Husky Roster Review: Sam Adams Looks for More Room to Run

Lining up to the left of Michael Penix Jr., running back Sam Adams II sprinted past his quarterback and diagonally to the right once the ball was snapped, carrying out the directives of yet another creative Ryan Grubb play call.

The University of Washington running back found himself wide open in the flat, embarrassingly so for the defense, when he hauled in a 4-yard touchdown pass from Penix with eight seconds remaining in the first half. Adams next raced to the back of the end zone and twice blew kisses to the roaring Husky Stadium crowd.

In 2022, the deceptive play put the UW ahead for good at 21-14 in what would become a 49-39 victory over Arizona -- and new Husky coach Jedd Fisch.

Excuse Fisch if he doesn't readily remember who was responsible for that shift in momentum.

The 6-foot-2, 207-pound Adams, a junior from Kirkland, Washington, remains somewhat of a roster enigma, some of it caused by his continuous health issues and some of it by his great indifference.

On that October day against the visiting Wildcats, Adams enjoyed what remains a career day for him, albeit a modest performance, as he enters his fifth season at the UW. He rushed six times for 20 yards and caught a pair of passes for 14 yards and that aforementioned score. And it came against that guy he now plays for.

OK, now what?

Sam Adams runs through a spring drill for running backs. | Skylar Lin Visuals

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the Husky roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did this past spring and what to expect from them going forward.

Adams was held out of contact drills throughout spring ball, same as senior Cam Davis, as he dealt with yet another injury. He missed much of his first two seasons at the UW with various ailments. His absence didn't help him with a new coaching staff.

The son and grandson of former NFL players -- all named Sam Adams -- he came to the UW with similar high-level expectations, especially after fielding 41 scholarship offers, with Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Ohio State and Texas A&M among them. It just hasn't happened for him.

"He's still a long ways away, to be honest," former UW running-backs coach Lee Marks said more than a year ago. "Sam was two years removed from playing football. So really, if you think about it, we're only really in year one in his development of being a college football player."

Adams doesn't let anyone outside his inner circle know what he's thinking. In recent seasons, he's the only one in the program who has turned down all media interview requests. Instead, he ventures on, in his own solitude, looking for a running-back opening, maybe a chance to introduce himself to Jedd Fisch soon.

Sam Adams (28) joins the rest of the offense as it meets on the field. | Skylar Lin Visuals

SAM ADAMS II FILE

What's he done: Kalen DeBoer's coaches resurrected Adams somewhat by playing him in 19 of their 28 games in Montlake, using him always in short stints and more often as an injury replacement. He has career totals of 23 carries for 63 rushing yards and a score, and 7 receptions for 51 yards and 2 TDs.

Starter or not: Realistically, with Fisch bringing in three new running backs and Davis coming off a knee injury and seemingly ready to return, this third-generation Adams may have trouble getting back on the football field on game day. If he plays significant minutes, that will be a story in itself that he should share with everyone.

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