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Austin Peay State University Athletics

The No. 21-ranked Austin Peay football team knocked off previously-undefeated, No. 16-ranked West Georgia, 44-30, in United Athletic Conference action at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tennessee.
David Crigger, Special to APSU

Smith Jr. Named to 2025 Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award Watch List

October 22, 2025

By: Casey Crigger, Assistant Director of Athletics/Strategic Communications & Branding

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Montreze Smith Jr., a redshirt freshman linebacker on the Austin Peay State University football team, was named to the 2025 Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award Watch List, which honors the FCS freshman player of the year, Wednesday.

Smith Jr. is the first Governor to be named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List since wide receiver and return specialist Kam Thomas in 2022. Austin Peay also has had two finalists for the Jerry Rice Award, with quarterback Draylen Ellis finishing tied for sixth in 2020 and wide receiver Drae McCray finishing 15th in 2021.

One of 22 players named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List, Smith Jr. leads the Governors with 38 tackles and is tied for second on the team with 20 solo tackles in his first season at Austin Peay. Smith Jr. also ranks 20th in the United Athletic Conference with 5.43 tackles per game this season. He also has recorded 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, a forced fumble, one pass breakup, and five quarterback hurries in seven games played.

A native of Carrollton, Georgia, Smith Jr. has made five-straight starts at linebacker after joining the starting lineup in Week 3 against Morehead State. Smith Jr. totaled a career-best 10 tackles with half a tackle for loss at Abilene Christian, Sept. 10. He later recorded eight tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble against West Georgia, Oct. 4.

In United Athletic Conference games, Smith is averaging 7.75 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss per game with at least eight tackles in three-of-four contests.

The recipient of the 2025 Jerry Rice Award, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary season, will be announced, Dec. 3, and later honored at the Stats Perform National Awards Show, Jan. 3, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Coming off the bye week, Smith Jr. and the No. 23-ranked Governors return to Fortera Stadium for a UAC contest on Homecoming when they take on North Alabama at 3 p.m., Oct. 25 in Clarksville, Tennessee. For news and updates throughout the 2025 season, follow Govs football on X (@GovsFB) and Instagram (@GovsFootball) or stay tuned here at LetsGoPeay.com.

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