(SportsNetwork.com) – The complexion of the 2015 FCS season changed greatly on
Monday.
Perhaps the FBS season did as well.
Eastern Washington University quarterback Vernon Adams Jr., the runner-up each
of the past two seasons for the Walter Payton Award which honors the FCS player
of the year, announced on Twitter he will accept a scholarship from the
University of Oregon later this year and complete his final season of
eligibility with the Ducks – perhaps as the replacement for Heisman Trophy-
winning quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Adams wrote, “Oregon it is! First off, I want to thank God for this amazing
opportunity. I want to thank all of Eagle Nation for all the love and support.
Want to thank every single one of my teammates for pushing me to be a better
man/athlete everyday these past 4 years. Definitely want to thank Coach B, the
coaching staff, and the everybody upstairs who has something to do with my
success.”
The dual-threat 6-foot, 190-pounder would be eligible to play immediately next
season under the NCAA’s graduate student transfer-exception rule. Oregon offers
his field of study – recreation management – in his graduate program.
Adams has drawn comparisons to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. In
2011, Wilson made the same type of transfer in graduating from North Carolina
State and spent his final season of eligibility at Wisconsin.
Adams, the two-time Big Sky Conference offensive player of the year as well as
Walter Payton Award runner-up, is scheduled to graduate from Eastern Washington
in June, and the native of Pasadena, California, has one more season of
eligibility remaining after redshirting his first year in 2011.
At Eastern Washington, Adams helped coach Beau Baldwin’s Eagles win the last
three Big Sky titles while accounting for 11,670 total yards (10,438 passing,
1,232 rushing) and 121 touchdowns (110 passing, 11 rushing) in 37 career games.
Jordan West backed up Adams last season and made four starts when Adams was
sidelined by a broken right foot. West, who has two seasons of eligibility
remaining, completed 86-of-142 pass attempts (60.6 percent) for 1,072 yards,
nine touchdowns and one interception in seven games last season.
