Austin Peay has hired Jeff Faris to be the school’s next head coach. Faris spent the last two years as the tight end coach at UCLA.
Faris was born in Tennessee and played his college football at Duke from 2008 through 2011. He began his coaching career with the Blue Devils as a graduate assistant in 2012 and 2013 before moving to an assistant coach position. He spent the 2014 through 2017 seasons as the wide receivers coach.
From 2018 through 2020, Faris took over as the tight end coach and was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and quarterback coach in 2021. As part of the new role, he was given in-game playcalling duties that were previously held by then-head coach David Cutcliffe. Cutcliffe was let go after the 2021 season along with the rest of his staff leading to Faris’ move to UCLA.
Faris will take over for Scotty Walden after Walden left for the UTEP head coaching job. Faris continues the youth movement trend for the Governors’ head coaches with Walden only 30 at the time of his hire and Faris at age 33. Walden went 26-14 at Austin Peay including two conference titles, sharing the ASUN title in 2022 and winning the United Athletic title outright in 2023. The Governors made the FCS Playoffs in 2023 but lost the opening round game to Chattanooga 24-21.
Photo Credit to Austin Peay State University Athletics
