Colton Pouncy

Leaf Chronicle

Austin Peay State University and football coach Will Healy have agreed to a 4-year, $860,000 contract that will keep the rising head coach in Clarksville through the 2021 season.

The two sides agreed in principle to a new deal earlier this month, and it was signed and completed Thursday afternoon. The new deal will make Healy one of the three highest-paid coaches in the Ohio Valley Conference, making an average annual salary of $215,000 over the four years.

Healy will earn $200,000 in 2018, $210,000 in 2019, $220,000 in 2020 and $230,000 in 2021, the final year of the contract. As part of the new contract, Healy's salary pool for assistants and operating budget were all increased. The deal also includes a buyout of $150,000.

“This place is special,” Healy said in a press release. “I’ve known that ever since the first time I saw it and met the people who make it what it is. I realized then that we had a chance to be incredibly successful because of the sincerity of the school’s leaders and also their commitment in ensuring that each one of our athletic programs is able to reach its full potential. I am unbelievably grateful to be part of this community and this university, and I cannot wait to see what’s in store for all of us.”

Healy, 32, signed a four-year contract in December 2015, earning an annual salary of $145,000 per year. But after Austin Peay's successful 2017 season and reports of Healy being a candidate for the South Alabama coaching vacancy, Austin Peay officials worked to complete a new deal for Healy to keep him in Clarksville for the foreseeable future.

“We are excited about the opportunity to keep Will and his family at Austin Peay and in the Clarksville community,” Athletic Director Ryan Ivey said. “Without a doubt, he and his staff have changed our football program for the better, and has proven that Governors football can and will continue to be successful.

“I want to thank all of great supporters for their help throughout this process. We certainly have some amazing fans and I look forward to watching our football program grow with them.”

After spending seven seasons as an assistant at Chattanooga, Healy took over an Austin Peay football program that was once considered among the worst in the country. The team was 1-35 before Healy's arrival and had lost 16 consecutive games. The losing streak reached 27 games after an 0-11 start to Healy's career in 2016, and made it to 29 after the first two games of the 2017 season against Cincinnati and Miami (Ohio).

But Austin Peay saw a remarkable turnaround shortly thereafter. The Govs snapped the losing streak in September and went on to win a total of eight games this season, tying a program record for wins in a season set in 1977. Austin Peay finished the season 8-4, including 7-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference and 8-1 against FCS opponents.

For his efforts, Healy was named OVC coach of the year in November. Last week, he was named the 2017 Eddie Robinson national FCS coach of the year recipient.

Despite missing out on the FCS playoffs, the perception around Austin Peay football has changed in large part to Healy and his staff. Austin Peay has reeled in back-to-back top 5 FCS recruiting classes, including the No. 1 overall class in 2017. The school currently owns the No. 2 class in the 2018 rankings, per 247Sports, signaling that recruits believe in the direction the program is heading.

With the new deal, Healy will continue leading the charge.

Reach Colton Pouncy at cpouncy@gannett.com or on Twitter @CTPSports