Indiana University Athletics
New Defensive Line Coach Ready to Bring Out the Best
3/6/2020 9:23:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Kevin Peoples arrives in Bloomington on a never-ending football coaching quest:
Find defensive linemen who can pressure quarterbacks, sack quarterbacks and disrupt them into futility.
"The hardest thing to find is guys with pass rush ability," Indiana's new defensive line coach says.
Peoples has spent 27 years recruiting and developing guys who can do that. A couple did it well enough to make the NFL. Others made a defensive difference.
"They have twitch and can get off the ball," he says. "Those are the guys we'll work tirelessly to find. There's no doubt what we need to be successful is to put pressure on the quarterback."
What does he look for in quarterback-crushing players?
"We liked to have the biggest, strongest fastest guys we can have. Defensive linemen are hard to find. If you walk the streets of Bloomington you won't see a lot of guys who are 6-3, 6-4, 280 to 300 pounds who can run fast.
"We'll start looking in the state of Indiana. This is a great year talent-wise in this state. We'll start locally and expand out. "
Peoples has found and developed difference makers without the advantage of super program recruiting. He spent the last four years at Tulane. Before that, it was two seasons at Georgia Southern.
Coaching stops at Arkansas State, Alabama-Birmingham and Arkansas also are on his resume.
"We've always been a developmental staff," he says. "We've had a lot of success at the places I've been at developing guys. I've coached several NFL defensive linemen and wasn't at schools that necessarily recruited four- and five-star kids."
Peoples had two players at Tulane get drafted -- defensive end Ade Aruna by the Minnesota Vikings in 2018, a year after tackle Tanzel Smart was picked by the Los Angeles Rams.
Then there were Arkansas State's Corey Williams, Alex Carrington, Jon Bradley and Bryan Hall, who all played in the NFL.
"We look for someone who has a great ceiling, a great upside," Peoples says. "We want to be able to stop the run on early downs and get after the quarterback.
"We want three-down guys who can play first, second and third downs. That would be ideal, but if we have to get pass rushers in for situational defense, that's what we'll do."
This kind of production and development were among the reasons why coach Tom Allen hired Peoples after Mark Hagen left for the University of Texas.
"He brings a ton of experience and is a very strong technician," Allen said in a university release. "He will build strong relationships with our players and help develop them to play at the highest level in the Big Ten."
Adds Peoples: "Building relationships with players is vital. No matter what business you're in, it starts with relationships.
"We have a great mentor in Coach Allen. He hires people who have the same values as him."
Peoples likes what he's seen from IU's returning defensive linemen, players such as Jerome Johnson, Michael Ziemba and James Head Jr. They helped the Hoosiers go 8-5 and earn a TaxSlayer Gator Bowl bid last season.
"You watch the film, and they played hard," Peoples said. "They had success here. You hope to build on that.
"I'm eager to work with these guys and see what I can help them with.
"A lot of times you come into jobs and kids are beaten down a little bit because you took a job where someone was not successful. That's not the case here. The success they had last year is exciting."
Beyond that, "We think we have good depth. Jerome is a very good player. Mike Ziemba is a talented kid.
"I'm impressed with what they've done, how hard they've played with some young D-linemen. They have a real chance.
"The culture of the work ethic that Coach Allen has created, you can see it on the defensive line. That's why I'm excited to work with them."
The 6-3, 289-pound Johnson leads all returning players with 9.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. Last season he had 43 tackles, 7.5 for loss and five sacks. He had a career-high seven tackles in the Old Oaken Bucket win over Purdue.
"I have talked with him," Peoples says. "He's a very good athlete. I've watched the film. You see where his strengths are, what his leadership capabilities are.
"I'm looking forward to coaching him. He's a talented player. He has talent and character. That's a great place to start."
Then there's the 6-5, 259-pound Head, who totaled 20 tackles last season, four for loss. He also had five quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and one forced fumble.
"He's very intelligent," People says. "He has a high football IQ and a high ceiling."
Peoples also has coached on winning teams. Tulane played in consecutive bowls for the first time in program history in 2018 and '19 behind standout defensive end Patrick Johnson, who totaled 14.5 career sacks.
Arkansas had consecutive 10-win seasons while playing in the 2010 Sugar Bowl and the 2011 Cotton Bowl. The 2011 team finished 11-2 with a No. 5 national ranking.
Spring practice begins on Saturday. Expectations are high, which is among the reasons why Peoples is now a Hoosier.
"I'm looking forward to help building on what's been established. This is a great environment. There's great culture in this program."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Kevin Peoples arrives in Bloomington on a never-ending football coaching quest:
Find defensive linemen who can pressure quarterbacks, sack quarterbacks and disrupt them into futility.
