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Pictures and Bio courtesy of Valparaiso University and The Times Newspaper
At a press conference on Tuesday March 9th School City of East Chicago
Superintendent Michael Harding introduced Stacy Adams as the Schools New
Head Football Coach. Adams will be the 6th head coach in the schools history.
Stacy Adams was named the head coach of the Valparaiso University football
program on July 27, 2005. He is the 15th head football coach in Crusader history,
and just the sixth leader since 1946.
For the 2009 season, Adams enters his fifth year at the helm of the Brown and
Gold with an 14-30 record, both at Valparaiso and for his collegiate head coaching
career.
Adams kicked off his head coaching career with a victory at Wisconsin Lutheran,
17-3, on September 3, 2005, a game which saw Crusader running back Jeff
Horton set the school’s single season rushing record. In his first season on the
sidelines, Adams went .500 on the road with a 3-3 mark. Serving as offensive
coordinator as well, he helped Horton set Valpo’s single season rushing mark.
Adams served as the team’s offensive coordinator for his first three seasons as
head coach before turning over the reins prior to the 2008 campaign.
Year two saw the Crusaders suffer several key injuries, yet under Adams’
guidance continued to battle and be competitive throughout the year. Adams
earned his first home coaching victory against Aurora, 20-7, to close out the 2006
season. During that season, Adams saw Horton become the school’s career
rushing leader.
In 2007, Adams’ club nearly reached the .500 mark for the first time since the
2003 campaign, matching the school’s highest win total since that same season.
The Crusaders closed the year with a 5-6 record and won multiple conference
games for the first time since the championship season of 2003 as well. Valpo
captured its first Battle for the Hoosier Helmet against Butler, a tradition that began
prior to the 2007 season between the two instate rivals that Adams’ help
spearhead.
The 2007 season saw Valpo lead the PFL in rushing offense, averaging more
than 200 yards per game on the ground. Defensively the Brown and Gold also
ranked 12th nationally among NCAA Division I-FCS teams in the same season,
averaging 2.73 sacks per contest.
The 2008 season saw Adams’ squad lead the Pioneer Football league in rushing
offense averaging more than 175 yards per game on the ground. On the
defensive side of the football, the Crusaders led the league in interceptions with
17 and ranked 11th nationally in pass defense (158.1 ypg).
As a head coach, Adams has already guided 29 All-Pioneer Football League
selections, including eight members of the league’s First Team. In his first season,
2005, record-breaking running back Jeff Horton also earned NCAA 1-AA Mid-
Major All-America Team honors from Don Hansen’s Football Gazette. Fourteen
individuals have earned Academic All-PFL accolades as well for the Brown and
Gold. In 2008, defensive end Adam Rundh added to the national honors players
have earned under Adams, being named a Second Team Academic All-America
selection by ESPN The Magazine and CoSIDA.
Adams joined the Crusader coaching staff prior to the 1991 season, and was
promoted to the offensive coordinator role in time for the 1997 campaign. As an
assistant, Adams guided the 2003 Pioneer Football League champion offense that
shattered a plethora of Valpo passing, receiving, total offense, and scoring
records. The 2002 offense, also guided by Adams, set several records that were
re-broke in 2003. The Crusaders led the PFL in passing offense (319.0 ypg),
ranking second in the nation in that category. The 2003 squad also finished
second in the PFL and sixth nationally in total offense (447.5 ypg) and third in the
PFL and 12th among all NCAA I-AA teams in scoring (33.8 ppg). Adams coached
First Team NCAA I-AA Mid-Major All-America quarterback David Macchi, who
eclipsed 10 offensive records in 2003.
During the Pioneer Football League championship season in 2000, Adams guided
an opportunistic offense which averaged 25.0 points per game. The Crusaders
scored 20 or more points in nine of the 11 games in 2000. In 1999, Adams
directed an offense which averaged 26.4 points per game, an improvement of
over five points from 1998. Adams, the running backs coach for five seasons, was
instrumental in Valpo's improved rushing attack, which increased its yards per
carry average each season.
A native of Gary, Ind., Adams played two seasons at quarterback for at Joliet
Junior College in 1985 and 1986 after graduating from Lew Wallace High School.
After earning an Associate of Arts degree from Joliet JC in 1987, Adams finished
his playing career at Northwest Missouri State, where he played quarterback,
running back, and outside linebacker in 1988 and 1989. In 1989, Adams was a
member of NWMSU's NCAA Division II playoff team. He graduated from NWMSU in
1990 with a Bachelor of Arts in physical education. Adams earned his master’s
degree in education at Valparaiso in 1997.
Stacy married his wife Donna in 2004 and they had their son, Jaden, in December,
2005. Adams also has two stepsons, Richie and Aaron.
| HEAD COACH STACY ADAMS Contact Coach by email sadams@ecps.org or by phone (219) 391-4000 ext 4049 |
