Demetrice Martin's departure this offseason rocked Michigan State football because it was both unexpected and disappointing. Obviously he wanted to be closer to family so you can't truly blame him, but it put the Spartans in a tough position, looking for a new defensive backs coach right before early signing day.
Fast forward about a month and Jonathan Smith has finally found Martin's replacement.
According to reports, Smith has hired Wake Forest associate head coach James Adams as the new safeties coach following his third season on the Demon Deacons staff.
Hearing really good reviews as a recruiter among my high school contacts. One called him a "slam dunk" and a "future head coach." https://t.co/eDoX3eQNYH
— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) January 6, 2025
Adams is considered a "home run hire" per Allen Trieu who spoke to high school coaches about the hire and this has to make fans feel good because he is bringing some great recruiting skills to the table. He's going to help this staff make up for the Martin departure and it almost feels like the Spartans hired the best possible replacement.
The former Wake Forest assistant actually played for the Demon Deacons before graduating in 2006 and working on multiple staffs before coming back to his alma mater.
Adams has a history of success at schools like Charlotte, Western Michigan, and Navy. He even spent some time at Wofford before earning an FBS level position.
Now he'll be in East Lansing looking to help the Spartans get back to the 'No Fly Zone' days after his previous head coach, Dave Clawson, stepped down following the season. He used this opportunity to look elsewhere and Michigan State's open position drew his attention.
I don't know about you, but I feel much better about Michigan State's secondary heading into 2025 after this hire.