THE FLATS – Cory Peoples, a veteran coach with deep ties to the state of Georgia, has been hired as defensive backs coach at Georgia Tech, head coach Brent Key announced on Friday.
Peoples comes to Tech from nearby Georgia State, where he spent four seasons, first as the Panthers’ cornerbacks coach for two seasons (2020-21) before being elevated to secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator for his final two campaigns (2022-23).
In Peoples’ four seasons at Georgia State, the Panthers intercepted 47 passes and ranked among the top 55 nationally in INTs all four seasons, including as high as 17th in 2020 (12) and 30th in 2022 (13). GSU earned three bowl berths in Peoples’ four seasons on the staff, including a 45-22 romp over Utah State in the 2023 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, where the Panthers limited USU to just 188 passing yards.
Prior to his four seasons at Georgia State, Peoples spent one season as the cornerbacks coach at Georgia Southern (2018), a season as defensive coordinator at Albany State (2017), a season as defensive backs coach at South Carolina State (2016), two seasons as defensive backs coach at Charleston Southern (2014-15), a season as defensive backs coach at St. Augustine’s (2013) and four seasons coaching defensive backs, special teams and serving as recruiting coordinator at Clark Atlanta (2009-12). Highlights included coaching all-conference honorees at every stop, helping lead Georgia Southern to a victory in the 2018 Camellia Bowl and winning the Big South Championship and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs at Charleston Southern in 2015.
He began his coaching career with a season as an assistant at W.J. Keenan H.S. in Columbia, S.C. (2007), followed by a season as a graduate assistant at Georgia Military College (2008).
Peoples’ resume also includes three National Football League Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowships with the Philadelphia Eagles (2012) and Kansas City Chiefs (2015 and 2016), all under three-time Super Bowl champion head coach Andy Reid.
A top-notch recruiter, Peoples has spent 11 of his 15 seasons as a college coach in the state of Georgia.
As a player, Peoples helped Georgia Military College win the 2001 National Junior College Athletic Association national championship in 2001 before transferring to South Carolina in 2003, where he earned two letters as a defensive back. He signed with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and spent parts of three seasons with the team. He also played professionally in NFL Europe (Amsterdam Admirals – 2006) and the Canadian Football League (Toronto Argonauts – 2007-09).
A Bishopville, S.C. native, Peoples graduated from South Carolina in 2005 (B.S. retail management). He and his wife, Keilah, have three children – sons, C.J. and Lucas, and daughter, Isabella.
THE PEOPLES FILE
Personal
Hometown: Bishopville, S.C.
Family: Wife – Keilah; Children – C.J., Lucas and Isabella
Alma Mater: South Carolina, 2005
Playing Experience (DB)
2001-02: Georgia Military College
2003-04: South Carolina
2005-07: Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)
2006: Amsterdam Admirals (NFL Europe)
2007-09: Toronto Argonauts (CFL)
Coaching Experience
2007: W.J. Keenan (S.C.) H.S. (assistant coach)
2008: Georgia Military College (graduate assistant)
2009-12: Clark Atlanta (defensive backs/special teams coordinator/recruiting coordinator)
2013: St. Augustine’s (defensive backs)
2014-15: Charleston Southern (defensive backs)
2016: South Carolina State (defensive backs)
2017: Albany State (defensive coordinator)
2018: Georgia Southern (cornerbacks)
2020-21: Georgia State (cornerbacks)
2022-23: Georgia State (secondary/defensive pass game coordinator)
2024: Georgia Tech (defensive backs)
In addition to the hire of Peoples, Key announced that quarterbacks coach/co-offensive coordinator Chris Weinke has been promoted to assistant head coach. Additionally, Ricky Brumfield has added the title of associate head coach for special teams and will also coach cornerbacks.
Georgia Tech finished 7-6 overall and 5-3 in ACC play in 2023 (good for a tie for fourth place in the 14-team ACC) and won the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl championship with a 30-17 victory over UCF. The Yellow Jackets return 17 starters, including all-ACC honorees DL Zeek Biggers, OL Joe Fusile, RB Jamal Haynes, QB Haynes King, WR Eric Singleton, Jr. and OL Jordan Williams.
The Jackets open the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 24 against defending ACC champion Florida State at the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland. Official Georgia Tech travel and ticket packages are available at gt2ireland.com.
2024 GEORGIA TECH FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS
2024 Georgia Tech football season tickets are on sale now and include the best seats for the Yellow Jackets’ six-game home slate, which features Atlantic Coast Conference showdowns against Duke, NC State and Miami (Fla.) at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field and Tech’s highly anticipated matchup with Notre Dame at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Season ticket packages begin at just $225. For more information and to become a season ticket member today, visit ramblinwreck.com/footballtickets.
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The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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