3 reasons why Vernon Adams should be Oregon's next quarterback
Who is Vernon Adams?
That's the question most Oregon fans are asking after the quarterback has been linked to the Ducks in recent days.
Related: Oregon offers scholarship to Eastern Washington's Vernon Adams
Adams is a redshirt junior at Eastern Washington, an FCS program. That said, he may be the perfect fit for the Ducks that no one saw coming. Here are three reasons why Adams should be Oregon's next quarterback.
He's one of the best two-way players in the FCS
Vernon Adams has what most quarterbacks don't: versatility. Some of the most successful quarterbacks in the nation, such as the Ohio State trio, Marcus Mariota and Trevone Boykin, have more than just an arm - they also have the legs.
From a throwing standpoint, Adams is the uncontested favorite. In three seasons, he's thrown for 10,438 yards and 110 touchdowns on only 31 picks. He's averaged 282.1 yards per game while completing 701 passes on an astonishing 64.8 passing percentage.
On the ground, he's rushed for a career 1,232 yards and 11 touchdowns on 297 attempts. Adams is a quarterback who knows how to evade the sack while keeping his eyes downfield. If its worst case scenario is running the ball under pressure, Oregon will have much to look forward to.
He comes with experience, and a lot of records
It can be a shock for a program to see a veteran collegian leave for the NFL and have a ripe freshman take over. Adams is far from that, having rewritten the record books at Eastern time and time again:
Most passing yards in a year (4,994)
Most games with 300-plus passing yards (10)
Most games with 200-plus passing yards (14)
Highest average yards per pass completion (15.7)
Highest average yards per pass attempt (10.3)
Most TD passes in a game (7)
Highest passing efficiency rating, year (183.1) and career (176.3)
Most rushing yards for a quarterback, year (605) and career (947)
Most total plays in a year (618)
Most yards total offense per game in a year (373.3)
Most yards total offense per play in a year (9.0)
Most games with 300-plus yards total offense (12)
He's a big-game player
The biggest question mark for an FCS player is whether their success can translate into the FBS. When quarterbacks from both subdivisions square off, it's an opportunity to shine - and that's exactly what Adams has done.
In 2013, Eastern Washington became just the fourth team in FCS history to defeat a top-25 FBS program. The Eagles took down No. 25 Oregon State 49-46 behind Adams, who threw for 411 yards and four touchdowns on 23-of-30 passing. He also rushed for 107 yards and two scores.
In 2014, his school was narrowly dropped 59-52 by Washington. Adams threw for 475 yards and seven touchdowns on 31-of-46 passing.