Florida State University Athletics
FSU Hires South Florida Native, NFL Veteran Blue Adams As Cornerbacks Coach
12/20/2025 2:32:00 PM | Football
TALLAHASSEE – Florida State has hired South Florida native and former NFL player and coach Blue Adams as the Seminoles' new cornerbacks coach, head coach Mike Norvell announced Saturday.
"Blue has great experience as a player and coach," Norvell said. "He has a tremendous track record of evaluating and developing cornerbacks to play at an elite level. He also provides great experiences as a corner who produced at a high level, which allowed him to become an NFL Draft pick and to have a six-year playing career. Blue has great relationships throughout the state of Florida as a Miami native as well as his time working in and recruiting the state throughout his coaching career. I'm excited for his impact within our program."
Adams, who is from Miami and played at Miami Senior High School, brings 16 years of coaching experience following a six-year NFL playing career. He most recently was the defensive backs coach at Michigan State and also has experience with the Miami Dolphins and at South Florida, Oregon State, West Virginia, Purdue and Northern Iowa. He has overseen the development of four NFL Draft picks, two All-Americans and 24 all-conference selections.
"It's both an honor and a privilege to have an opportunity to coach at Florida State University," Adams said. "I look forward to pouring into our players, coaching staff and the entire program. Go Noles!"
Adams spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons as the secondary coach at Michigan State. In his first season in East Lansing, Adams oversaw the development of All-Big Ten cornerback Charles Brantley. Brantley, from Sarasota, ranked second in the conference in interceptions per game and passes defended per game, and his 101 interception return yards were the conference's fourth-highest total. The 2025 secondary was led by Malik Spencer, a Georgia native who posted a team-high six pass breakups and totaled 52 tackles.
Prior to his time at Michigan State, Adams was the secondary coach at Oregon State for five years. He helped the Beavers post winning records and reach a bowl game in each of his final three years, the program's longest streak of winning seasons since 2006-09. While at Oregon State, Adams developed 14 all-conference performers, a first-team All-American and three NFL Draft picks.
In 2023, Oregon State ranked third in the Pac-12 with 12 interceptions and had the conference's fifth-best passing defense, allowing 236.2 yards per game through the air with only two passing plays of more than 50 yards, the second-lowest total in the conference. That year, his secondary was led by first-team All-American Kitan Oladapo who ranked fifth in the Pac-12 with nine passes defended and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Additionally, true freshman Jermod McCoy also registered nine pass breakups, senior Jaden Robinson broke up eight passes, Ryan Cooper Jr. added seven pass breakups and junior Akili Arnold recorded six pass breakups as OSU tied for the Pac-12 lead having five players with at least six pass breakups.
The 2022 Oregon State defensive backfield produced the best pass efficiency defense in the Pac-12 and ranked 13th in the country in that category. That year's secondary was highlighted by first-team All-Pac-12 performer Rejzohn Wright and second-team all-conference selection Jaydon Grant and also included 2023 NFL Draft pick Alex Austin. Adams also coached third-round NFL Draft pick Nashon Wright, who was taken 99th overall in 2021 by the Dallas Cowboys to become the Beavers' highest-drafted defensive back since 2015 and only the seventh top-100 draft pick from the secondary in program history.
As the secondary coach at South Florida in 2017 and 2018, Adams helped the Bulls win 17 games and reach two bowl games while coaching two All-AAC performers. The 2017 defense led the American and ranked second in the country with 20 interceptions while also boasting the conference's best marks in pass efficiency defense, total defense and scoring defense. Devin Abraham's five interceptions ranked second in the conference, and Deatrick Nichols was second with 15 passes defended and 12 pass breakups.
At West Virginia, Adams coached All-American Rasul Douglas, who led the nation with eight interceptions and was a first-team All-Big 12 cornerback. After helping the Mountaineers to a 10-win season that ended with WVU ranked 18th in the country, Douglas was picked in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and won Super Bowl LII in his rookie season.
Adams coached three seasons in the NFL as the Miami Dolphins assistant defensive backs coach. Cornerback Brent Grimes was selected for the Pro Bowl in all three seasons he was coached by Adams, and Reshad Jones joined him at the Pro Bowl in 2015.
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Purdue in 2010, where he worked with second-team All-Big Ten cornerback and fifth-round NFL Draft selection Ricardo Allen. Adams then moved to coach the secondary at Northern Iowa for two seasons, where he helped the Panthers win the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference title and advance to the quarterfinal round of the FCS Playoffs. Under Adams' leadership, cornerback Varmah Sonie earned all-conference honors in 2011 and 2012.
Adams was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 2003 NFL Draft. He appeared in 50 games over his six-year playing career, seeing action with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cincinnati Bengals. He helped Tampa Bay win the NFC South in 2005 and appeared in all 16 games for the Buccaneers in 2006.
Adams was a four-year letterwinner at Cincinnati and earned second-team All-Conference USA honors his junior season. After helping the Bearcats reach three consecutive bowl games, he earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Cincinnati in 2003.
