Staff Directory
Cory Peoples
- Title:
- Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Safeties Coach
- Email:
Cory Peoples comes to Liberty after spending the 2024 and 2025 seasons at Georgia Tech as a Defensive Backs coach.
During his time at Georgia Tech, Peoples helped the Yellow Jackets to back-to-back bowl game appearances (2024 – Birmingham Bowl; 2025 – Pop-Tarts Bowl).
This past season, Georgia Tech posted a 9-4 record and finished the year ranked No. 24 in the final US LBM Coaches Poll. This marked the first time in 11 years that the Yellow Jackets have finished the season in the nation’s top 25.
Georgia Tech’s nine-win season in 2025 was tied for the 10th-most victories in program history. The team rose to as high as No. 7 in the national rankings in Weeks 9 and 10. Georgia Tech was ranked in the final 14 national polls of the season, which is its longest same-season streak since the Jackets were ranked in all 16 polls in 1999.
Georgia Tech was also 6-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, which was good for a tie for second place in the 17-team conference. The Yellow Jackets are the only ACC team that has finished in the top four of the conference standings each of the last three seasons.
In Peoples’ first season at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets finished sixth in the ACC in passing defense (220.7 yards per game), which was tied for their second-best showing in 12 seasons.
Peoples’ secondary also played a big role in the Jackets ranking sixth in the ACC in rushing defense (122.2 yards per game), as five of the team’s top seven tacklers were defensive backs.
Peoples came to Tech from nearby Georgia State, where he spent four seasons (2020-23). He first served the programs 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).
During his time at Georgia State, the Panthers won a pair of bowl games. In 2021, the Panthers capped off an 8-5 record with a 51-20 victory over Ball State in the TaxAct Camellia Bowl. Two years later, Georgia State closed out a 2023 season with a 45-22 victory over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
In 2021, Georgia State ranked No. 15 in the country in tackles for a loss (7.1 per game) and No. 23 in sacks (2.92 per game). The team also ranked No. 30 in turnovers gained (21) and No. 31 in turnover margin (0.46).
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).
During his first coaching stint with Flames’ Head Football Coach Jamey Chadwell (2014-15), Peoples helped Charleston Southern capture the Big South Football Championship title with a perfect 6-0 record in 2015.
Overall, the Buccaneers posted a 10-3 record in 2015, which included the program’s first-ever NCAA FCS Playoff appearance, a first-round win over crosstown rival The Citadel and a second-round match-up against No. 1 Jacksonville State.
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.
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.
Peoples at a Glance
Coaching Experience:
Wife: Keilah
Children: C.J. and Lucas, and Isabella
Hometown: Bishopville, S.C.
During his time at Georgia Tech, Peoples helped the Yellow Jackets to back-to-back bowl game appearances (2024 – Birmingham Bowl; 2025 – Pop-Tarts Bowl).
This past season, Georgia Tech posted a 9-4 record and finished the year ranked No. 24 in the final US LBM Coaches Poll. This marked the first time in 11 years that the Yellow Jackets have finished the season in the nation’s top 25.
Georgia Tech’s nine-win season in 2025 was tied for the 10th-most victories in program history. The team rose to as high as No. 7 in the national rankings in Weeks 9 and 10. Georgia Tech was ranked in the final 14 national polls of the season, which is its longest same-season streak since the Jackets were ranked in all 16 polls in 1999.
Georgia Tech was also 6-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, which was good for a tie for second place in the 17-team conference. The Yellow Jackets are the only ACC team that has finished in the top four of the conference standings each of the last three seasons.
In Peoples’ first season at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets finished sixth in the ACC in passing defense (220.7 yards per game), which was tied for their second-best showing in 12 seasons.
Peoples’ secondary also played a big role in the Jackets ranking sixth in the ACC in rushing defense (122.2 yards per game), as five of the team’s top seven tacklers were defensive backs.
Peoples came to Tech from nearby Georgia State, where he spent four seasons (2020-23). He first served the programs 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).
During his time at Georgia State, the Panthers won a pair of bowl games. In 2021, the Panthers capped off an 8-5 record with a 51-20 victory over Ball State in the TaxAct Camellia Bowl. Two years later, Georgia State closed out a 2023 season with a 45-22 victory over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
In 2021, Georgia State ranked No. 15 in the country in tackles for a loss (7.1 per game) and No. 23 in sacks (2.92 per game). The team also ranked No. 30 in turnovers gained (21) and No. 31 in turnover margin (0.46).
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).
During his first coaching stint with Flames’ Head Football Coach Jamey Chadwell (2014-15), Peoples helped Charleston Southern capture the Big South Football Championship title with a perfect 6-0 record in 2015.
Overall, the Buccaneers posted a 10-3 record in 2015, which included the program’s first-ever NCAA FCS Playoff appearance, a first-round win over crosstown rival The Citadel and a second-round match-up against No. 1 Jacksonville State.
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.
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.
Peoples at a Glance
Coaching Experience:
- 2026 – Liberty (Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Safeties Coach)
- 2024-25 – Georgia Tech (Defensive Backs Coach)
- 2022-23 – Georgia State (Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/Secondary Coach)
- 2020-21 – Georgia State (Cornerbacks Coach)
- 2018 – Georgia Southern (Cornerbacks Coach)
- 2017 – Albany State (Defensive Coordinator)
- 2016 – South Carolina State (Defensive Backs Coach)
- 2014-15 – Charleston Southern (Defensive Backs Coach)
- 2013 – St. Augustine’s (Defensive Backs Coach)
- 2009-12 – Clark Atlanta (Defensive Backs Coach/Special Teams Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 2008 – Georgia Military College (Graduate Assistant)
- 2007 – W.J. Keenan (S.C.) High School (Assistant Coach)
Wife: Keilah
Children: C.J. and Lucas, and Isabella
Hometown: Bishopville, S.C.
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