Clarksville, TN – After signing 18 student-athletes during December’s early signing period, Austin Peay State University (APSU) head football coach Jeff Faris and the Governors’ coaching staff added 11 early-enrollee transfers with eight Division I, two Division II, and one junior college transfer joining the APSU Govs.
Austin Peay State University’s offense added another veteran at quarterback in Austin Smith, who made 16 starts in 22 games during his three seasons at Eastern Michigan. Smith threw for 2,565 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding 389 yards and four touchdown on the ground during his time in Ypsilanti.
The Governors also added a pair of veteran tight ends in Alec Pell and Marcus Phillips Jr., who transferred from Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona, respectively. Pell, who began his career at Colorado, has 37 catches for 331 yards and two touchdowns in 31 career games while Phillips Jr., who also played at UNLV and Southern Utah, has 40 receptions for 400 yards and six touchdowns in 35 games.
Veteran wide receiver Chris Scott Jr. also joins the Governors after spending four seasons at North Carolina State, where he also played defensive back. Rounding out the Govs’ offensive additions are offensive linemen Chinazo Obobi from Marshall and Joshua Robinson from Hutchinson Community College.
On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Bo Spearman comes to Clarksville after appearing in 21 games over three seasons at Chattanooga. The APSU Govs also added a pair of experienced defensive backs in Cinque Williams and Jesse Johnson III.
Williams began his career at North Texas, where he played in five games, before transferring to UTSA, where he played in 12 games over the last two seasons.
Johnson, who began his career at Eastern Illinois, spent the past four seasons at Division II Tiffin, where he recorded 54 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 passes defended.
Defensive lineman Kinstin Reaves, who also began his career at EIU before transferring to Division II UNC Pembroke, joins the Governors after totaling 36 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and a forced fumble in 17 games for the Braves.
Finally, the Governors rounded out their additions with kicker Carson Smith, who spent the past three seasons at East Carolina.
The 11 early-enrollee transfers, in addition to the seven early enrollees that Faris signed in December, will join the Governors for the spring semester and be eligible to participate in spring practice as early enrollees. Faris and the Austin Peay State University coaching staff then turn their attention toward the February signing period, which opens February 7th.
For more offseason news and updates on Austin Peay State University football, follow along on X and Instagram or be sure to check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
Austin Peay State University Football 2024 Signing Class
| Athlete | Ht. | Wt. | Pos. | Hometown | High School | Previous Schools |
| Grace’son Beach | 6-1 | 215 | LB | Clarksville, Tenn. | Pearl-Cohn HS | |
| BJ Blake | 5-9 | 180 | RB | Memphis, Tenn. | Germantown HS | |
| Gabe Bobbitt ‡ | 6-4 | 235 | TE | Villa Rica, Ga. | South Paulding HS | |
| Malik Bowen-Sims ‡ | 6-2 | 198 | WR | Mt. Juliet, Tenn. | Mt. Juliet HS | Duke |
| Leon Brigham III | 6-0 | 303 | OL | DeSoto, Texas | DeSoto HS | |
| Dorian Davis ‡ | 6-0 | 194 | DB | Shelby, N.C. | Shelby HS | Towson / Southern Illinois / Western Carolina |
| Stephen Ellison II | 5-11 | 190 | DB | Murfreesboro, Tenn. | Oakland HS | |
| Mason Garcia ‡ | 6-5 | 242 | QB | Myrtle Beach, S.C. | Carolina Forest HS | East Carolina |
| Ethan Goodin | 6-5 | 265 | OL | Evansville, Ind. | Mater Dei HS | |
| Malachi Harris ‡ | 6-4 | 320 | OL | Huntsville, Ala. | Mae Jemison HS | |
| Tyler Hicks | 6-1 | 197 | LB | Alabaster, Ala. | Thompson HS | |
| Jesse Johnson III ‡ | 6-1 | 175 | DB | Brookville, Ohio | Marion-Franklin HS | Tiffin / Eastern Illinois |
| CJ Jordan | 5-10 | 160 | ATH | Memphis, Tenn. | Lausanne Collegiate School | |
| Jade Kneeland | 6-2 | 190 | WR | Bartlett, Tenn. | Bartlett HS | |
| Jeffson Locke | 6-3 | 235 | ATH | Dalton, Ga. | Dalton HS | |
| Jay Morrow | 6-2 | 260 | DL | Memphis, Tenn. | Lausanne Collegiate School | |
| Chinazo Obobi ‡ | 6-5 | 300 | OL | London, England | Lea Valley Academy | Marshall / Laney College (Calif.) |
| Alec Pell ‡ | 6-4 | 235 | TE | Englewood, Colo. | Cherry Creek HS | Northern Colorado / Colorado |
| Marcus Phillips Jr. ‡ | 6-2 | 235 | TE | Las Vegas, Nev. | Cimarron-Memorial HS | Northern Arizona / Southern Utah / UNLV |
| Kinstin Reaves ‡ | 6-0 | 285 | DL | Statesville, N.C. | Statesville HS | UNC Pembroke / Eastern Illinois |
| Corey Richardson | 5-9 | 170 | ATH | Fayetteville, Ga. | Whitewater HS | |
| Joshua Robinson ‡ | 6-6 | 285 | OL | St. Louis, Mo. | Cardinal Ritter College Prep HS | Hutchinson CC (Kan.) / Butler CC (Kan.) |
| Christopher Scott Jr. ‡ | 6-0 | 161 | WR | Atlanta, Ga. | Dacula HS | North Carolina State |
| Jase Skoglund ‡ | 6-5 | 240 | TE | Austin, Texas | Vandegrift HS | |
| Austin Smith ‡ | 6-2 | 218 | QB | Jonesboro, Ga. | Cedar Grove HS | Eastern Michigan |
| Carson Smith ‡ | 5-11 | 170 | K | Belmont, N.C. | South Point HS | East Carolina |
| Bo Spearman ‡ | 6-1 | 226 | LB | Irondale, Ala. | Shades Valley HS | Chattanooga |
| Spence Tankersley ‡ | 6-5 | 320 | OL/DL | Lewisburg, Tenn. | Forrest HS | |
| Cinque Williams ‡ | 5-9 | 180 | DB | Southlake, Texas | Southlake Carroll HS | UTSA / North Texas |
† – signed during December early signing period (18), ‡ – mid-year enrollee (18)
