The return to head coach for Mark Hudspeth will be a surprising one-and-done.
Late last week, Austin Peay announced that Hudspeth was stepping down as the head coach of the Governors. Hudspeth was getting ready to enter his second season with the FCS program.
According to the coach, he stepped away for unspecified family reasons. It does, though, appear that the decision to step away from the profession is a temporary one.
“This was not an easy decision, but a very personal one,” Mark Hudspeth said in a statement. “I need to take some time away from the game with Tyla and the kids. I could not be more thankful for my time at Austin Peay and will be a fan forever. I will miss the players and coaches incredibly and will never forget their commitment to each other and this team. I will return to coaching in the future at the right time.”
His lone season at Austin Peay was a historic one. The 11 wins for the Governors were a school record. Hudspeth guided the program to its first-ever appearance in the FCS playoffs. That run to the quarterfinals included a pair of playoff wins.
“First, I want to thank Mark for his work in moving Governors football to new heights,” said athletic director Gerald Harrison. “His dedication to Governors football has laid the foundation for our football program to reach even greater success. We’ll get to work immediately determining our next steps to build on the momentum Mark built.”
Prior to Austin Peat, Hudspeth spent seven seasons (2011-17) as the head coach at Louisiana. His first four seasons, the Ragin’ Cajuns went 9-4 each year. A three-year run of 4-8, 6-7, 5-7 led to his dismissal in December of 2017.