Stacy Adams was named the head coach of the Valparaiso University football program on July 27, 2005.  He is the 15th head football coach in Crusader history, and just the sixth leader since 1946.

For the 2009 season, Adams enters his fifth year at the helm of the Brown and Gold with an 14-30 record, both at Valparaiso and for his collegiate head coaching career.

Adams kicked off his head coaching career with a victory at Wisconsin Lutheran, 17-3, on September 3, 2005, a game which saw Crusader running back Jeff Horton set the school’s single season rushing record.  In his first season on the sidelines, Adams went .500 on the road with a 3-3 mark.  Serving as offensive coordinator as well, he helped Horton set Valpo’s single season rushing mark.  Adams served as the team’s offensive coordinator for his first three seasons as head coach before turning over the reins prior to the 2008 campaign.

Year two saw the Crusaders suffer several key injuries, yet under Adams’ guidance continued to battle and be competitive throughout the year.  Adams earned his first home coaching victory against Aurora, 20-7, to close out the 2006 season.  During that season, Adams saw Horton become the school’s career rushing leader.

In 2007, Adams’ club nearly reached the .500 mark for the first time since the 2003 campaign, matching the school’s highest win total since that same season.  The Crusaders closed the year with a 5-6 record and won multiple conference games for the first time since the championship season of 2003 as well.  Valpo captured its first Battle for the Hoosier Helmet against Butler, a tradition that began prior to the 2007 season between the two instate rivals that Adams’ help spearhead.

The 2007 season saw Valpo lead the PFL in rushing offense, averaging more than 200 yards per game on the ground.  Defensively the Brown and Gold also ranked 12th nationally among NCAA Division I-FCS teams in the same season, averaging 2.73 sacks per contest.

The 2008 season saw Adams’ squad lead the Pioneer Football league in rushing offense averaging more than 175 yards per game on the ground.  On the defensive side of the football, the Crusaders led the league in interceptions with 17 and ranked 11th nationally in pass defense (158.1 ypg).  

As a head coach, Adams has already guided 29 All-Pioneer Football League selections, including eight members of the league’s First Team.  In his first season, 2005, record-breaking running back Jeff Horton also earned NCAA 1-AA Mid-Major All-America Team honors from Don Hansen’s Football Gazette.  Fourteen individuals have earned Academic All-PFL accolades as well for the Brown and Gold.  In 2008, defensive end Adam Rundh added to the national honors players have earned under Adams, being named a Second Team Academic All-America selection by ESPN The Magazine and CoSIDA.

Adams joined the Crusader coaching staff prior to the 1991 season, and was promoted to the offensive coordinator role in time for the 1997 campaign.  As an assistant, Adams guided the 2003 Pioneer Football League champion offense that shattered a plethora of Valpo passing, receiving, total offense, and scoring records.  The 2002 offense, also guided by Adams, set several records that were re-broke in 2003. The Crusaders led the PFL in passing offense (319.0 ypg), ranking second in the nation in that category. The 2003 squad also finished second in the PFL and sixth nationally in total offense (447.5 ypg) and third in the PFL and 12th among all NCAA I-AA teams in scoring (33.8 ppg). Adams coached First Team NCAA I-AA Mid-Major All-America quarterback David Macchi, who eclipsed 10 offensive records in 2003.

During the Pioneer Football League championship season in 2000, Adams guided an opportunistic offense which averaged 25.0 points per game. The Crusaders scored 20 or more points in nine of the 11 games in 2000. In 1999, Adams directed an offense which averaged 26.4 points per game, an improvement of over five points from 1998.  Adams, the running backs coach for five seasons, was instrumental in Valpo's improved rushing attack, which increased its yards per carry average each season.

A native of Gary, Ind., Adams played two seasons at quarterback for at Joliet Junior College in 1985 and 1986 after graduating from Lew Wallace High School.

After earning an Associate of Arts degree from Joliet JC in 1987, Adams finished his playing career at Northwest Missouri State, where he played quarterback, running back, and outside linebacker in 1988 and 1989.  In 1989, Adams was a member of NWMSU's NCAA Division II playoff team.  He graduated from NWMSU in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts in physical education. Adams earned his master’s degree in education at Valparaiso in 1997.

Stacy married his wife Donna in 2004 and they had their son, Jaden, in December, 2005.   Adams also has two stepsons, Richie and Aaron.