Clarksville, TN – After his second punt return touchdown of the season and the third of his career, Austin Peay State University (APSU) wide receiver, and return specialist Kam Thomas has been named the United Athletic Conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season, Monday.
In the first quarter of Saturday’s double-overtime win against Southern Utah, Thomas returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown to give the Governors a 14-7 lead. The Thunderbirds did not kick or punt to Thomas for the remainder of the contest.
The 82-yard punt return for a touchdown is the third-longest return in program history, trailing only Thomas’ 92-yard return for a touchdown at Central Arkansas (2022) and his 87-yard return for a touchdown against ETSU (2023). Thomas now has the three longest punt returns in program history and is the only Gov to ever return a punt for more than 80 yards.
With three punt return touchdowns in his career, the Birmingham, Alabama native is tied with Don Derrick (1974-77) for the most punt return touchdowns in APSU history. Thomas is also tied with Derrick (1976), Don Neff (1974), and Tim Chilcutt (1965) for the most punt return touchdowns in a season in program history.
With 252 punt return yards this season, Thomas already has the fifth-best season in APSU history. Thomas also ranks fifth in Austin Peay State University history with 518 career punt return yards.
Nationally, Thomas leads the FCS in punt return average (25.2) and is tied for the lead in punt return touchdowns (2) this season. Thomas also ranks eighth in the FCS and leads the UAC with 479 combined kick return yards this season. Lastly, Thomas ranks 17th in the FCS and third in the UAC with 125.86 all-purpose yards per game.
Thomas’ special team’s payer of the week award marks the fifth time that a Governor has received a weekly honor from the UAC and makes him the first Gov earn multiple weekly recognitions from the UAC this season. Austin Peay State University is still the only team in the conference that has had a player named offensive, defensive, special teams, and freshman of the week this season.
Thomas and the Austin Peay State University football team are back in action when they host a Saturday 3:00pm UAC clash with North Alabama on Homecoming at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville. Single-game and group tickets for the remainder of the 2023 football season are available online at LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets, through TicketMaster, or by calling the APSU Athletics ticket office at 931.221.PEAY (7329).
For news and updates throughout the 2023 season, follow APSU football on X (@GovsFB) and Instagram (@GovsFootball) or stay tuned here at LetsGoPeay.com.
