Football 8/15/2025 1:30:00 PM

2025 KICKOFF COUNTDOWN: Austin Peay Governors

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Excitement is building for the third season of gridiron action in the United Athletic Conference (UAC) and as a lead into the kickoff of the 2025 campaign, we will preview each of the nine league members with a daily countdown in the "Chase for the Crown". Austin Peay, the inaugural league champion in 2023, looks to challenge for another chance to raise the trophy again this season.

AUSTIN PEAY QUICK FACTS
2025 Preseason Pick: 6th
2024 Record: 4-8 (4-4 UAC / 5th)
Program Best FCS Record: 11-4 (2019)
NCAA FCS Playoff Appearances: 2 (Last: 2023)
Head Coach: Jeff Faris
Career Record: 4-8 (2nd Season) / 4-4 (2nd Season)

KEY RETURNERS
- AUSTIN SMITH (QB, GR) - Govs returning starter at quarterback, going 213-of-339 passing for 2,354 yards and 15 TDs last year
- ELLIS ELLIS JR. (DB, R-JR) - One of the top returning defensive backs in the UAC, garnering preseason All-Conference accolades... Snagged three interceptions along with breaking up a team-high six passes and recorded 26 tackles including four TFLs

NOTEWORTHY

Austin Peay’s 2025 roster consists of 38 returners, 48 transfers, and 22 true freshmen... The 48 transfers include 21 FBS players, 16 FCS players, six Division II players, one NAIA player and four junior college players...In head coach Jeff Faris’ second season at Austin Peay, he returns seven of his nine full-time assistant coaches with Greg Jones (Defensive Coordinator) and Lucas Reed (Special Teams Coordinator) being the two new assistants on staff.
Chandler Kirton has made 35-straight starts on the offensive line, including 12-straight at center. He has started every game for Austin Peay over the last three seasons.
In his first season at Austin Peay in 2023, kicker Carson Smith made the third-most field goals (13) in a season in program history and connected on the third (53 yards) and sixth (51 yards) longest field goals in APSU history.
Ellis Ellis Jr. led the Governors with nine passes defended last season with three interceptions and a team-leading six pass breakups. He ranked eighth in the UAC in passes defended and 10th in pass breakups.
Austin Peay has won the United Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year in back-to-back seasons with Chandler Kirton (2024) and Maddux Trujillo (2023), making the Govs the only team to earn the award in conference history.