Six years ago, Jadon Adams was waiting for his opportunity at Islands High School.
Today, he's helping young quarterbacks prepare for theirs.
Former Savannah State quarterback Jadon Adams speaks during SIAC Football Media Day before the 2024 season. Photo courtesy of Savannah State Athletics.
The former Islands High School standout and Savannah State University playmaker has been hired as the new quarterbacks coach at Bradwell Institute, beginning a new chapter that brings one of the Coastal Empire's own back to the game he loves.
For Adams, the road to Bradwell started years ago as a backup quarterback at Islands High School. The lessons he learned while waiting for his opportunity are the same ones he now hopes to teach every young quarterback who walks into his meeting room.
Islands High School quarterback Jadon Adams runs against Hardaway during the first round of the 2020 GHSA Class 4A state playoffs. Adams helped lead the Sharks to the schools first ever post season win in his senior season. Photo by RDP Productions.
"Yeah, sir, it feels good to be on the other side," Adams said. "After a long football career, I've had the good opportunity to come across a lot of great coaches, and I think I could just take everything that all my coaches have instilled to me and be able to instill it in the next generation."
Those lessons were learned through experience.
At Islands High School, Adams wasn't always the starting quarterback. In fact, some of the most important lessons he learned came before he ever became the face of the Sharks' offense.
During his senior season, Adams helped lead Islands to the second round of the GHSA Class 4A state playoffs, accounting for more than 1,400 total yards while emerging as one of the Coastal Empire's most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks.
"I would say to stay yourself through adversity and always stay ready so you don't have to get ready," Adams said. "My time at Islands, I wasn't always a starter. I was a backup and then I just got one play that kind of changed my life forever."
That experience continues to shape the message he delivers to young players today.
"I kind of want my players to have that mentality, just always stay ready because you never know when your moment will be called and you want to be able to answer the call."
The message carried over into his collegiate career at Savannah State, where Adams experienced both success and challenges while competing at multiple positions.
Formewr Savannah State quarterback Jadon Adams looks for running room during a game. Photo by Coopercaptures.LLC.
"Just always staying competitive, always staying hungry, staying humble," Adams said. "You can go from being a bench warmer to being eager to be on the field, or you go from a starter to having to stay competitive and remain a starter."
During his career at Savannah State, Adams proved he could do just about everything.
He threw for 1619 yards and 10 touchdowns, rushed for more 597 yards and 6 scores, and even moved to wide receiver during his final season. He caught 14 passes for 165 yards. The versatility gives him a unique perspective when teaching quarterbacks.
"I think it helps me tremendously in ways that I'm still learning," Adams said. "I can teach quarterback from a pocket passer. I can teach quarterback from a dual threat and I can teach quarterback from just a pure athlete."
Because of those experiences, Adams believes he can connect with a variety of players.
"So all types of quarterbacks that I come across, I'll be able to positively impact."
His path into coaching wasn't one he expected to happen this quickly.
When the opportunity at Bradwell Institute arose, Adams admits he was surprised.
"I was definitely surprised," Adams said.
The opportunity came after former Calvary Day assistant and current Bradwell Institute offensive coordinator Alex Monticue saw Adams coaching a 7-on-7 travel team and believed he had potential as a young coach.
"He just saw something in me as a young coach and he believed in me," Adams said. "Then he got in contact with Coach Adams, and me and Coach Adams had an interview and he believed in me. So I'm really appreciative of this opportunity."
Adams had never held a high school coaching position before, making the opportunity even more meaningful.
"I just coached a 7-on-7 travel team, and that's when Coach Monticue saw me one time coaching a 7-on-7 team," Adams said. "I'm guessing that's kind of where he started thinking I had potential. Honestly, I'm not sure, but it worked out how it worked out, and I'm super appreciative."
Now, the former Islands and Savannah State standout will begin his coaching career on the Bradwell Institute sidelines, helping develop the Tigers' quarterbacks under head coach John Adams and offensive coordinator Alex Monticue.
As a player, Adams was known for his athletic ability.
As a coach, he wants to be known for developing leaders.
When asked what he hopes every quarterback takes away from his meetings, his answer had little to do with throwing mechanics or reading defenses.
"I hope that they can understand that it's more than just throwing a football," Adams said.
"You have to be a leader on the field, off the field, in the classroom, first in conditioning. You've got to be first in everything."
He also wants his quarterbacks to understand the emotional demands of leading a football team.
"Never too high, never too low, always cool, calm and collected because the team is relying on you," Adams said. "You're that extra coach on the field."
And perhaps the most important lesson?
"Mental toughness," he said. "You're not going to make the right play every play, although that's the goal. But when things don't go right, how are you mentally? How can you shake back mentally and keep leading the team?"
That leadership philosophy extends far beyond football.
Adams graduated Cum Laude from Savannah State with a degree in Mass Communications and was a member of the SIAC All-Academic Team. He is currently completing requirements for a Master's Degree in Public Administration.
His message to student-athletes is simple.
"Be a leader in the classroom," Adams said. "However you see yourself leading on the football field is how you need to lead off the field."
For the former Islands quarterback, football provided opportunities, lessons, and lifelong relationships.
Now, he's hoping to do the same for the quarterbacks who walk into the Bradwell Institute meeting room this fall.
And somewhere along the way, another young player may hear the same lesson that helped shape Jadon Adams' career:
Stay ready.
Because you never know when your moment will come.
Photos courtesy of RDP Productions, Coopercaptures.LLC, and Savannah State Athletics.
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Team physicians include Dr. Don Aaron (Bryan County), Dr. David Sedory (Benedictine, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County), Dr. David Palmer (Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham), and Dr. Thomas Alexander (Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent’s Academy).
