The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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where are they now? The U-M safety harkened back to his freshman year, when Schembechler called out to the rookie at the team hotel. "We were about to play Purdue, and we were walking out of the dining hall after the team meal," Adams recalled. "Coach Schembechler was standing there. Coach Schembechler called me over by name. "He said, 'Jamar, get over here.' I'm thinking, okay. He says, 'If you let that ball go over your head tomorrow, I'll come down there and kick you in your rear end.' "To me, that was something special. Here's a legendary coach. The building we work out in is called Schembechler Hall. "To think that somebody of his stature in Michigan lore, and college football lore, knew the name of this little nobody freshman from North Carolina … for him to know my name, to call me over and to give me some words of encouragement, that really meant something to me." The hours that followed Carr 's crushing announcement seemed a blur. None of the Wolverines wanted to use Schembechler's passing as an excuse in a 42-39 loss at Columbus, but things were different leading up to that one. "There were a number of people emotional the night before that game," Adams said. "It took our minds off the game slightly. Still, it was a heck of a game, and in the end we just didn't make the plays to finish that season off." The season itself proved unforgettable, even with the stunning regular-season conclusion and a subsequent loss in the Rose Bowl. "We had some great wins that year, great battles," Adams said. "That year will remain special in my life forever." The stalwart safety out of Charlotte, N.C., enjoyed plenty of incredible times at Michigan, including the Wolverines' last Big Ten championship season, in 2004. Just a rookie, Adams didn't discover the immediate success of a Henne or Hart, but found his stride midway in that season and began contributing in the defensive backfield. Even then, Adams learned about what facing the Buckeyes meant, while the Wolverines surged to a 7-1 Big Ten record and a share of the league title. "I just remember driving down in the bus to Columbus my freshman year," he said. "There was probably an 85-year-old grandmother, an Ohio State fan, and she had her grandson. They were holding hands. She had her left middle finger up, and was holding his hand with her right hand, and he was holding hers with his left hand and had his right middle finger up. "He had to be no more than 5 years old. That kind of introduced me to that rivalry. I got baptized into that rivalry really, really quickly, even on the way to the game." After that season, Adams was on his way as a Michigan starter, motivated by a devastating 38-37 loss to