Eastern Washington QB Vernon Adams will transfer to the University of Oregon for his senior season. Adams announced the news Monday morning from his Twitter account after recently visiting the Ducks’ campus in Eugene.
Oregon it is! First off, I want to thank God for this amazing opportunity. I want to thank all of… http://t.co/yMkAHNt1f2
— Vernon Adams Jr. (@vadams_qb) February 9, 2015
Adams won’t have to sit out next season. The NCAA’s fifth-year transfer rule states that an athlete who finishes his degree in four years but still has a season of eligibility remaining can transfer to another school without restrictions if he pursues an advanced degree. Adams redshirted in 2011, so he’s in line to earn his diploma from EWU before joining the Ducks this summer.
His transfer wouldn’t make much sense if he didn’t consider himself a frontrunner to land Oregon’s starting quarterback job. The competition is considered open after Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota declared for the NFL draft shortly after the Ducks were trampled by Ohio State in the first College Football Playoff National Championship game.
Adams’ move from the FCS ranks to a Power 5 program in the FBS — especially one with national title aspirations — is unprecedented. He was reportedly also receiving interest from UCLA and Texas.
The generously listed six-foot, 200-pound passer dazzled with the Eagles of the Big Sky Conference, throwing for 4,994 yards, 55 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 15 games in 2013-14, and for 3,483 yards, 35 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 10 games this past season.
On Sept. 6 he threw a school-record seven touchdowns, completing 31 of 46 passes for 475 yards in a 59-52 loss to Washington at Husky Stadium. In 2013, he led the Eagles to an upset win over Oregon State at Reser Stadium by throwing for 411 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for 107 and two more.
A Pasadena, CA., native, Adams the past two seasons finished runner-up for the Walter Peyton Award, given to the top player in FCS, and was named an All-America selection.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2198295 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2198295">13 Comments
Reports have been mixed on whether or not UW was interested in him. I doubt it though. They wouldn’t want a one and done player.
Agreed. In the long run, the Huskies are better off developing the QB’s in their system.
Even though there is a lot of hype surrounding Jake Browning, I want to see what K.J. Carta-Samuels can do. People seem to forget that KJ was a Coach Petersen recruit.
At least there were no Super Bowl parties to threaten the UW QB position.
I find it inconceivable that Miles will be the best QB on the roster this fall. He will, however, be the guy with experience. This frightens me. CP seems almost a bit too fogey-ish, too “Atta-boy!” to replace a guy with a year of starting experience. I wonder if he has the guts. I wonder how much Pete Carroll he has in him. Its not like people don’t have great success playing highly touted freshman QBs these days…
Not when they have Cyler Miles as incumbent.
Good luck Mr. Adams it will be a challenge each and every day for the rest of your playing days.
I’ve got an Eastern helmet signed in silver sharpie by Big Play VA #3. It is the black one with the red stylized EWU Eagle. What the hell do I do with it now?
Paint it green and slap a gold swoosh on it in honor of Ducks owner Phil Knight, who’ll be making sure Vernon is VERY well compensated for his year in Eugene?
Hah, funny!
I’d wear it to Montlake and see who flinches.
have sportspressnw reporters uncovered just what advanced degree mr. adams will be pursuing? isn’t it awesome how the ncaa supports higher education?
Is your company hiring QB majors?
Shoe U wins again and here comes another Northwest Championship and more.