Now in the second year of his second stint as Govs’ running backs coach, J.D. Sellers is Austin Peay’s second-longest tenured assistant coach.
Sellers shifted to the quarterback coaching position in Spring 2013 after serving as running back coach for both the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Last season, he moved back to working with the running backs, where he will oversee the continued development of running back Otis Gerron.
Sellers has continued his coaching development with the Austin Peay football program, which began as a student assistant in 2007.
In fact, he spent three years as a volunteer student assistant coach before becoming an official member of the Austin Peay coaching staff as a graduate assistant in 2010, working with tight ends.
A year later, he moved into a full-time coaching role as running backs coach and saw the fruits of his labor result in his first 1,000-yard rusher in Ryan White. The Govs also moved up five spots in the national rankings from 42nd to 37th in rushing offense.
Despite a midseason shift at running back in 2012, the Govs still averaged 157.18 yards per game.
Sellers came to Austin Peay in 2005 as a quarterback during the non-scholarship era and dressed for multiple games in his freshman season, although he did not play. A subsequent back injury helped Sellers turn his attention to coaching. He worked with the offense in a volunteer capacity from 2007-09, gaining a wide knowledge of the respective positions.
Sellers also serves as recruiting coordinator for the Governors.
The Baxley, Ga., native played for Jack Johnson at Apling High School where he was named Region Player of the Week while earning all-state honors.
Sellers graduated in May 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in health and human performance. He received his master’s degree a year later from APSU.
Sellers is married to the former Kristen Griffin, who was a former member of APSU Pom squad.
