NFF National Scholar-Athletes
Chandler Kirton, OL – Austin Peay
3.92 GPA – Management
Head Coach: Jeff Faris | Athletics Director: Jordan Harmon (Interim)
Faculty Athletics Representative: Dr. Jennifer Thayer
General Robert R. Neyland Scholar-Athlete Award Endowed by The Haslam Family Foundation
A relentless competitor who raises the bar for everyone around him, Chandler Kirton has set the standard for excellence at Austin Peay. The Atlantic Beach, Florida, native becomes the first NFF National Scholar-Athlete in Austin Peay history.
Kirton graduated summa cum laude in December 2024 with a 3.92 GPA, earning his degree in management. He currently maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA in the school's MBA program. Recognized as the 2024 United Athletic Conference (UAC) Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection, Kirton was a finalist for the 2024 FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award, presented annually to the FCS football student-athlete of the year.
A two-year team captain and four-year starter on the Governors' offensive line, Kirton is a two-time All-Conference selection, earning First Team All-UAC honors in 2023 and All-ASUN recognition in 2022.
In 2024, Kirton helped Austin Peay average 363.3 yards and 20.0 points per game. A year earlier, he anchored a record-setting offense that led the UAC and ranked ninth nationally in scoring (34.1 ppg). The 2023 Govs set program records for completion percentage (.667), passing efficiency (162.2), passing offense (247.1 ypg), and total offense (426.8 ypg). His blocking powered the Govs to the second-best single-season marks in school history for passing yards (3,289), passing touchdowns (30), total offense (5,121), points (409), and total touchdowns (53). In 2025, Kirton has again helped anchor an impressive offense, which is averaging 33.29 points per game and 444.4 yards of total offense per game.
He helped guide the Govs to a 9-3 record and a UAC title in 2023, earning a No. 18 final national ranking and a berth in the FCS Playoffs, marking one of the most successful seasons in program history. In 2022, he helped the Govs claim the ASUN title.
Kirton has been a member of the Austin Peay Student-Athlete Advisory Committee since 2023. He volunteered as a tutor in APSU Athletics Study Hall (later hired full-time), and he has given his time to Buddy Ball, Operation Christmas Child, the SAAC Canned Food Drive, and helped raise funds for pediatric cancer research at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.
(All stats as of Oct. 22, 2025)
