DB Teacher Adams Inspiring His Pupils for the Next Takeaway 'Hunt'
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, AUG. 9, 2018 – During USF's 2017 resurgence on defense, the ball-hawking Bulls opened eyes around the country by ranking second nationally with 20 interceptions.
The Bulls' secondary accounted for 15 of those picks and productivity was ignited by defensive backs coach
Blue Adams, a tireless teacher who truly inspired his pupils in his first season with the program.
"I love it," said senior cornerback
Mazzi Wilkins of being coached by Adams. "If you're a soft person, it won't fly over well. You definitely have to have tough skin. You can't really listen to his tone, you've got to listen to his message. You're going to do well, he's going to demand it from you."
Getting the most out his players is what drives Adams, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back, who has loved every bit of his coaching career.
After playing four NFL seasons (2003, 2005-07) along with one year in NFL Europe (2004), Adams got his coaching start as a graduate assistant with Purdue in 2010. Adams coached Northern Iowa University's defensive backs the next year before stepping back up to the NFL to guide the Miami Dolphins' defensive backs and secondary from 2012-15.
Adams' time in Miami reinforced a coaching philosophy that continued to motivate him as West Virginia's cornerbacks coach in 2016 and it continues to this day.
"There is a difference between a college player and a pro player, but the core principle (is the same). If that player believes you're going to get him better and you can raise his game, they will listen and they will be coachable," he said. "If not, then it's going to be tough to get through to that player. What I've learned from my journey as a coach and as a player is you have to be able to inspire them."
Whether it's finding new ways to present the cover-3 defense to his players, or being creative in other coaching avenues, Adams enjoys the challenge of revamping the way he teaches each season.
"If you can get them to play better, play at a higher level, or just to play to their capability, oh man that's it," he said. "I'm constantly trying to find ways to get these guys better - reset the bar and search for the ceiling. We've got to do those things this year in order to be successful on the back end."
Last year's lessons helped the Bulls rank eighth nationally and first in The American in pass efficiency defense (110.53). But don't ask Adams about 2017 accomplishments because it's a whole new school year for the Bulls' secondary.
"Last year was last year, we're hunting again," Adams said. "The hunt continues and it's starting off fresh."
Adams' Hunters Entering the 'Grinding Process'
USF's secondary lost two key starters in
Devin Abraham and
Deatrick Nichols from the 2017 defense, but other veteran Bulls are stepping up this fall for the next takeaway hunt.
It all starts with senior
Ronnie Hoggins, who is adjusting well to Nichols' 2017 spot as the Bulls' nickel back. Hoggins (Coconut Creek, Fla.) brings 28 career starts to the table and he's becoming the secondary's most vocal leader in camp.
"Ronnie is kind of the grandfather back there. That's major, we refer to him as major," Adams said. "Major is doing his thing. He's kind of the bell cow, along with
Mazzi Wilkins,
Jaymon Thomas and Michael Hampton."
Tampa's own Wilkins, a senior, and Hampton, a sophomore, have both been first-team fixtures at cornerback throughout fall camp while Thomas (Immokalee, Fla.) is back with the ones after starting 13 games at safety the past two seasons.
Finding pieces to run alongside and behind those secondary bell cows is still a work in progress but certainly a positive one.
Redshirt freshman
Mekhi LaPointe (Seffner, Fla.) has looked solid in his extensive time as a first-team safety this fall. Other young secondary playmakers in 11-on-11 action so far have included redshirt freshman
Bentlee Sanders (Tampa), who picked off two passes in the camp opener, redshirt freshman
Nick Roberts (Jacksonville, Fla.), freshman
Vincent Davis (Jacksonville, Fla.) and freshman
JaJuan Cherry (Okeechobee, Fla.).
Adams and new safeties coach
Tommy Restivo aren't playing favorites, however, with the Bulls only seven practices into camp. Now USF is entering what Adams likes to call the "grinding process" of dealing with bumps, bruises and the grueling mission of getting through marathon days in full pads.
"Those young guys are doing a good job. They're still spinning, we're throwing a lot at them. We'll see how they continue to handle it," said Adams, who is looking for consistency from day to day. "They will tell us their role in the grand scheme of things."
Bulls Bits
- SCOUT WATCH: NFL teams were represented all over the field Thursday with scouts from the Bills, Chargers, Falcons, Lions and Rams attending practice. NFL scouts from the Bengals, Browns and Chiefs checked out the action earlier in camp.
- UP NEXT: USF gets a day off from practice before the first scrimmage of the fall Saturday morning at the Morsani Complex. Right after that, supporters get to meet head coach Charlie Strong's squad at USF Fan Fest inside the Yuengling Center. Get all the Fan Fest details HERE.
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
USF posted its second straight 10-win season in 2017 (10-2) by winning its second straight Birmingham Bowl with a 38-34 victory over Texas Tech. USF is one of just 15 teams nationally to win 20-plus games in the last two seasons (21-4) and posted a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the top 25, reaching as high as No. 13 in Week 8 of the 2017 season. The Bulls have won five of their last six bowl appearances and made nine (6-3) total bowl appearances in 21 seasons, including a current run of three straight bowls. USF won a program-record 11 games in 2016 (11-2) and has posted 14 winning seasons. The USF program, which first took the field in 1997, reached No. 2 in the rankings in 2007 and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and had 28 first-team all-conference selections.
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