Spring Focus: Paul Adams Plays Through the Whistle
3/29/2016 9:08:00 AM | Football
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The final whistle blows. Coach Odom speaks to the team. Players break to head to the locker room - except for the offensive line. They stay out to do up-down workouts as a line after two grueling hours of spring practice.
From the snap of the ball to the echo of the whistle, this is the identity the Mizzou offensive line hopes to bring to spring practice this year. Under the new direction of offensive coordinator Josh Heupel and offensive line coach Glen Elarbee, the offensive line is completely reforming their mentality of the line's presence on the football field.
With five senior starters and contributors graduating, it's time for a new era of offensive lineman. Among those is red-shirt sophomore Paul Adams. Adams earned snaps in three games last year, giving a much-needed rest to veteran offensive lineman Taylor Chappell. With Chappell graduating, Adams is ready to step into the starting position, appreciative of those snaps last season.
"Going against other defensive lineman in the SEC was a huge confidence booster. Working a lot in the winter has helped me as well. Going against Walter Brady every single day has helped me get better," says Adams.
After a rollercoaster season in 2015, Mizzou football finished the year 5-7, not quite at the level they wanted to be. However, the team did not let this deter them. Adams explains that the team came into the winter hungry. The players are ready to get to work and face the challenges that are ahead, especially with a tough schedule in the fall including a romp in Death Valley.
Odom's style of coaching plays a large role in the preparation for the upcoming season. He continually preaches the idea that toughness wins. Odom is looking for tough players to put on the field, those that will go hard and work the entire game.
"This offseason workout has been pretty difficult. It has been very fast-paced. He's trying to see who wants it more. He is going to put the most hard-working 11 on the field and whoever deserves it deserves it," says Adams.
Newcomer Heupel aims to cultivate an attitude of aggressiveness in the offense this season that will be much different from last year. Adams remarks that while the improvements are evident every day, they are not quite as fast as they want to be. Heupel runs a fast-paced offense that requires the line to be set and ready when the play is called.
Under Heupel's offensive plan, Elarbee pushes the offensive line to their full potential whether it is through scrimmage play or up-down drills after practice. According to Adams, Coach Elarbee is a funny guy but will always find the internal grind in his players. Not only does Elarbee expect a lot from the players, but the players also expect a lot of themselves.
"We are just trying to be nasty this entire spring. We are going against a good defensive line. We are trying to reevaluate ourselves and we are trying to go as hard as we can every snap and every play. We want to strain and strain and strain," Adams says. This is the identity Adams hopes the offensive line will bring to practice and eventually to game play in the fall.
Along with giving 100 percent every practice, Adams hopes to take on a leadership role, motivating his line to go as hard as they can every snap and keep driving on the line. He looked up to senior center Evan Boehm during his past two seasons with Mizzou and has even taken over Boehm's number, 77.
While he greatly admires Boehm and thinks of him as a big brother, the real inspiration behind choosing the number 77 is current Tennessee Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan. Adams describes Lewan as a role model, having watched him from Lewan's red-shirt junior year at Michigan all the way to being drafted in the first round by the Titans. Of course it helps that Adams' hometown team picked up Lewan.
That hometown vibe is something Adams was looking for when he came to Mizzou, having attended the same school, Christ Presbyterian Academy his entire life. Adams really enjoyed the environment at Mizzou and speaking with the football coaches. Odom has continued to cultivate the family-oriented environment within the football program in his short time as head coach, taking time to check on his players outside of the rigorous football workouts. Adams relays his appreciation for the fact that Odom truly cares about his players.
"I see him in the hallway and I'll text him from time to time. He'll text me randomly and just asks how my day is going. Or I'll see him in the MATC and he'll ask how I am doing and if I am drinking water. He will just interact with me and tell me how much he loves me and it's just a great feeling."
Building relationships on and off the field is key to creating chemistry among the team that will win football games. With each successive practice Adams feels more confident about this team and its future.
"We are ready to go and we are ready for the new challenges ahead of us."
