Six weeks prior to National Signing Day, APSU hired Will Healy as the 19th head football coach in the program’s history.
“We’re gonna get it done,” Healy said. “We’ve got a month left in recruiting. Plenty of time.”
Healy, a former recruiting coordinator at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, got it done. Healy brought in 26 players on National Signing Day, the No. 1 recruiting class in the Ohio Valley Conference, according to OVCsports.com.
1. APSU (26)
2. Eastern Illinois (13)
3. Eastern Kentucky (26)
4. Jacksonville State (current OVC and FCS champion, 13)
5. Murray State (28, including Dee Nalls, who verbally committed to Mississippi State and APSU )
6. Southeast Missouri (21)
7. Tennessee State (22)
8. Tennessee Technological University (19)
9. University of Tennessee at Martin (25)
Three of the players, Trent Taylor, Chris Hopkins and Prince Momodu, were a part of the 2015 state championship Brentwood Academy team from Brentwood, Tennessee.
Another signature on National Signing Day for APSU was Taeler Dowdy, who was named the District 7-AAA Offensive MVP and the Daily News Journal’s Offensive Player of the Year. He also led his Blackman team to a Class 6A State Quarterfinals and was a Tennessee Titans Class 6A Mr. Football semifinalist.
Dillon Daniels, a tight end from Batesville, Arkansas, committed to APSU while Kirby Cannon was still head coach but signed under Healy’s reigns.
Malcom Swann, a Nashville, Tennessee native from Hillsboro High School, was another key signature. Swann was named Metro Nashville Defensive Player of the Year, along with first-team All-Region 5A, according to The Leaf Chronicle.
Healy’s commits mostly came from Tennessee, but he also brought in players from Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama and even Connecticut.
According to 247sports.com, 13 of APSU’s commits had multiple star ratings.
2016 will be a rebuilding year for APSU, but with already talented players and 26 additions to the Governors football team, a season with games in the win column may not be out of reach.
OVC Home games for APSU next year include Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Eastern Kentucky and Murray State. Murray State is the only team APSU has won against in its last 34 games, dating back to 2014.
