2026 Austin Peay Football Preview: Are The Govs Ready To Be Contenders Again?

Our 2026 FCS football team preview series continues with Austin Peay, which is looking to return to the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2023.

Even without a postseason appearance, it was truly a historic season for the Governors. They defeated Middle Tennessee State for their first FBS win since 1987, while they also finished 6-0 at home for the first time since 1949.

The challenge is going to be carrying that momentum into this season, where the expectations are going to be much higher than a year ago. The Govs return nearly 20 significant contributors, including All-American quarterback Chris Parson, who was one of the breakout stars at the FCS level last season.

This staff did an excellent job identifying talent in the transfer portal, signing one of the top classes in the FCS. We've seen mixed results with large transfer portal classes, but the Govs have a solid nucleus of returning talent and have filled the holes through the portal, which has created a real sense of optimism entering the 2026 season.

Let's take a deep dive into Austin Peay ahead of the 2026 college football season.

Roster Outlook

2025 Record: 7-5 (4-4 UAC)
Head Coach: Jeff Faris (3rd season, 11-13)

Returning All-Conference Players: Chris Parson (QB), Joshua Sales Jr. (OT), Jackson Head (TE)

Notable Incoming Transfers: Justin Wimpye (Youngstown State, CB), David Portu (Charleston Southern, EDGE), Joshua Miller (Syracuse, OL), Jeff Burton (Georgia State, OL), Tywan Royal (ETSU, DB), Ta'Ron Haile (Syracuse, DB), Ronald Jackson (Grand Valley State, DL), Jefferson Desca (Wheeling, LB), Keith Charney (California (PA), LB), Jahvion Jarmon (Bowling Green, DB), Marvin Sims (Western Kentucky, WR), Quan Peterson (Newberry, CB)

Returning Significant Contributors (OFF): 9
Returning Significant Contributors (DEF): 9

Quarterback

One of the biggest reasons for Austin Peay's success last season is tied to the emergence of Chris Parson. The former Mississippi State transfer exploded onto the scene with an All-American season, finishing the year with 3,003 passing yards, 23 passing TDs, and 5 INTs, while leading the Govs with 743 rushing yards and 14 rushing TDs.

Parson elevated Austin Peay's offense to another level, but it's often lost that it was still only his first season as a full-time starter. That creates some excitement surrounding his potential in Year 2 as the starter, potentially making him a real threat to win the Walter Payton Award. If Parson continues to refine his game as a passer, the Govs will be a very dangerous team coming out of the UAC.

Behind Parson, there isn't much experience, but I would expect Appalachian State transfer Matthew Wilson and redshirt freshman Trey Blakeney to compete for the backup spot.

Running Back

As I mentioned above, Parson was the leading rusher for the Govs, but Austin Peay will also have to replace Javious Bond, who transferred to Mercer this offseason. Despite that loss, there is a solid group of young but talented weapons in the running back room.

Courtland Simmons returns after ranking 3rd on the team with 317 rushing yards and 3 rushing TDs on 70 carries. He is also a very dangerous weapon out of the backfield, finishing with 312 receiving yards on 16 catches. Kaden Williams is also back after seeing action in 12 games, posting 216 rushing yards and two scores in a reserve role.

A potential breakout star could be redshirt freshman Isaiah Groves, who was excellent in only four games last year. He rushed for 195 yards and 1 TD on only 30 touches, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. He was once committed to Georgia Tech, but missed his senior year with an ACL injury. As a junior, he rushed for the 4th-most yards in Tennessee HS football history, posting 3,085 yards and 31 TDs.

Corey Richardson returns as a solid depth piece after rushing for 208 yards and 1 TD last season. This is one position where depth isn't an issue, especially with Parson being another rushing threat in this offense.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Even with some promising returning talent, this is one position that I think the Govs need to see take a step forward if they want to be a true contender. They will have to replace last season's leading receiver, Shemar Kirk, along with freshman standout Kamari Maxwell.

