Austin Peay will begin a search for a new head coach following Scotty Walden’s decision to leave for the head coaching position at UTEP. Walden went 26-14 overall and 17-6 in conference matchups at Austin Peay.
Walden took over the Austin Peay program in the fall of 2020 after the Governors had already played 3 non-conference games. He led Austin Peay to a 4-2 record in the spring 2021 season (APSU finished the 2020-21 season 4-5 overall). Austin Peay finished the 2021 fall season with a 6-5 record and in a tie for second place in the Ohio Valley Conference.
In 2022, Austin Peay shared the ASUN title with Eastern Kentucky and Central Arkansas but missed out on the ASUN-WAC automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs, which went to EKU. That changed in 2023 when the Governors won the inaugural United Athletic Conference title and played the opening-round playoff matchup at home. The Governors lost 24-21 to Chattanooga. It was the only one-score game Austin Peay lost in 2023 (4-1 in such games).
Walden was previously head coach of NCAA Division III East Texas Baptist in 2016 (went 7-3 overall) and Southern Miss for four games in the fall of 2020 before taking the Austin Peay job (Walden went 1-3 in those 4 games). His career record is 34-20 overall. Austin Peay is looking for the next head coach to continue the noticeable progress started by Will Healy, elevated to a new level in the FCS Playoffs by Mark Hudspeth, and the sustained success under Scotty Walden.
Photo Credit to Austin Peay State University Athletics
