Avien Peah had been waiting for football season to start for well over a year.
In the season opener against Georgia Southern three weeks ago, the defensive end jumped off the line unblocked on the first snap.
He closed in on Southern quarterback Shai Wertz, who slipped the ball to running back J.D. King for a big play up the middle. Peah grabbed and spun Wertz down in the process.
“It was a blessing to be out there with the guys, especially going through last year and not getting a chance to play due to injury,” Peah said. “It was a blessing and an honor to be out there.”
The Eagles won 41-0. Peah finished with five tackles, including two for a loss. But it was his first game since 2018, when he played on offense under former coach Mark Whipple.
The redshirt senior was ready to restart his career on defense last fall, when a second knee injury sidelined him for 2019.
“There were many times that I thought that maybe this isn’t it, think about doing something else,” Peah said. “Talking to family and friends, and teammates and coaches, they helped me all through the situation and made it easier for me to come back and play.”
After sitting out his first year, Peah played in 12 games on special teams as a redshirt freshman. He appeared in 12 games in 2018, playing both special teams as well as full back and tight end. His production was minimal: three receptions for 16 yards and one carry for 6 yards.
Peah, who grew up playing defense, thought about returning to the position after the season. So as the spring season approached he went to head coach Walt Bell to inquire about the move.
“There was something about it that made me miss it so I actually went up to Coach Bell’s office and asked him if it was alright if I could move to defense,” Peah said. “He was like, sure.”
Once he made the switch, injuries slowed the transition. Peah fractured his right kneecap during the spring then partially tore the meniscus in his left knee that fall.
The 22-year-old missed the season but it gave him a chance to keep getting bigger, which he needed to do to complete the move to defensive end.
“Going from tight end, being at least smaller than a D-lineman, I had to gain that weight quick,” Peah said. “It was tough at first because my body was getting adjusted to it. As you go through it, your body gets used to it and now I feel great with my weight, moving (around), I still have all my strength.”
Peah is listed at 6-foot-2, 280 pounds. He’s 30 pounds heavier then when he played on offense.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be around some special players that actually played both ways in college but in very limited roles,” Bell said. “Just to make a switch once in college is hard enough. That’s more Avien’s faith and trust in us, but again, more his resiliency to go and execute the plan and do all the things we asked him to do. To me that was the biggest challenge.”
Along with the physical changes came mental changes, working in the video room as well as with defensive line coach Cedric Douglas and outside linebackers coach Cato June.
“They helped me hone my skills and become a better player each and every day,” Peah said.
Peah’s work ethic has been obvious to Bell and it showed during the Georgia Southern game.
“I thought the incredible lesson for the rest of the football team was the reason he played so successful against Georgia Southern, and again, was he perfect no, none of us are perfect, but was how he prepares day in and day out,” Bell said. “He practices that way. The way he communicates, how hard he practices, trying to do every little individual detail from drill work in the practice; you can see him physically and mentally trying to improve with every rep. Obviously the performance matched his preparation. I just think right now he’s in a really good spot. He’s preparing at a really high level which is allowing him to play really good football.”
Peah said his work ethic stems from a desire to want to be great and comes from a position of influence. With so many young teammates, Peah wants to set an example of what it takes to succeed.
“You always want to make sure you’re doing the right thing because if they see you doing the right thing they’re going to want to follow in those footsteps,” he said. “They will get their chance to be a good player for the program.”
Mike Moran can be reached at mmoran@gazettenet.com. Follow on Twitter @mikemoranDHG.