Bahamian Darius Adams streatches for a touchdown in a 37-35 loss against Catholic. The speedy junior receiver caught eight passes for 17 yards and three touchdowns in that loss. (Photo: Coast Guard Athletics)
Although he saw a great deal of success on the field for the Coast Guard Academy Bears last week, New Providence native Darius Adams is still fairly new to the game of American football.
Adams, known more for his basketball prowess locally, has become a key contributor to the Bears football team's offense in his first season as a player. In a 37-35 loss against Catholic in New London, the speedy junior caught eight passes for 217 yards and three second-half touchdowns, tying the Coast Guard record for touchdown catches in a game.
"I wanted to play when I first got here, but I was too scared of the cold," said Adams on his late introduction to football. "I stuck with indoor sports. In The Bahamas there are no extremes. It never gets to 100, and it never gets below 60."
The former hoops star made the touchdown receptions against Catholic from four, 31 and 51 yards.
"The biggest thing to me is how he adjusted to football," Coast Guard coach Bill George said during Wednesday's weekly team media luncheon. "He blocks better than I thought he could. He's taking the hits better than I thought he could. He made some tremendous football plays; (one play) was like Willie Mays catching Vic Wertz's line drive."
Adams came to the academy as a freshman basketball recruit. He moved to the United States when he was 16 and graduated from Southside Baptist Christian School in Richmond, Virginia.
Adams averaged 9.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game last season for the Bears. He also ran track for them as well, finishing second in the long jump and fifth in the triple jump at the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference Meet.
However, the six foot, 170-pound wide receiver will no longer suit up for the Bears basketball team, electing to stick to just football and track for the remainder of his time at the academy.
Coach George said that he knows that Adams' ability is no longer a secret and he expects teams to play to shut him down.
"If I watched every division three game in the country this week, every single film, I would come away saying, 'you might want to cover this guy Darius,'" George said. "He was a factor in the game. You can have all the X's and O's you want, but it doesn't take a genius to say you've got to do something to control his ability."
Adams and the Bears will be in action again on Saturday against Salve Regina. Their homecoming game is set or October 1 against Mine Maritime.
Randy Smith, Guardian Sports Reporter
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