As you've likely heard, we don't have any live-action contests to cover at LetsGoPeay.com right now. What we do have is free time; oodles and oodles of free time. Enough free time to swap oodles of emails with various people who would know to create a snapshot of the 10 best players in Austin Peay football history. And as with any top-10 list, there are going to be plenty of guys who had a reasonable argument for inclusion, and we wanted to mention them here today.
Juantarius Bryant, a former walk-on turned two-time All-Ohio Valley Conference safety whose tenacity was a core component for the 2019 league champs. Finished his career with 242 tackles, including 108 in his senior season alone.
Richard Darden wasn't just a havoc-wreaking defender whose prowess as a pass-rusher earned him All-American honors as a senior; the versatile ironman began his career as an inside linebacker and even was a throwback two-way player during the 1990 season, playing linebacker and tight end.
Mike Betts was an All-American defensive back whose hard-hitting style personified the 1977-78 era that was so successful. An honorable mention All-American in the title-winning 1977 season, Betts backed that up with OVC Defensive Player of the Year honors and a first-team All-American nod the following year.
Tim Chilcutt was the first Austin Peay defensive back to earn All-American honors in 1964, earning second-team honors, with a first-team nod in 1965. He wasn't just a blanketing defensive back either; his 1965 campaign saw him set program records in punt return yards and average.
Kordell Jackson is probably in the top-10 if we do this list again next year; he certainly made a name for himself in 2019, with two pick-sixes against Mercer headlining his status as a consensus All-American. His ridiculous numbers just from that season: 47 tackles, eight for loss with two sacks, seven interceptions, two fumbles forced, two recovered and three pass break-ups.
Kyran Moore, who began his career as a defensive back, ended it as a wide receiver and kick returner who still racked up nearly 3,000 all-purpose yards despite spending his first two years primarily without the ball in his hands. Now in the Canadian Football League.
Ryan White was the thunder to Terrence Holt's lightning for much of his career, serving as the bruising back that wore down opposing defenses. White remains the second-leading rusher in program history at 3,550 yards.
Byron Glass, Kyle Anderton, Ethan Self and Ryan Rockensuess were indispensable as a unit, each earning All-OVC honors in either 2017 or 2018 during the offensive renaissance. Each has their merits as an individual—as a collective, they were the dangerous to opposing front sevens.
