Trishton Jackson

Starting Over

To save his football career, Trishton Jackson left home for Syracuse

Andrew Graham Senior Staff Writer

Trishton Jackson sat in his room at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego two Decembers ago and thought about life. He considered his three teammates kicked off the team after the four came to college together 11 months prior. He considered the younger players on Michigan State’s wide receiver depth chart exceeding his dwindling role. And he considered how his dream school revealed itself as detrimental to him.

Jackson said a prayer to himself that night — something he made up in the moment and doesn’t remember today. Then he called his mother, Carol. He admits now that he was too close to home, but he fails to explain precisely what that entailed. Two days before the Spartans thrashed Washington State in the 2017 Holiday Bowl, Jackson had made his decision to transfer.

Tommy DeVito

Next In Line

Years of waiting have brought Tommy DeVito to the cusp of stardom

Josh Schafer Senior Staff Writer

For three years, Tommy DeVito watched. Watched as the media hyped him up, marrying the four-star recruit to the beginning of the Dino Babers era in Syracuse. Watched as backups started in place of an injured Eric Dungey so DeVito wouldn’t burn his redshirt season. He even watched Dungey return to the starting role despite DeVito saving agame the week prior.

“Sometimes you gotta wait your turn,” DeVito said following a practice in August.

It’s not just a saying, but a mantra DeVito’s forcefully lived by. DeVito waited in youth football while coaches’ sons played over him. A transfer seized the starting job in high school. So even when DeVito broke out at the Elite 11 prospect camp, it was too late. The guys who had been on the scene — fellow campers Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa — tossed touchdowns in the College Football Playoff National Championship while DeVito hadn’t taken a collegiate snap.

Abdul Adams

'Stay Ready'

Abdul Adams’ three-year preparation has him poised for a breakout season

Eric Black Senior Staff Writer

For a chance to revive his dwindling football career, Abdul Adams had to leave Oklahoma. Two years with the Sooners without consistently seeing the field left the former top 10 high school running back with few options. So Adams transferred, and for the first time in nearly three years, finally had a steady role.

On the Syracuse scout team.

Adams had fallen a long way since rushing for 2,036 yards and 21 touchdowns during his senior year at Hillside (North Carolina) High School. When he got to SU, he waited and watched his team from the sidelines during home games and from his South Campus apartment during road games. Syracuse, a team he hadn’t yet played a minute for, ran through Florida State, almost dethroned Clemson, and eventually, made its first bowl game in five years.