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Deke Adams

Position: Defensive Line Experience: 1st Year at USC

Deke Adams was named defensive line coach at the University of South Carolina on January 22, 2013.

Adams spent the 2012 season as Larry Fedora's defensive line coach at North Carolina after serving the three previous seasons in the same capacity for Fedora at Southern Miss. Adams, a former Southern Miss letterman, was in charge of a front four that allowed just 112.6 rushing yards per game in 2011, 22nd in the country. Southern Miss won the Conference USA title and went on to a 12-win season after a Hawaii Bowl win over Nevada.

Adams came to Southern Miss after spending the previous year as linebackers coach and coordinator of player development at Louisiana-Monroe. Prior to his stint at ULM, he worked for two seasons at North Carolina A&T.

During his first season at North Carolina A&T, Adams stepped into the role of defensive coordinator two games into the season on an interim basis. He was given the job on a permanent basis following that first season. He coached the defensive line during his first year in 2006 and had responsibility for the linebackers in 2007.

Adams spent four years (2002-05) at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas before his stint at North Carolina A&T. In 2005, he served as Ouachita Baptist's defensive coordinator and was responsible for the defensive line.

Adams began his coaching career in 1997 as the defensive line coach at Jacksonville State. After spending one season at Jacksonville State, he coached at Pearl River Community College, where he first served as the linebackers coach and later was named co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. In 2001 he became the defensive coordinator and continued his duties as recruiting coordinator.

Adams was a four-year member of the Southern Miss Dean's List during his time as a student-athlete and a three-year letterwinner for the Golden Eagle "Nasty Bunch" defense from 1991-94.

He is married to the former Alexis Hall, a member of the 1,000-point club and four-year letterwinner for the Southern Miss women's basketball team. The couple has two boys, Jaylen and Jordyn.