Austin Peay names Kirby Cannon head coach

Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay named Kirby Cannon its new head football coach on Monday.

The Ohio Valley Conference program will introduce the former Central Michigan secondary coach at a news conference Tuesday.

Cannon has spent the last three seasons at Central Michigan. Previously, he was the head coach at Missouri S&T for 11 seasons from 1999-2009, compiling a 46-86 record, and was named Great Lakes Football Conference Coach of the Year in 2008 after leading the Miners to their first conference title since 1983.

The 1981 graduate of Missouri State began his coaching career in 1983 as a graduate assistant at Iowa State. He also has been an assistant at North Central, Truman State, Northern Michigan and Western Illinois.

Cannon inherits a team coming off a 2-9 record and a last-place finish in the OVC along with Tennessee Tech.

He replaces Rick Christophel, who stepped down as the Governors' head coach after six seasons to become the tight ends coach with the Arizona Cardinals.