Oregon Ducks’ quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. played the biggest game of his collegiate career last week on the road against the then-ranked No. 5 Michigan State Spartans, and the result was not a good one. He completed just 22 of 39 passes for one touchdown and two interceptions, he missed a wide open Byron Marshall on what would have been a late-game go-ahead score and he rushed for just six yards on 14 attempts in a 31-28 loss.
As it turns out, that hurt finger that forced the quarterback to wear a glove on his throwing hand is broken. There’s no telling what would have happened had Adams sat in favor of backup Jeff Lockie, but if the Ducks are smart, they’ll look Lockie’s way in Week 3 versus the Georgia State Panthers.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6yzGvAqn5o]One thing is clear when it comes to the coaching mentality at Oregon: They trust Adams more than Lockie. That became obvious when the transfer won the starting job over Lockie despite being on campus just two weeks. The Ducks, however, need to be smart here, and that means sitting their prized, yet injured offseason recruit against inferior competition.
When it comes down to it, Oregon is in no danger of losing to Georgia State regardless of who plays behind center. Put me back there, a past-his-prime out-of-shape not-so-athletic human being who’s never played a down of football in his life, and the Ducks are still likely favorites against a Panthers squad that won just a single game last season.
The fear of an unrealistic upset isn’t why Oregon needs to sit Adams. There are much bigger factors at play than how the team performs against a squad that won its first game in Week 2 of 2015 since Week 1 of 2014.
For starters, the confidence of Lockie needs to be considered. Not only did he lose the starting job to Adams despite his knowledge of the Ducks’ offensive system, but now he’s been forced to watch the team stick with the new guy when he had a broken finger and was struggling in a hostile environment.
If Lockie is ever forced to play significant minutes this season, he’s going to need confidence that he can perform. And just as importantly, he needs confidence that the team trusts him to go out and make plays against big-time competition.
Vernon Adams says he and Jeff Lockie have been splitting reps with the 1’s this week in practice in case he can’t play. @WinTheDay #GoDucks
— Jay Allen (@PDXjay) September 16, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAdams’ long-term health also needs to be taken into consideration. Say the 5’10” athlete takes a shot to the hand trying to throw over a taller attacking lineman. Or imagine he forgets to slide on an instinctual scramble and is tackled in a manner that forces him to the ground directly on his throwing hand. If the coaching staff believes in his ability to win games as much as it apparently does, is it really worth playing him against the JV squad Georgia State?
Oregon QB Vernon Adams Jr. leaving practice. Injured finger not wrapped. pic.twitter.com/aEjOXiggeI
— Aaron J. Fentress (@AaronJFentress) September 15, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
As easy as it is to make these claims, there’s one reason to consider playing Adams, and it’s likely the one reason the team is seriously considering it at this juncture.
The guy needs reps.
Having spent between four and five weeks on campus at this point in his Oregon career, you want the 22-year-old—the same 22-year-old who is supposed to help lead this team to the College Football Playoff—to have as much experience as possible once conference play begins. A contest against a gimme is the ideal situation for someone in Adams’ situation.
But while reps are important, the pros simply don’t outweigh the cons when it comes to keeping Adams in the Week 3 rotation.
If Lockie plays, the worst thing that likely happens is the team wins but doesn’t cover the massive 43.5-point spread. If Adams plays, your worst-case scenario is that the kid further injures his throwing hand and you lose your true starting quarterback for a possibly substantial amount of time.
It’s safe to say at this point that Adams isn’t going to make us forget about Marcus Mariota, but if the team believes in him, it’s simply not worth throwing him out there against a team like the Panthers.
This decision comes down to common sense, which screams that he should sit while Lockie shows he can perform adequately when given the chance.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
