CLARKSVILLE—Eyes darted back and forth and then up and down.  Heads started shaking from side-to-side in disbelief. Smiles creased the face of each player as he walked deeper and deeper into the never-before-seen cavernous room. "Wow!" could be heard repeatedly as more and more players entered, seeing first the dark wood lockers. Those sounds grew louder as they saw the multiple televisions in the players' lounge.

In fact, the sound of approval nearly drowned out Austin Peay State University head coach Kirby Cannon Friday afternoon as he initially gathered his Governors after they finally saw the locker room that will serve as their home in new Governors Stadium.

Before Cannon gathered his players for their walk-through in preparation for Saturday's 4 p.m. season opener against Chattanooga, he amassed them around the outer door leading them to the locker room. First it was the seniors who entered followed by the juniors, sophomores and freshmen.  It was a day of rejoicing in finally having a locker room at the facility that will serves as their home.

In fact, as each player surveyed the locker room one thing stood to each one—their respective names on plate above their lockers. The Governors head coach was quick to point out the locker room was named the Bill Dupes Locker Room, who was at the helm when the Governors moved from the Volunteer Athletic Conference into the Ohio Valley Conference in 1963. Cannon also pointed almost every player locker was sponsored by a former football Govs, stressing the importance to his current Govs of remaining a part of the program long after their respective careers end.

When Cannon finished speaking several of the Govs remained in the locker room, taking photos to send to family and friends. Others just enjoyed the pleasure of sitting on the Governor Peay adorned stools in front of their lockers and just staring at the surroundings, swelling with pride over their new digs.

-AP-