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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Oregon coach Mark Helfrich doesn’t ‘anticipate any hiccups’ in QB Vernon Adams Jr. becoming eligible for Ducks

QB Vernon Adams needs to pass to two math tests. (Tyler Tjomsland)

Oregon football coach Mark Helfrich said he has no doubts transfer quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. will be working out with the Ducks this summer and playing this fall.

“We don’t anticipate any hiccups,” Helfrich said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

Adams, who’s hoping to transfer from Eastern Washington, has two more math tests to pass before he earns his bachelor’s degree and is able to join the Ducks.

There is no specific timetable for Adams to tie up the loose ends; EWU does not set deadlines for handling incompletes, leaving that to the student and teacher. But until he does, he cannot be involved in any Oregon-related activities, according to UO officials.

In the meantime, Adams must pay his own living expenses in Eugene until he meets graduation requirements at EWU. Adams participated in graduation ceremonies in Cheney in June 13 and moved to Eugene the next day, but said on June 15 that he expected to wrap up the math class by the end of the month and earn his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies.

Adams did not respond Tuesday to telephone calls and messages asking for comment on his status.

When asked about Adams and junior college linebacker Jonah Moi – the only two players who haven’t enrolled in summer classes – Helfrich said, “We don’t anticipate any hiccups on the guys that have been mentioned or are signed to letters of intent or otherwise.”

Because Moi and Adams have yet to become UO students, Helfrich didn’t specifically name them in his answer.

Once Moi and Adams arrive, as Helfrich expects, each will be thrown into the program’s “indoctrination” of player-run summer workouts to get up to speed.

“It’s an inculturation of how we do things, how we lift, how we condition, how we do the stuff when they’re out there with the ball by themselves, (players) take over,” Helfrich said. “We have complete confidence in that process and that’s at every position.”

Adams has one year of eligibility remaining and is attempting to compete with Jeff Lockie to become Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota’s successor as starting quarterback.

When asked about Lockie, a junior who backed up Mariota last year, Helfrich said, “Jeff Lockie has been a rock” in stepping into a leadership role.

Oregon begins fall practice on Aug. 10, the same day as Eastern.

The schools meet Sept. 5 in Eugene.