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From 2012 to 2014, Eugene, Oregon was dominated by the play of former University of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. Now a member of the Tennessee Titans, Mariota shattered Oregon records left and right while under the wings of Ducks’ head coaches Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich. Mariota holds Oregon records for career total offensive yards (13,089 yards), career passing yards (10,801), career passing touchdowns (105 TD), single season passing yards (4,454 yards in 2014), single season passing touchdowns (42 in 2014). However awesome Mariota’s college days were (42 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 2014!), they are now over, beginning another chapter in Oregon football.
The quarterbacks responsible for writing Oregon’s next chapter are former backup Jeff Lockie and former Eastern Washington star Vernon Adams, Jr. Expected to win the starting job by Week 1 is Adams, a former graduate of Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills, Calif.
Adams’ high school career included 5,234 passing yards with 49 touchdowns, and 1,263 rushing yards with 19 more scores in leading Alemany to an overall record of 22-5. As a senior, he was selected the Serra League Most Valuable Player after leading the Warriors to the league title in 2010. Adams then traveled up the continent to Eastern Washington where he absolutely demolished opposing defenses.
During his sophomore season in 2013 (arguably his greatest at EWU),Adams threw for 4,994 yards, 55 touchdowns, 332.9 yards per game and just 15 interceptions on a 65.6 percent completion. Despite only playing 10 games last year, Adams somehow found a way to complete 251 passes for 3,483 yards and 35 touchdowns for 348.3 yards per game with a 66.1 completion percentage.
Now he is on the Oregon Ducks roster and is expected to be Oregon’s 2015 starting quarterback. Adams is definitely a stranger to the increased competition of the Pac-12, but I have no doubts that with the talent surrounding him in Oregon that the former Pasadena native is going to step up to the challenge
The 6-foot, 200-pound Adams luckily has Royce Freeman and other Oregon offensive weapons to look to if he is ever in trouble. The first step is him winning the starting job over Lockie. Once he can do that, truly anything is possible for Adams.
One thing that unfortunately is not possible, though, is the replication of Mariota’s famed Oregon career.
For one, Adams is coming in as a redshirt senior and will be playing only one season with the Ducks before either going into the NFL or moving on to another career. Also, his passing ability remains to be tested against top-ranked defenses. Not to mention, with Lockie having a great performance during the Ducks’ spring game, Adams’ future is quite murky.
What he does have on his side is his strong arm which can complete virtually any throw. However, I don’t think that Adams can ever live up to Mariota’s Heisman expectations considering his transfer status, lack of experience against top-25 opponents and competition from Lockie.
If and only if Adams can wow head coach Helfrich and earn the starting position over Lockie can Adams prove himself even worthy of Mariota’s greatness.
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