Penn State football has hired Ola Adams as a defensive analyst.
Excited to join the coaching staff at @PennStateFball. Huge thanks to Coach Franklin & staff for the opportunity. Also want to give thanks to the Denver @Broncos organization for the opportunity to work for a first class program last season. Looking forward to this new chapter! pic.twitter.com/aTX23NHvwr
— Coach Ola Adams (@CoachOlaAdams) May 24, 2023
Adams was most recently a defensive assistant for the Broncos.
Before that, he spent seven seasons at Villanova, the last three as defensive coordinator.
In Adams’ last season at Villanova in 2021, ‘Nova played Penn State at Beaver Stadium in September, falling 38-17. Despite that loss, 2021 was another successful season for what’s been a successful FCS program in Philly. ‘Nova went 10-3 overall, 7-1 in its conference, making the FCS playoffs, where it fell to South Dakota State in the quarterfinal.
Adams has experience coaching on both sides of the ball. Before Villanova, he was the wide receivers coach at Columbia in 2014.
Before that, he was Division III Cortland State’s defensive coordinator from 2011-13. He also coached at Cortland State in 2009, when he was the defensive backs coach. His coaching career got started in 2008 at his alma mater, Concord College, where he was the assistant defensive backs coach for a season.
Adams also worked in the NFL before coming to Denver, spending time in the league’s minority internship program. He was the minority intern for the 49ers’ secondary in 2014 and also helped with the Bears’ d-line the previous season. He was also in the NFL Coaching Academy in 2013.
Before his coaching career, Adams was a star at Concord.
He started all four seasons and was a three-time all conference performer at safety. Adams also starred in track, placing runner-up in the conference triple jump in 2006.
This is the third analyst coach James Franklin has added to his staff this offseason. Adams joins offensive analyst and former Penn State letterman Calvin Lowery and special teams analyst Eric Sachse.