Blue Adams Coaching History
2026- Florida State Cornerbacks Coach
2024-25 Michigan State Secondary Coach
2019-23 Oregon State Secondary Coach
2017-18 South Florida Secondary Coach
2016 West Virginia Defensive Backs Coach
2013-15 Miami Dolphins Assistant Defensive Backs Coach
2011-12 Northern Iowa Secondary Coach
2010 Purdue Graduate Assistant
"Blue has great experience as a player and coach," Norvell said. "He has a tremendous track record of evaluating and developing cornerbacks to play at an elite level. He also provides great experiences as a corner who produced at a high level, which allowed him to become an NFL Draft pick and to have a six-year playing career. Blue has great relationships throughout the state of Florida as a Miami native as well as his time working in and recruiting the state throughout his coaching career. I'm excited for his impact within our program."
Adams, who is from Miami and played at Miami Senior High School, brings 16 years of coaching experience following a six-year NFL playing career. He most recently was the defensive backs coach at Michigan State and also has experience with the Miami Dolphins and at South Florida, Oregon State, West Virginia, Purdue and Northern Iowa. He has overseen the development of four NFL Draft picks, two All-Americans and 24 all-conference selections.
"It's both an honor and a privilege to have an opportunity to coach at Florida State University," Adams said. "I look forward to pouring into our players, coaching staff and the entire program. Go Noles!"
Adams spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons as the secondary coach at Michigan State. In his first season in East Lansing, Adams oversaw the development of All-Big Ten cornerback Charles Brantley. Brantley, from Sarasota, ranked second in the conference in interceptions per game and passes defended per game, and his 101 interception return yards were the conference's fourth-highest total. The 2025 secondary was led by Malik Spencer, a Georgia native who posted a team-high six pass breakups and totaled 52 tackles.
Prior to his time at Michigan State, Adams was the secondary coach at Oregon State for five years. He helped the Beavers post winning records and reach a bowl game in each of his final three years, the program's longest streak of winning seasons since 2006-09. While at Oregon State, Adams developed 14 all-conference performers, a first-team All-American and three NFL Draft picks.
In 2023, Oregon State ranked third in the Pac-12 with 12 interceptions and had the conference's fifth-best passing defense, allowing 236.2 yards per game through the air with only two passing plays of more than 50 yards, the second-lowest total in the conference. That year, his secondary was led by first-team All-American Kitan Oladapo who ranked fifth in the Pac-12 with nine passes defended and was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Additionally, true freshman Jermod McCoy also registered nine pass breakups, senior Jaden Robinson broke up eight passes, Ryan Cooper Jr. added seven pass breakups and junior Akili Arnold recorded six pass breakups as OSU tied for the Pac-12 lead having five players with at least six pass breakups.
The 2022 Oregon State defensive backfield produced the best pass efficiency defense in the Pac-12 and ranked 13th in the country in that category. That year's secondary was highlighted by first-team All-Pac-12 performer Rejzohn Wright and second-team all-conference selection Jaydon Grant and also included 2023 NFL Draft pick Alex Austin. Adams also coached third-round NFL Draft pick Nashon Wright, who was taken 99th overall in 2021 by the Dallas Cowboys to become the Beavers' highest-drafted defensive back since 2015 and only the seventh top-100 draft pick from the secondary in program history.
As the secondary coach at South Florida in 2017 and 2018, Adams helped the Bulls win 17 games and reach two bowl games while coaching two All-AAC performers. The 2017 defense led the American and ranked second in the country with 20 interceptions while also boasting the conference's best marks in pass efficiency defense, total defense and scoring defense. Devin Abraham's five interceptions ranked second in the conference, and Deatrick Nichols was second with 15 passes defended and 12 pass breakups.
At West Virginia, Adams coached All-American Rasul Douglas, who led the nation with eight interceptions and was a first-team All-Big 12 cornerback. After helping the Mountaineers to a 10-win season that ended with WVU ranked 18th in the country, Douglas was picked in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and won Super Bowl LII in his rookie season.
Adams coached three seasons in the NFL as the Miami Dolphins assistant defensive backs coach. Cornerback Brent Grimes was selected for the Pro Bowl in all three seasons he was coached by Adams, and Reshad Jones joined him at the Pro Bowl in 2015.
He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Purdue in 2010, where he worked with second-team All-Big Ten cornerback and fifth-round NFL Draft selection Ricardo Allen. Adams then moved to coach the secondary at Northern Iowa for two seasons, where he helped the Panthers win the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference title and advance to the quarterfinal round of the FCS Playoffs. Under Adams' leadership, cornerback Varmah Sonie earned all-conference honors in 2011 and 2012.
Adams was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 2003 NFL Draft. He appeared in 50 games over his six-year playing career, seeing action with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cincinnati Bengals. He helped Tampa Bay win the NFC South in 2005 and appeared in all 16 games for the Buccaneers in 2006.
Adams was a four-year letterwinner at Cincinnati and earned second-team All-Conference USA honors his junior season. After helping the Bearcats reach three consecutive bowl games, he earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Cincinnati in 2003.
Blue Adams Coaching History
2026- Florida State Cornerbacks Coach
2024-25 Michigan State Secondary Coach
2019-23 Oregon State Secondary Coach
2017-18 South Florida Secondary Coach
2016 West Virginia Defensive Backs Coach
2013-15 Miami Dolphins Assistant Defensive Backs Coach
2011-12 Northern Iowa Secondary Coach
2010 Purdue Graduate Assistant
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