that point, Chaney was only 50 yards shy of the MSU single-game mark of 259 yards set by George Greenfield against Evansville in 1972.
In the third quarter, with the MSU record already in his grasp, Chaney went for the OVC record. When Chaney scored again from 43 yards out, he surpassed the 308 yards that J.R. Taylor of Eastern Illinois gained against Florida Atlantic in 2002.
Chaney's 41 carries also set a single-game record, surpassing Greenfield's 39 against Morehead State in 1972. He was well off the OVC record of 52 carries.
It was a surprising feat, especially considering that a month ago, Chaney was a back-up cornerback for the Racers and was moved to tailback only when Chad Cook was lost for the season with a knee injury and Robbie Wize became sick with mononucleosis.
Chaney had already turned in two excellent games in the last two weeks since being moved to the backfield. He gained 119 yards two weeks ago at Southeast Missouri State, and last week, he ran for 98 yards against Eastern Kentucky.
"I played tailback in high school (Chaney attended Louisville's Ballard HS), so I feel most natural at tailback," he said. "It's a whole different mindset, switching from defense to offense. The main thing different is your mentality. At first, running back was a little shaky because I was used to looking at it from the defensive side of the ball. I guess I got it back now. Chad and Robbie are hurt, so the coaches told me I had to step up and play."
For Murray State, it was nice to finally be on the winning side, and to do it on Senior Day when 15 Racers were playing their final home game, it was sweet indeed.
In getting their first win since Sept. 24 when they defeated Indiana State, the Racers snapped their seven-game losing streak and avoided their first eight-game streak since 1966.
Head coach Joe Pannunzio was proud of the win and the record game turned by Chaney.
"I'm real proud of Stevie Chaney," he said. "We needed confidence, and it was good to see some kids step up and make plays," said Pannunzio.
The Governors got on the board first when David Haskins returned a MSU fumble 42 yards for a touchdown to give Austin Peay a 6-0 lead with 6:30 in the first quarter.
The Racers quickly struck back when Ryne Salyer hit Maurice Marchman for a 57-yard touchdown pass with 4:30 in the quarter, and when Gary Crass kicked the conversion, the Racers had a 7-6 lead.
Chaney scored on a seven-yard run to give MSU a 14-6 lead with 11:03 before half, setting the stage for his record-breaking game. He ended the day with four scoring runs.
The Racers move to 2-8 overall and finish the season at Tennessee-Martin Thursday at 7 p.m.
MSU Notes
Not to be forgotten, Chaney's teammate at Louisville's Ballard High School and now with the Racers, is Maurice Marchman, who caught two passes today for 103 yards and two touchdowns.
The Racers' six touchdowns was a season-high and their first six-TD game since the 2004 season-opener Aug. 28 when the Racers scored eight TDs in a 56-3 win over Glenville State. MSU's 558 total yards was its best showing since the same game when they had 604 yards against Glenville.
Tim Wright may not have the best average in the OVC, but he is one of the most accurate. In the first quarter, his first punt of the day was downed at the Austin Peay 4-yard line, marking the 12th time he has kicked inside the 20-yard line this season. In the third quarter, he enjoyed his career-long punt in a Racer uniform of 53 yards .
When Salyer hit Marchman with a 57-yard TD pass in the first quarter, it marked the sixth straight game in which the Racers had a TD pass. Salyer has thrown a TD pass in each of the last five. The last time MSU did not have a touchdown pass was Sept. 24, when it was shutout at Illinois State.
Chaney's 310 yards rushing is a new record, and obviously the best in the OVC this season. The previous best was 221 yards by UT-Martin's Don Chapman Sept. 17 against Tennessee Tech.
His effort of 310 yards is only the second 300-plus rushing game this season in all of Division I-AA. There have been none in I-A. The other came from Portland State's Joe Rubin, who rushed for 356 yards on Sept. 24 against Northern Colorado. Adding Division II and Division III, Chaney's game ranks as the ninth-best rushing game of 2005. There have been 12 300-plus rushing games this season in all levels of NCAA college football.
