CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (ESPN CLARKSVILLE) – Clarksville Academy has found their new football coach to lead them as they make the jump from 1A to Division II.

JD Sellars, who has served as an Austin Peay assistant coach since 2010, will take the reigns of the Cougars.

Clarksville Academy has been in search of a new head coach since Todd Hood, who coached the Cougars the last 7 years, took the Rossview head coaching position last month.

“It’s a great day to be here, it’s a great opportunity. I want to thank the Austin Peay family, Will Healy and Ryan Ivey for their support and me being able to make this transition,” Sellars said. “The number one thing about my decision was the people here at Clarksville Academy. The people are what make the place if you’re going to be successful, and we’re going to have a chance of being successful because of it.”

“Our goal is to create a culture of excellence that begins in the community, classroom and translates on to the field. We will be process oriented with a focus on creating competition and striving to be a champion in everything we do.”

Sellars, who hails from Baxley, Georgia, came to Austin Peay in 2005 as a quarterback. After suffering a back injury, he decided to go in the direction of coaching. Serving in a voluntary role from 2007-2009, he officially made the jump to tight ends coach in 2010. He served as the running back coach from 2011-2012. In 2013, Sellars served as the quarterback coach for the Governors, before shifting back to running backs coach in 2014 until now.

“When we began our search for a new leader of our football program, we wanted a coach who shared our values, who had demonstrated strong football knowledge, who showed a true commitment to developing the overall student-athlete, and who we believed could lead Clarksville Academy football to become a premier program in Tennessee. We found all of that and more in Coach Sellers, and I know he will be a perfect fit with our school community,” Head of School Dr. Kay Drew said.

“Our program requires a very special leader,” said CA Athletic Director, Jake Peterson. “I believe we have found the right person.”

Clarksville Academy failed to make the post-season last year after six consecutive play-off appearances under Hood.

The Cougars do return some dynamic players this upcoming season including rising seniors Jason Longwell, Hunter Bracy, Jackson Manning, Jackson McIntosh, and junior quarterback Bryce Robinson. They open their 2017 season at home on August 18 against the Harpeth Indians.