After guiding Austin Peay to a win the likes of which the program had not experienced in 37 years, Jeff Faris is going to get the chance to help the Governors climb to even greater heights.
Sources tell FootballScoop on Thanksgiving that Faris and Austin Peay have agreed to terms on a new, five-year contract extension. The Govs just capped a 7-5 campaign that began when the Faris-led program smashed Derek Mason's FBS MTSU Blue Raiders, 34-14, on the road.
Most important in this new deal that extends the contract through 2030 of the 35-year-old former Duke player and David Cutcliffe disciple, it provides "substantial more resources" for both player-compensation, via revenue-sharing and Name, Image and Likeness, as well as additional money for Austin Peay's assistant coaches' salary pool, sources shared.
Faris confirmed the news to FootballScoop Thursday afternoon.
"We’re in this game to win it," Faris told FootballScoop. "Austin-Peay is making a significant commitment to our student-athletes with revenue-sharing and player compensation.
"I could not be more excited. (Austin Peay President Michael Licari) Dr. Licari and our university is making a massive commitment to our players and the student-athlete experience.
"It's so important to take care of our players and coaches and it's an exciting time to be at Austin Peay and for us to have these increases in player compensation and revenue-sharing. Let’s Go Peay."
A former prep standout at Knoxville's Catholic High School alongside former Notre Dame All-American and current Minnesota Vikings star safety Harrison Smith, Faris played his collegiate ball at Duke under Cutcliffe, and he then quickly transitioned to Cutcliffe's coaching staff.
Beginning for the Blue Devils as a graduate assistant, the former safety has carved a coaching path as a keen offensive mind and energetic, relentless young leader of men. He's been previously praised by both Cutcliffe and Chip Kelly, for whom he coached at UCLA.
Faris was named the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year at Duke in 2018, when he began the first of three years as the Blue Devils's tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. Duke posted an 8-5 campaign that year that it capped with a dominant, 56-27 win in the Independence Bowl.
Sources said that Faris's new deal, which he wanted focused primarily on additional monies for student-athletes and assistant coaches, does include a raise and an increased buyout from Austin Peay.
AP head coach Jeff Faris (left) sits in the quarterbacks meeting with OC Quinn Billerman and the Govs QBs, incuding breakout-star Chris Parson, whose potential return in 2026 would make the Govs a likely preseason top-10 team.
After just missing the FCS Playoffs following a 45-44 overtime-loss at No. 4-ranked, nationally seeded Tarleton State last Saturday, the Govs already have pivoted to 2026. Faris began hosting meetings with players Monday morning, after the long flight back to the Nashville area late Saturday night into Sunday morning, and was preparing for official visits in the coming days.
Austin Peay, which this season also trailed College Football Playoff No. 4-ranked Georgia just by two scores with less than 6 minutes to play in their early-September game between the hedges, opens next season at Clark Lea's Vanderbilt Commodores.
The Govs also have a looming, national FCS intrasectional showdown at North Dakota State.