Now we know a lot more of the rest of the story when it comes to Mark Hudspeth.
Earlier this month, Austin Peay announced that Mark Hudspeth was stepping down as the head coach of the Governors. According to the coach, he stepped away for unspecified family reasons.
According to the Leaf-Chronicle, though, Hudspeth was in the middle of serving a 20-day suspension when his resignation was announced. The newspaper, citing an email obtained as the result of an open records request, explained that athletic director Gerald Harrison had accused Hudspeth of unspecified unacceptable conduct in suspending the coach.
From the report:In Harrison’s email to Hudspeth on June 17, he said the reasons for Hudspeth’s suspension were “your recent unacceptable conduct and violation of sections 10.1.2 and 10.1.8 of your employment agreement.”
Section 10.1.2 of Hudspeth’s contract says “if the Athletic Director determines in his reasonable discretion that coach Hudspeth has willfully engaged in conduct that is clearly contrary to the character and responsibilities of a person occupying the position of Head Football Coach and which negatively or adversely affects the reputation of the University or its athletic programs in any material way.”
According to Section 10.1.8, “Egregious personal conduct that is reasonably determined by the Athletic Director or President to negatively, adversely and materially affect the reputation or operation of the APSU athletics program.”
Hudspeth’s 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.
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.
Hudspeth was replaced on an interim basis by defensive line coach Marquase Lovings.