Adams lights up the field for Cougars

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:24PM

The thing you notice about Plainfield South senior Dondre Adams, even before that blistering 4.25 speed in the tell-all 40, is his smile. Even with his helmet on and through the bars of his facemask, he flashes a smile wider than the Grand Canyon.

So, there was Adams on Friday night against visiting Oswego, playing his part in the Cougars' defensive family as a 5-foot-10, 180-pound free safety. He would end up with an interception, but he admitted afterward that "I should have had three in that game."

One, in particular, stood out in his mind. An Illinois Football Coaches Association Class 7A all-state selection last year as a junior, Adams locked onto a pass by Panthers quarterback Ryan West, readied his hands for the grab, looked up for only a split-second and ...

Oops.

"It went right through my hands," Adams said, shaking his head as that smile lit up the room of South coach Mike Briscoe's office. "I'm always looking forward to make plays to try and help our defense. I think I saw the open field there and got too happy, I guess."

No high school football coach is happier in Illinois right now than Briscoe, who doubles as defensive coordinator and welcomed Adams back to the going-both-ways fold for Plainfield South (7-0, 5-0) following a three-week stint on the sidelines due to a knee injury.

First things first, Adams has not lost a step. His speed is legendary in the Joliet area as the three-time champion of the summertime Fastest Man contest, sponsored by edgytim.com and Tim Graf Speed Enhancement. And he covered Oswego better than Linus' blanket.

Understandably so, most people focus on Adams as a singleback in the Cougars' spread attack. He has rushed for 590 yards and 8 touchdowns on 47 carries this fall, after running the gamut and the gauntlet out of the I-formation for 1,428 yards and 16 TDs last year.

In his absence on defense, junior Darien Brown filled the void at free safety and senior John Magee, the Aurora Christian transfer, adeptly stepped into the shoes at running back. But to Briscoe, having Adams means more of a shoo-in for South's success.

"Dondre is one of the best players in the state," Briscoe said. "This year, we've had Darien step up and take some of those reps from him at free safety so Dondre can stay fresh on offense, but he's definitely an impact player on defense who will have to step up big here heading into the playoffs."

"It's a relief having Dondre at that safety spot," said senior Greg Ferguson, the grit, blood and guts of the Cougars' defense at tackle. "If we don't get him, if the linebackers don't get him, we know that he's not going to miss them. He's fast and he flies to the football."

This South team flies, period, especially on offense. Magee has rushed for 428 yards and 7 TDs on 60 carries while catching 15 passes for 231 yards and 2 TDs. His twin brother Sheldon, a quarterback/receiver, has 417 yards and 7 TDs on 46 carries, plus 10 catches for 151 yards and 2 TDs.

More? Why not? Sheldon Magee (47-of-78, 788 yards, 13 TDs) and junior Austin Howarth (48-of-80, 835 yards 10 TDs) have shared the QB wealth. Junior Dantrell Wright (36 catches, 608 yards, 10 TDs) and senior Alex Flores (14 catches, 453 yards, 7 TDs) have excelled as receivers.

Inserting Adams' skill set into that dynamic makes the Cougars' roar louder than a scene from "The Lion King." However, after he turned in 48 solos and 70 tackles last year, the South Side style under Briscoe did not want to lose that special "APG" persona.

As in Athlete. As in Playmaker. As in Gamebreaker.

He's a three-in-one deal.

"Some people think he's just fast and can cover the pass," Briscoe pointed out. "But he can fill the alley better than any safety I have ever had, and he is a playmaker. He tackles very well, and every time he touches the ball, he's a threat to score on offense or defense."

"I'm an offensive player, but I like to play defense," Adams said. "I just go out there and try to be the best athlete I can be, make plays and help my team. I like flying up and filling the alley, and I want to do whatever it takes - whatever it takes - to help us win."

Winning has been the theme for the Southies after back-to-back 5-4 seasons, missing the playoffs both times. The Cougars have clinched their first postseason appearance since 2006, and in his third varsity season, Adams loves the two-way ride.

"I'm happy to be on the field, going both ways, and it's nothing new to me," said Adams, who also averaged 22.6 yards a punt return and 20.8 yards a kick return last year. "It's something I like. I look at it like I have fresh legs since everybody is going into their eighth game and it's my fifth."

Trying not to plead the fifth on recruiting, Adams noted he is leaning toward Central Michigan, but is being pursued by "most" MAC schools. He has received Big Ten feelers from Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois, with his future position as part of what is in flux.

Offense owns his heart.

"I like running and catching the ball," he nodded. "I talked to the coach at Central Michigan and he said I could play either running back or safety. I wouldn't mind playing safety, but I would really like to play running back in college."

"A lot of people think he's a corner or a slot receiver in college," Briscoe said. "They see how fast he is and how he can carry the ball, and they don't see him as that big back to take that kind of pounding. But they see his agility and speed and how he can tackle, so he'd be a great fit at corner."

Likewise, Adams has been a perfect fit for South's defense for three years, with Ferguson acknowledging that "if anyone gets away, they won't be there for long because he will make the play for us." Adams' mindset also works in either setting, offense or defense.

"Just to get the ball and do something with it," Adams said. "I want to make a play with the ball in my hands."

And, again, he smiled.

© 2012 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.