IU PRESS RELEASE— Peoples makes Defensive Line Coach

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana head football coach Tom Allen announced on Monday the hiring of 27-year coaching veteran Kevin Peoples as defensive line coach.

"I'm really excited to add Kevin to our staff," Allen said. "He brings a ton of experience and is a very strong technician. Kevin will build strong relationships with our players and help develop them to play at the highest level in the Big Ten."

Peoples arrives in Bloomington after four years as Tulane University's defensive line coach.

"I'm thrilled to join Coach Allen and this great staff," Peoples said. "Coach Allen has done a tremendous job building this program and I can't wait to continue the upward trajectory. I look forward to working with Coach Wommack, the defensive coaches and the defensive linemen. There is a lot of talent in our room and I'm ready to get started."

Peoples helped the Green Wave win consecutive bowl games for the first time in program history in 2018 and 2019. Two-time all-conference defensive end Patrick Johnson led the team in sacks both years and finished his career with 14.5, which shares seventh in the Tulane record book.

Johnson became just the third player in school history with 10 sacks in a season in 2018 (10.5) and his .082 sacks per game ranked 12th in the FBS.

The 2018 line tallied 25.5 sacks, 42.5 tackles for loss and 230 tackles. TU finished with the third-most sacks in program lore and averaged 3.15 per game, which ranked eighth nationally. The Green Wave also finished 24th nationally in red zone defense.

Peoples tutored a pair of NFL standouts over his stint in New Orleans. The Minnesota Vikings selected end Ade Aruna in the 2018 NFL Draft, while the Los Angeles Rams locked up tackle Tanzel Smart in 2017.

Prior to Tulane, Peoples spent two campaigns at Georgia Southern University (2014-15). The Eagles won 18 games during his tenure with a win in the GoDaddy Bowl and a Sun Belt Conference championship.

Peoples line guided GSU to the top spot in the league and 24th nationally in rushing defense (130.9), and second in the conference and 24th nationally in total defense (338.1). He mentored a pair of all-league honorees as Georgia Southern earned its first bowl win in its first bowl appearance.

Before a one-year stop as defensive line coach at UAB (2013), Peoples worked at the University of Arkansas (2010-12). He served as the director of high school relations in 2010 and then moved to the defensive line his final two seasons.

The Razorbacks finished 19th in the country in rushing defense (124.1) and 24th in sacks (2.58) in 2012.

Arkansas collected consecutive 10-win campaigns for just the third time in school history and made back-to-back BCS bowl appearances in 2010 (Sugar Bowl) and 2011 (Cotton Bowl). The 2011 team capped an 11-2 campaign with a No. 5 national ranking.

Peoples managed the defensive line from 2002-09 at Arkansas State University, where he worked all eight years with IU run game coordinator/offensive line coach Darren Hiller.

He developed 11 All-Sun Belt Conference selections and several award winners, including Corey Williams (2002, 2003), Jon Bradley (2002, 2003) Myron Anderson (2005), Jonathan Najm (2006), Jammarrow James (2006), Alex Carrington (2008, 2009) and Bryan Hall (2009).

Carrington, the Sun Belt's 2008 Defensive Player of the Year, was drafted in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, while both Williams and Bradley spent multiple seasons in the NFL. Hall was a member of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl XLVII championship team.

In 2003, Peoples was selected from 500 coaches as one of the recipients of the AFLAC National Assistant Coach of the Year Award, recognizing those coaches who made a significant contribution to their teams.

A four-year starter at linebacker at Carroll College in Helena, Mont., Peoples was a two-time all-league pick and all-district selection as a senior. He led the Saints to the 1989 Frontier Conference crown and a berth in the NAIA playoffs before he launched his coaching career at his alma mater (1993-94).

He joined the staff at Blinn Community College in Brenham, Texas, in 1995, where the Buccaneers claimed the national junior college championship. The following campaign, he led the defensive ends and worked with the kickoff coverage team at Northwestern State University.

Peoples served as the defensive line coach at the University of Central Missouri (1997-98), ran the D-line and special teams at Northern Arizona University (1999), held the same positions with the Las Vegas Outlaws in 2000, and returned to Northwestern State to lead the defensive tackles in 2001.

Kevin is married to his wife, Rebecca.

The Huddle

Kevin Peoples Named Indiana Defensive Line Coach

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