Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 11 No. 2 | October 2018

32 Inside Hokie Sports Proud Supporter of Virginia Tech Athletics 99 Bradley Drive Christiansburg NRV Mall 540-381-8100 www.holidayinn.com/cburgnorth Full Service Restaurant Bar & Grill Game Day Catering, Dine in or Room Service Looking for a “HOKIE HOME” away from HOME? “I didn’t really give the recruiting process time,” he added. “As soon as Tech showed interest, I was there. That was the school I wanted to go to. That’s where I was committing. They showed interest in me, and I was ready to go. That’s how that went. I had schools call me, but I didn’t even pick up the phone. I was where I wanted to be.” Peoples, though, took a detour first before coming to Blacksburg. He spent the fall semester of 2014 at Fork Union Military Academy, where he and current teammates Yosuah Nijman and Xavier Burke teamed to play football and to survive the rigors of cadet life. Their days usually consisted of classes, practices, studying and sleep, with a little marching—well, a lot of marching—and meals mixed in. Most hate the experience as they go through it and then later come to be thankful for it. Like he does with most things, Peoples accepted it for what it was—an opportunity to get better on the field, in the classroom and as a person. “It was different,” he said. “It was a military-type school, so you marched everywhere—breakfast, lunch, dinner. We took the flag down every night. You had to make sure everything was spotless. You had to make sure your bed was tight. It was different. No phones, no TVs, nothing like that. “It definitely taught me a lot and made me the person I am today. It was wild. I only had to be there a semester, but some people were there through high school and then went to prep school … I can’t imagine going there all through high school. It was a good experience at the end of the day. It was a great experience.” Peoples enrolled at Tech in the spring of 2015. Later that fall, he played as a true freshman, seeing action in all 13 games, mostly on special teams. His first season at Tech marked the last for then-head coach Frank Beamer, and with the hiring of Fuente, there was a lot of shuffling amongst the staff. That left Peoples a little concerned about the potential for earning a scholarship, which the previous staff had promised provided he became a contributor. Fuente, though, honored that commitment, putting Peoples on scholarship that spring. “That feeling was just amazing, just knowing that I didn’t have to pay for my school,” Peoples said. “I was going to get an education for free. I was a small-town kid, walking on, and earning a scholarship. It was pretty cool.” Peoples certainly has become a “Fuente guy” over the past three years, fitting into the program’s motto, while being quiet, unassuming and certainly unselfish. He spent his sophomore season at fullback before being moved to tailback last season when he expected to enjoy a big campaign before the injury derailed much of it. He managed to return to the lineup late in the year and rushed for 71 yards in Tech’s 10-0 win at Virginia. Now, in the first three games this season, he surpassed his rushing total from a year ago. Mainly behind him and Deshawn McClease, the Hokies are averaging 184 yards rushing per game, and Fuente never misses an opportunity to praise the 225-pound bull in the backfield. “I guess it’s because of all the hard work I put in,” Peoples said of Fuente’s praise of him. “I’m a hard-working guy, and I guess that’s what he likes to see. Other people see me working hard, and they start working hard. Him seeing that and me being an example of a leader in a different way—because I’m not a vocal leader…I can show my leadership through how hard I practice, and I think that’s what makes him like me.” The Hokies need both performance and leadership from Peoples, as they navigate their difficult November slate, which includes a home game against Miami and the annual rivalry game against UVA. He, like the other seniors, wants to go out with a Coastal Division crown and an opportunity to play for an ACC title. After that, he is not sure of his future. He is on track to graduate with a degree in human development, and he mentioned getting into coaching or perhaps strength training. Maybe his future includes the NFL. QUIETLY Continued from page 31