Norman North star walks-on at OU
Peoples initially committed to Northeastern Oklahoma
NORMAN — Ryan Peoples scheduled a tryout with OU j ust before spring football. The f ormer Norman North quarterback thought it went well, but the first day of practice brought unexpected news.
“Yeah, you'll be with the DBs,” Peoples r e members being told.
From quarterback to cornerback, Peoples is the latest Norman North Timberwolf to join the Oklahoma roster as a
walk- on. Although Peoples will be playing a new position, fellow Norman North walkons Nick Basquine and Drake Stoops have set a precedent for hometown success at the next level.
Basquine, a senior, has 27 career r eceptions and t wo touchdowns. Stoops caught two passes as a true freshman last year before redshirting.
“He's on the defensive side of the ball right now, but I'm in his ear,” Basquine said of Peoples.
As is Stoops. The two are roommates and have been best friends since second grade.
“Basically brothers ,” Stoops said. “I tell him anything. We've been through it all together. We also had that quarterback-receiver connection all through high school, so that brings you close.”
Peoples sat out his junior season after transferring from Norman High School to Norman North. As a senior, he completed 61 percent of his passes for 3,084 yards and 31 touchdowns. He was named The Oklahoman's Big All-City Offensive Player of the Year.
Peoples signed with Northeastern Oklahoma A& M, but that was the extent of his connection with the junior college. He showed up in Miami for the first day of school, but immediately transferred to Oklahoma City Community College.
“It wasn't a good fit for me,” he said of NEO, declining to elaborate.
“I don't think there was
any one thing,” former Norman North coach Brent Barnes said .“I think his heart was just there in Norman. We've had a history of guys at North who have walked on at OU and had success doing it. I think that was always going to be pulling at him.”
Peoples spent one football-less semester at OCCC before transferring to OU in the spring.
“I talked to him ,” Stoops said. “NEO was hard as all JUCOs are. We just talked about going to a place like OU is probably the best option — walking
on like I did. There's no better place to develop you as a player.”
Peoples started playing football in fifth grade. This is his first season at a position other than quarterback.
“I accepted it,” Peoples said. “When I was out there at first I was like, 'Man, this sucks .' I didn't know what I was doing because I've never played D Bin my life. Once I started to get the technique down and got some coaching, it's kind of enjoyable.”
He's listed at 5-foot-11 and 181 pounds. Peoples is on scout team defense, facing the likes of CeeDee Lamb and one of the most talented receiving groups in the country.
Peoples is still holding out hope to join the quarter backs, but for now he's doing his best to defend them. Part of that is visualizing his old position, trying to anticipate where he'd go with the football.
“But since we' re at OUnow,e very thing' s happening so quick,” he said, snapping his fingers. “Way faster than it would in high school. I just gotta learn as I keep growing.”