Pat Fitzgerald to retain safeties coach James Adams at Michigan State

As Pat Fitzgerald begins assembling his first full staff in East Lansing, one name who has appears to be returning is safeties coach James Adams. Per a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Adams is set to be retained. Adams was hired by Jonathan Smith back in January after the departure of cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin.

As Spartans Illustarted reported on Saturday morning, Fitzgerald is also retaining MSU defensive coordinator Joe Rossi.

For a Michigan State program aiming to rebuild quickly with discipline, player development and defensive identity at the forefront, retaining Adams may prove to be an important decision in retaining continuity and roster retention. 

Adams brings 17 seasons of defensive back coaching experience, a track record of turning under-the-radar recruits into All-Conference players, and a reputation as a technician who develops fundamentally sound, physical secondaries. His coaching journey began at Wake Forest, his alma mater, where he worked as a graduate assistant in 2009, after he was a two-year letterwinner at linebacker for the Demon Deacons. From there, he’s built a very well-rounded resume among defensive assistants in college football.

Most recently, Adams spent the last three seasons (2022 through 2024) back at Wake Forest as the safeties coach, with adding the title of associate head coach in 2024. His work with the Demon Deacons produced tangible results. Wake saw two safeties selected in the 2024 NFL Draft — Malik Mustapha (San Francisco 49ers, fourth round) and Sanoussi Kane (Baltimore Ravens, seventh round) — a rarity for that program. Both players thrived under Adams’ leadership: Mustapha earned second-team All-ACC honors and a Senior Bowl invite in 2023 before becoming a rookie year contributor in San Francisco, while Kane became a key piece on a Baltimore team that won the AFC North.

In 2024, Adams also mentored safety Nick Anderson, who led the ACC with an impressive 122 tackles and grabbed two interceptions en route to third-team All-ACC recognition. Anderson’s production showcased the hallmark of an Adams-coached secondary: physical, prepared and consistently around the football.

Adams’ track record stretches well beyond Wake Forest. He brings previous Big Ten experience, having coached cornerbacks at Purdue in 2021, where the Boilermakers finished with nine wins and ranked among the nation’s top pass defenses (33rd nationally, 208.7 yards per game). Purdue also tied for fourth in the conference with 13 interceptions, a testament to Adams’ emphasis on ball skills and positioning.

Additionally, Adams has coached at Wofford, Charlotte, Western Michigan and Navy.

For Michigan State, retaining Adams offers stability in a room that has seen significant turnover in recent seasons. It also gives Fitzgerald a proven developer of talent at a position group critical to the identity of his defenses at Northwestern. Adams’ blend of recruiting experience, developmental history, and ties across multiple regions should help MSU build both the present and future of its defensive backfield.

With a resume featuring multiple bowl appearances, six All-Conference selections coached, and a steady stream of NFL-bound talent, Adams represents the kind of coach who can aid in MSU’s rebuild. 

However, concerns are also warranted, as Michigan State’s safety play was often not up to par. Some of this is due to injuries and talent level, but far too often it appeared that the Spartan safeties were missing assignments or just plain getting beat. 

It should be interesting to see how Adam’s position group plays under Fitzgerald’s scheme, new portal additions and development of underclassmen.