Jaden Robinson was a key starter for the Govs last season, ranking 2nd on the team with 43 receptions for 579 receiving yards and 6 receiving TDs. One player that the Govs need a big year from is Nate Garnett Jr., who was solid last year, posting 336 receiving yards and 2 TDs on 21 receptions. He was an extremely talented transfer from Morehead State, but this offense needs him to thrive in a bigger role in 2026.

Behind Robinson and Garnett, there are a lot of unproven pieces, which creates a question mark about who will step up in a WR3 role. The Govs brought in Western Kentucky transfer Marvin Sims, who didn't see much action the past two seasons, but had 777 receiving yards and 6 receiving TDs at the Division II level in 2022.

One player to watch will be Vanderbilt transfer Chance Fitzgerald, who is a former 4-star prospect and was a record-setting high school wide receiver at Nolensville HS. Redshirt freshman Denver Harper also returns and could be an intriguing option in the slot if he takes a step forward this fall.

Jackson Head will headline the tight end room once again after earning first-team All-UAC honors in 2025. Over the past two years, he's recorded 417 receiving yards and 3 TDs for the Govs. He's joined by redshirt sophomore Jase Skoglund, who had a solid season in a reserve role last year. Also, keep an eye on Julien Randolph III as someone who could earn a bigger role after performing well in limited snaps last season.

Offensive Line

This will be another extremely important position to watch for the Govs, especially with only two returning starters. Luckily, the unit is anchored by All-American offensive tackle Joshua Sales Jr. (6-5, 312), who only allowed 1 sack in nearly 400 pass-blocking snaps in 2025. He's one of the most talented offensive tackles in the FCS and enters the season as a potential NFL prospect.

Saidou Ba (6-4, 324) returns after starting multiple games at offensive tackle, but also has the versatility to move inside to guard. Redshirt senior Zak Bowden (6-3, 285) was a starter early in the season, but battled injuries and was limited to just over 220 snaps. The rest of the starting lineup is projected to be filled with some very talented incoming transfers.

Georgia State transfer Jeff Burton (6-3, 301) saw limited action for the Panthers, but graded out well as a pass blocker in his few appearances. I really like the upside of Syracuse transfer Joshua Miller (6-4, 320), who played in six games with one start last season. He's shown the ability to play all five positions across the offensive line, making him the most versatile OL addition for the Govs.

The Govs also added a talented Division II transfer in Benjamin Hicks (6-2, 332), who comes in from Fayetteville State. He was a first-team All-CIAA selection after allowing zero sacks and grading out at an 85% overall last season. Troy transfer Kyler Gibson (6-5, 295) and Georgia State transfer Obadiah Obasuyi (6-5, 326) also join the room, but neither has significant playing experience.

Defensive Line

The defense has a solid amount of returning talent, but will have to replace most of its top playmakers from last year's unit. Antori Hamilton is the most experienced defensive lineman returning after playing over 400 snaps in 2025. He had a solid year on the interior, finishing with 31 tackles, 4 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks.

The real question is who will step into a bigger role next to Hamilton on the interior of this defensive line. Al Sandifer transferred in from Western Kentucky ahead of last season and played well in a rotational role. One player who could be ready for a bigger role is sophomore Anthwone Montgomery II, who played roughly 100 snaps as a true freshman last year. At 6-2, 315, he has the size and frame to be a key piece in this interior rotation.

Grand Valley State transfer Ronald Jackson is still a young player, but he played well as a redshirt freshman at the Division II level, finishing with 28 tackles, 2 TFLs, and 0.5 sacks. Tulsa transfer Mason Fleming also joins the room, but he only played a handful of snaps for the Golden Hurricanes.

At EDGE, redshirt senior Kendyle Ball is the most experienced returner with 367 snaps played in 2025. Along with Ball, the Govs bring back redshirt junior Demoris Jenkins, who performed well in limited sacks last year. Jenkins started his career at East Carolina and appears ready for a much bigger role in 2026.

One of the biggest portal additions for the Govs was Charleston Southern transfer David Portu, who was a second-team All-Conference selection for the Bucs. Over the past two seasons, he's racked up 68 total tackles, 8 TFLs, 3 sacks, and 4 PBUs. There's a real chance that Portu could be one of the best players in Austin Peay's front seven in 2026.

