Indiana Football: Peoples Hired as Defensive Line Coach
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Veteran coach Kevin Peoples is joining Tom Allen's staff at Indiana, replacing Mark Hagen as the Hoosiers' defensive line coach.
Peoples, who has been coaching for 27 years, spent the last four season at Tulane as its defensive line coach. Hagen left in February to take the same position at the University of Texas.
"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 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.
"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 (Kane) Wommack, the defensive coaches and the defensive linemen. There is a lot of talent in our room and I'm ready to get started."
Prior to Tulane, Peoples has worked a lot of successful mid-major programs. He spent two years at Georgia Southern University (2014-15), and the Eagles won 18 games during his tenure with a win in the GoDaddy Bowl and a Sun Belt Conference championship.
Peoples' line guided Georgia Southern 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.
Prior to Georgia Southern, he spent one year at UAB (2013), and three years at the University of Arkansas. His longest stint was at Arkansas State from 2002 to 2009, where he worked with current offensive line coach Darren Hiller.
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.
Peoples played his college football at Carroll College in Helena, Mont., and was a two-time all-Frontier Conference 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.
