It didn’t take Indiana long to find the replacement to the replacement for its next defensive line coach.
Just days after Michigan State’s Ron Burton did an about face and decided to remain with the Spartans and their new head coach Mel Tucker, reports are now indicating that IU will hire Tulane’s Kevin Peoples.
Football Scoop first reported the news on Monday morning:
“Tulane defensive line coach Kevin Peoples will join the (Indiana) staff in the same role, sources tell FootballScoop. Indiana had previously hired Ron Burton to coach its defensive line before he decided to remain in East Lansing.”
The opening was first created by Mark Hagen’s decision to join the defensive staff at Texas.
Peoples was the defensive line coach at Tulane from 2016 to 2019. The Green Wave were No. 50 in total defense, No. 54 in passing defense and 62 nationally in rush defense in 2019.
Tulane was No. 102 in sacks in 2019 after finishing No. 8 in 2018.
Prior to joining Tulane, Peoples spent time on head coach Willie Fritz’s staff at Georgia Southern. In two seasons, he helped the Eagles to 18 victories and a Sun Belt Conference title.
In Peoples’ final season at Georgia Southern in 2015, the defensive line ranked first in the league and 24th nationally in rushing defense (130.9 avg) and second and 24th nationally in total defense (338.1).
Prior to joining the Eagles, Peoples worked the 2013 campaign at UAB, working with the Blazer defensive linemen.
Before arriving at UAB, Peoples spent three seasons (2010-12) working at Arkansas, serving as the director of high school relations in 2010 and the team’s defensive line coach in 2011 and 2012.
Under Peoples’ direction, the 2012 Arkansas defensive line earned a top-25 national ranking in sacks, and the Razorbacks boasted a rushing defense that finished in the top 20.
Peoples was part of the defensive staff at Arkansas State in 2002 that vaulted the Red Wolves 41 spots in the national rankings in total defense from 80th to 39th, one of only a handful of teams to make such a dramatic improvement. The Red Wolves’ coaches built off that success, entrenching Arkansas State as one of the top two teams in in the Sun Belt in total defense for the next five years. Arkansas State won its first Sun Belt title in 2005 and appeared in the New Orleans Bowl.
In his eight years at Arkansas State, Peoples coached 11 All-Sun Belt Conference selections.
Peoples also made the following stops early in his coaching career.
1995, Blinn Community College
1996, Northwestern State, (DE)
1997-98, Central Missouri, (DL)
1999, Northern Arizona (DL/ST)
2000, Las Vegas Outlaws (DL/ST)
2001, Northwestern State (DT)
A four-year starter at linebacker in college, Peoples launched his coaching career at his alma mater, Carroll College (Mont.) in 1993, spending two years under the tutelage of legendary coach Bob Petrino, Sr. A two-time all-conference pick and all-district selection as a senior, Peoples helped lead the Saints to the 1989 Frontier Conference crown and a berth in the NAIA playoffs.
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