Austin Peay hires Kirby Cannon, Central Michigan assistant, as Governors' new head coach

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay has hired Kirby Cannon as the new football coach, replacing Rick Christophel who left for a job with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals.

The Governors announced the hiring Monday, and Cannon will be introduced at a news conference Tuesday.

Cannon spent the last three seasons as secondary coach at Central Michigan, and he also was head coach for 11 seasons at Division II Missouri S&T. He becomes the Governors' 18th head coach.

Athletic director Dave Loos says Cannon has a reputation of building programs, and Cannon says he wanted to be a head coach again at a place that needed him.

The Governors had to delay the start of spring practice until they hired a new coach after Christophel was announced as Arizona's new tight ends coach Feb. 5.