"The hardest thing to find is guys with pass rush ability," Indiana's new defensive line coach says.
Peoples has spent 27 years recruiting and developing guys who can do that. A couple did it well enough to make the NFL. Others made a defensive difference.
"They have twitch and can get off the ball," he says. "Those are the guys we'll work tirelessly to find. There's no doubt what we need to be successful is to put pressure on the quarterback."
What does he look for in quarterback-crushing players?
"We liked to have the biggest, strongest fastest guys we can have. Defensive linemen are hard to find. If you walk the streets of Bloomington you won't see a lot of guys who are 6-3, 6-4, 280 to 300 pounds who can run fast.
"We'll start looking in the state of Indiana. This is a great year talent-wise in this state. We'll start locally and expand out. "
Peoples has found and developed difference makers without the advantage of super program recruiting. He spent the last four years at Tulane. Before that, it was two seasons at Georgia Southern.
Coaching stops at Arkansas State, Alabama-Birmingham and Arkansas also are on his resume.
"We've always been a developmental staff," he says. "We've had a lot of success at the places I've been at developing guys. I've coached several NFL defensive linemen and wasn't at schools that necessarily recruited four- and five-star kids."
Peoples had two players at Tulane get drafted -- defensive end Ade Aruna by the Minnesota Vikings in 2018, a year after tackle Tanzel Smart was picked by the Los Angeles Rams.
Then there were Arkansas State's Corey Williams, Alex Carrington, Jon Bradley and Bryan Hall, who all played in the NFL.
"We look for someone who has a great ceiling, a great upside," Peoples says. "We want to be able to stop the run on early downs and get after the quarterback.
"We want three-down guys who can play first, second and third downs. That would be ideal, but if we have to get pass rushers in for situational defense, that's what we'll do."
This kind of production and development were among the reasons why coach Tom Allen hired Peoples after Mark Hagen left for the University of Texas.
"He brings a ton of experience and is a very strong technician," Allen said in a university release. "He will build strong relationships with our players and help develop them to play at the highest level in the Big Ten."
Adds Peoples: "Building relationships with players is vital. No matter what business you're in, it starts with relationships.
"We have a great mentor in Coach Allen. He hires people who have the same values as him."
Peoples likes what he's seen from IU's returning defensive linemen, players such as Jerome Johnson, Michael Ziemba and James Head Jr. They helped the Hoosiers go 8-5 and earn a TaxSlayer Gator Bowl bid last season.
"You watch the film, and they played hard," Peoples said. "They had success here. You hope to build on that.
"I'm eager to work with these guys and see what I can help them with.
"A lot of times you come into jobs and kids are beaten down a little bit because you took a job where someone was not successful. That's not the case here. The success they had last year is exciting."
Beyond that, "We think we have good depth. Jerome is a very good player. Mike Ziemba is a talented kid.
"I'm impressed with what they've done, how hard they've played with some young D-linemen. They have a real chance.
"The culture of the work ethic that Coach Allen has created, you can see it on the defensive line. That's why I'm excited to work with them."
The 6-3, 289-pound Johnson leads all returning players with 9.5 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. Last season he had 43 tackles, 7.5 for loss and five sacks. He had a career-high seven tackles in the Old Oaken Bucket win over Purdue.
"I have talked with him," Peoples says. "He's a very good athlete. I've watched the film. You see where his strengths are, what his leadership capabilities are.
"I'm looking forward to coaching him. He's a talented player. He has talent and character. That's a great place to start."
Then there's the 6-5, 259-pound Head, who totaled 20 tackles last season, four for loss. He also had five quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and one forced fumble.
"He's very intelligent," People says. "He has a high football IQ and a high ceiling."
Peoples also has coached on winning teams. Tulane played in consecutive bowls for the first time in program history in 2018 and '19 behind standout defensive end Patrick Johnson, who totaled 14.5 career sacks.
Arkansas had consecutive 10-win seasons while playing in the 2010 Sugar Bowl and the 2011 Cotton Bowl. The 2011 team finished 11-2 with a No. 5 national ranking.
Spring practice begins on Saturday. Expectations are high, which is among the reasons why Peoples is now a Hoosier.
"I'm looking forward to help building on what's been established. This is a great environment. There's great culture in this program."
Players Mentioned
FB: Under the Hood with Indiana Football - Week 10 (at Maryland)
Wednesday, October 29
FB: Kaelon Black Media Availability (10/28/25)
Tuesday, October 28
FB: Devan Boykin Media Availability (10/28/25)
Tuesday, October 28
FB: Week 10 (at Maryland) - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
Monday, October 27