Cheney, WA (SportsNetwork.com) – Second-ranked Eastern Washington will be
without All-American quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. for the next 3-6 weeks after
he suffered a broken right foot during Saturday night’s game.
Coach Beau Baldwin said Sunday the 2013 Walter Payton Award runner-up suffered
two broken metatarsal bones during the Eagles’ 56-53 victory over Idaho State,
but he played with the injury. The redshirt junior completed 23-of-35 passes
for 354 yards and four touchdowns, and rushed for 79 yards and two more scores.
“Obviously I feel for Vernon and the situation,” Baldwin said. “But I’m
extremely proud of his mental and physical toughness to battle through that
game. That says more to me than anything else that he’s done in his career up
to this point.”
In six games, Adams has thrown for 2,157 yards and 24 touchdowns with four
interceptions. He leads the FCS in per game rankings for total offense (394.3),
passing offense (359.5) and points responsible for (27.3), as well as for TD
passes (24). He is currently third in passing efficiency rating (176.8).
In the win over Idaho State, Adams set the Big Sky career record for touchdown
passes with 99.
Sophomore Jordan West is expected to start in place of Adams when the Eagles
(5-1) visit Southern Utah on Saturday.
“I’m both excited and extremely confident in what Jordan is going to be able to
do,” Baldwin said. “I know the team will rally around Jordan, and our
expectations, goals and vision do not change at all.”
