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From JUCO to the Pac-12: Terin Adams and Isaiah Floyd know the path

ASU's two newest JUCO transfers built a friendship at SFCC

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ASU head coach Herm Edwards looks on during offensive line drills during the second day of practice on Bill Kajikawa practice field in Tempe, AZ, on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018.


The JUCO football landscape can be treacherous for some, often winding through a million different avenues in search of a Division I scholarship. ASU’s redshirt sophomore cornerback Terin Adams' time at San Francisco City College followed a similar tune.

“Me personally, I was staying with my uncle,” he said at Monday’s media day. “Shoot, I had two jobs."

Adams's first job was working the front desk at a Massage Envy in San Francisco. While being in the Bay Area for school, Adams learned to mature off the field.

"It was a real grind and to cook my own food, but it's tight that me and (Floyd) get to go somewhere. We always talked about going to the same school. Its dope that we got that opportunity.”


Isaiah Floyd, a quick and elusive running back, played with Adams at SFCC, and then followed his path to Tempe after the 2017 season.

For Floyd, his JUCO career saw him rack up 1,197 rushing yards and reach the end zone 21 times leading the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA). However, the numbers didn't come easy. 

“It was a good experience. San Francisco City College is a great program," Floyd said. "Those coaches did a great job developing us as players and men. It was a definitely a good experience."

With Floyd living in nearby Pleasanton, Ca. and Adams staying with his uncle, they would take the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) together sometimes to school. This built their friendship as they went through the JUCO struggle together.

“Terin’s my boy,” Floyd said. 

During the recruiting process, both players talked about the idea of playing together at a Division I university.

"Yeah all the time, it was crazy,” Floyd said. "We always talked about, ‘Yeah bro we gonna go to the same school.’" 

It wasn't always easy on the field. Adams took his first two years off after suffering an injury his freshman season. After electing to bypass surgery, the healing process was lengthy, but Adams sat back and watched the games.

"I tried to observe and learn as much as I could," Adams said. "You know what they say, 'mental reps really help you,' its a real thing. When you can see it, you can feel it.”

The realization of continuing to play together at a four-year university was dwindling as Adams and Floyd held offers to Mountain West programs.

After the hiring of Herm Edwards on Dec. 3 both players received phone calls from the newest Sun Devil football coach.

"Herm was the one that called me, offered me a scholarship and talked to me after that,” Adams said. “Coach (Tony) White and coach (Danny) Gonzales both recruited me when they were at San Diego State, and I took an official visit there. I kind of already knew and had somewhat of a relationship with them. When I heard that there was an opportunity, I even texted coach White and told him you gotta come here.”

For Floyd, his decision to decommit from the New Mexico Lobos and join the Sun Devils had plenty to do with Edwards at the helm.

“The fact that Herm Edwards is actually calling my phone right now, he’s a legend,” Floyd said. “He's a great coach, great mentor, great morals and a great person in general. I would say that was the biggest thing for me.” 


It has been two years since Adams stepped out on a field for a game. Now he has prepared for his moment using a familiar technique – observing. 

"The most mental reps I can get now is just watching film," Adams said. "I watch hours of film. As soon as we are done with practice, I go straight to the film room and I just watch as much as I can. That's really where you make your biggest improvements."


Reach the reporter at sbemanue@asu.edu or follow @SebastianEman5 on Twitter. 

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