Christophel leaves Austin Peay for NFL position

Jan 23, 2013 - 4:26 PM Clarksville, TN (Sports Network) - Austin Peay head football coach Rick Christophel has stepped down from his position after six seasons to become the Arizona Cardinals' tight ends coach.

Bruce Arians, the Cardinals' new head coach, offered the position on Tuesday to Christophel, a friend and a former colleague on the Mississippi State staff in 1993 and '94.

Christophel, who had one year remaining on his contract, posted a 20-46 record at Austin Peay, his alma mater. Each of his final five teams had a losing record after his first one went 7-4 in 2007 for the Ohio Valley Conference program's highest win total since 1984.

Christophel has never coached on the NFL level in a coaching career which began in 1975.

The next Austin Peay coach will inherit a team coming off a 2-9 record and a last-place finish in the OVC along with Tennessee Tech.