Along with Portu, the Govs added Central Michigan transfer Malik Denkins, who was a rotational piece for the Chippewas. I liked what I saw from Samford transfer Kelton Crisp last season, playing nearly 300 snaps as a true freshman for the Bulldogs. I think he's still a developmental piece, but could offer some depth in key spots, particularly passing situations. Another developmental name to watch will be redshirt sophomore Joshua Lloyd, who spent the last two seasons at Western Michigan.

Linebacker

There are going to be a ton of new faces at the linebacker spot next season, but redshirt sophomore Jake Stonebraker will be the leader after playing over 400 snaps in 2025. He ended the year with 36 total tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks in 10 games. The rest of the room is filled with very talented Division II transfers, who have high upside, but do need to adjust to the Division I level quickly.

I'm extremely excited to see the potential of Jefferson Bretanys-Desca, who transferred in from Wheeling. He had a breakout season with 114 total tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 2 INTs, and 4 PBUs, which earned him first-team All-MEC honors. There's also Xavier Ellison from Concord, who was also an All-MEC selection, posting 79 tackles, 8 TFLs, 0.5 sacks, and 3 blocked kicks. Both of these players have the talent to be immediate contributors for the Govs.

One of the most intriguing additions may be California (PA) transfer Keith Charney, who is more of a hybrid player, but appears to be making the move to linebacker. He's a two-time first-team PSAC West selection and was named the PSAC West Freshman of the Year in 2023. Over the past three years, he recorded 160 total tackles, 8 TFLs, 2 sacks, 7 INTs, 17 PBUs, 2 FFs, and 3 FRs.

Defensive Backs

At safety, the Govs have plenty of returning talent, including Trevor Hardy, who leads all defensive returners with 554 snaps played last season. He's joined by returning starter Myles Wiley, who was limited to eight games due to injury, but was productive with 41 total tackles.

Redshirt junior Markell Redding also returns after serving as a key rotational piece last year, but he graded out very well in his 206 snaps. The Govs also added Caleb Merritt from Wyoming, who has the versatility to play a true safety spot or can be an option for the starting nickel job. Syracuse transfer Ta'Ron Haile is a talented young player who started one game as a redshirt freshman last year at the FBS level.

There are a lot more questions at cornerback, where redshirt senior DeAndre Creary is the only returner who played over 200 snaps last year. He started the year as a solid rotational player, but earned a starting spot in the final three games of the season.

One of Austin Peay's most notable portal additions was Youngstown State cornerback Justin Wimpye. He started his career at Tiffin, but was outstanding in his lone season with the Penguins, posting 60 total tackles, 3 INTs, and 11 PBUs. I think he's an immediate starter with All-UAC upside in 2026.

Newberry transfer Quan Peterson was an underrated addition after his breakout season at the Division II level. He finished the year with 45 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 FFs, and 10 PBUs. The Govs needed to add depth to this room, which is where ETSU transfer Tywan Royal factors in after playing just over 300 snaps the past two seasons in the SoCon.

Season Outlook

This is going to be an important season for the trajectory of this program. When Faris took the job, he had to completely flip the roster, which had been destroyed by the portal. After a rebuild season, the Govs took a massive step forward last year and were a two-point conversion away from getting back to the FCS playoffs.

It's never easy to keep a talent like Chris Parson from hitting the portal, especially in today's age of college football, but when it happens, it comes with extremely high expectations. This is the most continuity we've seen Austin Peay have under Faris, which is why the expectation should be FCS playoffs or bust.

Looking at the schedule, the path is set for the Govs to make a real push to win the UAC. I know the perception is that it's a two-team race between Tarleton State and Abilene Christian, but the Govs get both of those teams in Clarksville. Plus, their two biggest non-conference games against UT Martin and Gardner-Webb are also at home, where they were undefeated last season.

As I mentioned earlier, anything less than a postseason appearance should be disappointment for Austin Peay. If the Govs can win a few of those key home games, I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the race for a Top 16 seed, which would drastically improve their chances of getting past the first round for the first time since 2019.

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