West Virginia University football Head Coach Rich Rodriguez announced Demetrius “Deke” Adams as the defensive end coach, in the latest addition to the coaching staff, in a press release on Monday afternoon.
“Deke brings an extensive background in developing and coaching defensive linemen,” Rodriguez said. “He is an outstanding addition to the Mountaineer coaching staff, and I want to welcome him, his wife, Alexis, and his two sons to our football program.”
Adams brings nearly 30 years of coaching experience, including 19 seasons at the FBS level. He has been part of nine programs that earned bowl campaigns and has helped develop three All-Americans, 14 all-conference selections and 10 NFL Draft picks, including two first-round selections.
Adams spent the past four years of his career as the defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator at the University of Arkansas. His defensive line provided 22 of the team’s 44 sacks in 2022, a program record, while naming defensive linemen to the Southeastern Conference all-league three times.
In 2023, the defensive front helped limit opponents to 357.2 yards per game, the program’s lowest average since 2014. Arkansas also improved from 6.46 yards per play in 2022 to 5.67 in 2023. Another lineman earned first-team all-league honors after pacing the Razorbacks in tackles for loss and sacks.
The following year, the Razorbacks finished among the nation’s top 40 in rushing defense and third-down defense.
During his time at the University of Southern Mississippi, the defensive line ranked 18th nationally in sacks and 24th in tackles for loss in 2009. He helped guide the Golden Eagles to a 12-win season and the 2011 Conference USA title, capped by a Hawaii Bowl win over Nevada. That season, his defensive front allowed just 112.6 rushing yards per game, 22nd nationally.