Kevin Peoples Season 2025
Kevin Peoples, a 30-year coaching veteran with Louisiana ties, joined the LSU coaching staff in January of 2024 and coaches the Tiger edge rushers.
Peoples made an immediate impact in his first season at LSU, developing Bradyn Swinson into an All-SEC performer. Swinson led the Tigers and rated among the league leaders in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (13.0) on his way to earning second-team All-SEC honors. In addition, senior Sai’vion Jones had his most productive season at LSU with 40 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. Jones took part in the Senior Bowl, while Swinson was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl following the season.
Peoples, who previously coached at Tulane and Northwestern State, joined the Tigers after two seasons at Missouri where he worked alongside Tiger defensive coordinator Blake Baker and safeties coach Jake Olsen.
In 2023, Peoples helped Missouri to its best season in over a decade as the Tigers won 11 games and finished the year ranked No. 9 in the nation. Mizzou capped the year with a 14-3 win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, holding the Buckeyes without a touchdown for the first time since 2016.
Missouri’s 2023 defense ranked No. 4 in the SEC in points allowed (20.8 points per game) and No. 5 in the league in both rushing defense (122.8) and total defense (336.1). Missouri led the SEC and ranked No. 4 nationally in fumbles forced (17) and they were No. 11 in the nation in sacks with 39. The Tigers were also among the Top 20 in the nation in fumbles recovered (No. 16 with 10) and tackles for loss (No. 18 with 88).
Peoples had a pair of defensive ends earn first-team All-SEC honors in back-to-back years in 2022 and 2023. Darius Robinson earned All-SEC recognition in 2023, while Isaiah McGuire made all-league honors in 2022. Both players ranked among the top five in the SEC in sacks during their all-conference seasons.
Robinson went on to be selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, while McGuire was taken in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by Cleveland.
Prior to his two years at Missouri, Peoples coached the defensive line at Indiana from 2020-21. In 2020, Indiana led the Big Ten in sacks for the first time in school history and defensive tackle Jerome Johnson earned first-team All-Big Ten honors – a first for the school at that position in nearly 30 years.
The 2020 abbreviated season saw the Hoosiers post a 6-2 record with an undefeated conference showing and a trip to the Outback Bowl.
Before Indiana, Peoples spent four seasons as Tulane’s defensive line coach where he helped the Green Wave to back-to-back bowl wins for the first time in program history in 2018 and 2019. Three-time all-conference defensive end Patrick Johnson led the team in sacks both years and finished his career with 24.5, which sits atop 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. Tackle Cameron Sample (fourth round, Cincinnati) and Johnson (seventh round, Philadelphia) were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. The duo became the third and fourth NFL standouts he tutored over his stint in New Orleans.
Minnesota drafted end Ade Aruna in the 2018 NFL Draft, while the Los Angeles Rams locked up tackle Tanzel Smart in 2017. The 2018 line tallied 25.5 sacks, 42.5 tackles for loss, and 230 tackles. Tulane finished with the third-most sacks in program history and averaged 3.15 per game, which ranked eighth nationally. The Green Wave also finished 24th nationally in red zone defense.
Prior to Tulane, Peoples spent two seasons 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. His 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.
In eight seasons at Arkansas State (2002-09), Peoples 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. Arkansas State also went to a bowl game for the first time since 1970 when they faced Southern Miss in the New Orleans Bowl in 2005.
He also spent time working with the defensive lines and special teams units at Northwestern State (1996, 2001), with the Las Vegas Outlaws (2000), at Northern Arizona (1999), Central Missouri (1997-98) and Blinn College (1995).
In 2003, Peoples was selected from 500 coaches as one of the recipients of the AFLAC National Assistant Coach of the Year Award, recognizing 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).
Peoples is married to Rebecca Chilton, a former collegiate basketball coach and administrator.
THE PEOPLES FILE
Birthdate: August 21, 1970 in Butte, Mont.
Wife: Rebecca
High School: Butte (Mont.) Central High School
College: Carroll College, 1992
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1989-92 Carroll College
COACHING EXPERIENCE
1993-94 Carroll College
1995 Blinn Community College
1996 Northwestern State (defensive ends)
1997-98 Central Missouri (defensive line, strength and conditioning coach)
1999-00 Northern Arizona (defensive line, special teams)
2000 Las Vegas Outlaws (defensive line, special teams)
2001 Northwestern State (defensive tackles)
2002-09 Arkansas State (defensive line)
2010-12 Arkansas (director of high school relations, 2010; defensive line, 2011-12)
2013 UAB (defensive line)
2014-15 Georgia Southern (defensive line)
2016-19 Tulane (defensive line)
2020-21 Indiana (defensive line)
2022-23 Missouri (edge rushers)
2024-25 LSU (edge rushers)
BOWL EXPERIENCE
As a coach
Season Bowl Team Opponent Results
2005 New Orleans Arkansas State vs. Southern Miss L, 31-19
2010 Sugar Arkansas vs. Ohio State L, 31-26
2011 Cotton Arkansas vs. Kansas State W, 29-16
2015 GoDaddy.com Georgia Southern vs. Bowling Green W, 58-27
2018 Cure Tulane vs. UL-Lafayette W, 41-24
2019 Armed Forces Tulane vs. Southern Miss W, 30-13
2020 Outback Indiana vs. Ole Miss L, 26-20
2022 Gasparilla Missouri vs. Wake Forest L, 27-17
2023 Cotton Missouri vs. Ohio State W, 14-3
2024 Texas LSU vs. Baylor W, 44-31