Adams grew up in San Diego and attended San Diego High School, where he starred in football, baseball, basketball and track, before graduating in 1922 [REF].
While playing on the USC football team in 1924, he was a key player[REF] that helped the team defeat Syracuse by score of 16-0,[REF] where future Kansas State head coach Pappy Waldorf was playing (Adams would later hold the head coaching position at Kansas State).