By Mandy Housenick
GoLeopards.com Featured Columnist

The injury was brutal. It was truly painful – so excruciating that Spencer Adams couldn't even walk off the field without help from two of his teammates.

The high ankle sprain he suffered in a game against Bucknell early last November forced him to miss the rest of the 2024 season and required extensive rehab, multiple MRIs and a complete change in his recovery plan which set him back even further.

"My junior year was my first year playing real minutes and doing that for the first time is a different type of achievement," Adams said. "I was really happy I was playing. It's kind of what you wait your whole life for. I was finally getting my shot.

"Once that ankle injury happened…" Adams' voice trailed off without finishing his sentence.

Talking about that moment was almost too crushing to recall.

The now senior did make an exception, and it was for an excellent reason – a class project.

For his biomechanics class last spring, he had a project that required a 15-page paper and a poster that included pictures and a breakdown of his analysis. The students had to address research through a biomedical process. Students needed to analyze some type of motion through equations, and Adams figured out exactly how to use math equations to explain the force and trauma he suffered when he was plowed into and sustained his grueling high ankle sprain.

"It was an interesting class. I really enjoyed it," Adams said. "I love my sport, so anytime I can bring that into a class, I will jump at the opportunity and being that it was an injury and I am interested in the medical side and I want to know what's going on with my body, I thought it was a good way to know what ended my season last year. I never had thought about an injury in this way before. I have never looked at injuries in a mathematical sense. It brought it all together for the first time."

It was obvious the amount of work and time Adams put into the assignment. And it paid off. He got a 100 on the poster and an 86 on the written portion.

That type of work ethic is the norm for the Darnestown, Md., native.

The previous coaching staff recruited Adams as a non-scholarship player. But he improved so much during his tenure as a Leopard, that since the new coaching staff has taken over, Adams has earned some scholarship money.

Then last January as Adams was recovering from his ankle injury, his weight peaked at 369 pounds, more than the coaching staff wanted. They approached him about the need to lose weight.

"When he got on the scale and was 369, he said, 'Damn,'" head coach John Troxell said. "I asked what he did. He said it was portion control. He did it all himself. He had the will power to do it, which a lot of people don't. He looks really good, and it shows on the field. And he can get to the second level easier."

Adams is now down to 319 pounds. He's still blocking just as well and hitting opponents with just as much force, but he's moving better on the field.

"He plays physical," offensive line coach Kevin Baumann said. "He uses his size and technique and can move people. That's one of the big reasons he fits well at guard. He can really knock people back. He's moves really well for his size and gets guys covered up too."

There was a time when Adams wasn't as sure-footed – literally or figuratively. The ankle injury played games with his head. Doubt set in. Fear took over. Questions swirled in his mind.

Would his recovery ever get back on track? Would he bounce back and become the player he once was? Why was he misdiagnosed at one point?

Every time he found himself repeating those questions in his head, there were two people who knew just how to help – his mom and dad – Michelle and Andrew Adams.

"I don't know how I would have gotten through it without them," Adams said. "I talked to my dad every night. He'd ask about my day, how practice was and after having those conversation he would gauge where my head was at. My mom just always understood my mindset. We are very similar in our personalities. She kind of has that mom-spidey sense. She just knows when to call or text or leave me a message and it's always at the right time.

"The two of them really helped me get through the injury. I don't know what I would have done without them."

Andrew Adams deserves some extra kudos for helping to develop his son's love of football.

Spencer's docile demeanor had him wondering if football was really the right sport for him.

"My dad got me playing," Spencer Adams admitted. "I will admit I - I was a little scared when I was younger. I wasn't a very aggressive kid. I was very hesitant at first and really didn't like it. Once I got better, it got more fun. Once you take enough hits, the fear goes away and I stuck with it. I almost quit before high school. But through middle school, I didn't think I was good. It's hard to gauge if you're good as a lineman. I was just bigger than everyone else and didn't know if I was skilled. My dad convinced me to stay with it through high school. I'm sure if I really wanted to quit, he would have let me. But in my sophomore year, I got moved to varsity. I realized I could get better. Some coaches told me I had good size and could get better and they'd be watching me."

The days of questioning himself are long gone and others keeping their eye on him is now the norm. Adams is anchoring an offensive line that is paving the way for Lafayette's dangerous ground attack, which is led by Kente Edwards, who is leading the nation in rushing touchdowns (10), fourth in rushing yards (585), seventh in rushing yards per game (117.0) and second in yards per carry (8.2).

"This has been the best year I have ever been a part of," Adams said. "Winning the championship in 2023 was amazing. But this year I feel like I'm contributing up front. Nothing is the same as actually playing on the field. I feel like this team is more motivated than ever. We want to work hard. We want things to be hard. We didn't come into last year with the same chip as the 2023 season. The vibe is so much higher now. The guys have really bought in."