John Blanchette: Vernon Adams shows there is more to him than meets the eye

The sand-bagging was still in high gear mid-week, when Vernon Adams Jr. kept hedging – stoking the will-he-play-or-won’t-he mystery in the name of gamesmanship. His charade lasted all the way until Eastern Washington hit the bloodstain of Roos Field on Saturday, and he started to Shane Sparks his way through warm-ups. That’s him. Gotta Play V.A. Did the innate showmanship of Eastern’s junior quarterback even manifest itself in his injury? Surely he didn’t time his broken foot to synch the month-long healing period with the annual big date with Montana. Even V.A.’s sense of drama isn’t quite that highly developed. Is it? Now, as it turned out, Adams was in some respects just another member of the ensemble in the Eagles’ 36-26 victory over the Grizzlies, whose stature as the gold standard in the Big Sky becomes ever more ancient history. Vintage Vernon, it wasn’t. The big plays normally reserved for V.A. were mostly the province of others – ridiculous one-handed touchdown catches by Nic Sblendorio and Kendrick Bourne, for instance, and more Cooper Kuppishness from Cooper Kupp on a serpentine punt return for another score. Even Ronnie Hamlin, now EWU’s career tackle hoarder, did something over and above, his interception on Montana’s first drive sort of setting the tone for the Grizzly offense’s recurring inability to get out of its own way. But when the accounting was done, there was Adams – a passing yard shy of 400, four touchdowns, 3-0 against the Grizzlies. “He’s just inspiring,” said center Jase Butorac. “Just having Vernon out there is a comfort. I love playing for that guy. “He threw for, what, four touchdowns? Doesn’t seem like he missed a step to me.” Oh, there was rust from his enforced hiatus – timing issues, the odd misfire, a dip in his escape efficiency. Hey, the guy had a broken foot. But then, there is more to Vernon Adams than a good arm, great wheels and a feel for a pass rush that borders on ESP. The Grizzlies had just played themselves back within three points 98 seconds before halftime and rode that momentum into back-to-back sacks of Adams on first and second down. Maybe a little greedy for more, they called timeout hoping to get a couple cracks at the end zone after forcing an EWU punt. Except the punt team never made it to the field. When he could have been gun shy from the sacks, Adams instead stood in and found Kupp for a 25-yard gain, then Shaq Hill for 18 more. From the UM 34, the Grizzlies’ Zack Wagenmann – who’d sacked Adams on that first down – bulled in again. But the quarterback ducked behind – and into – tackle Clay DeBord who managed to fend off Wagenmann, bounced off and left fly toward Bourne streaking for the end zone. By the time the Grizzlies got any momentum back, it was almost a full quarter later and they were 23 points down. Adams’ athletic charisma is a great fit for Beau Baldwin’s dial-it-up approach to offense, but in between the highlights there are details that need attention. The coach loves Routine Play V.A. as much as he does Big Play V.A. “That’s the part of him truly playing the position of quarterback,” said Baldwin. “He doesn’t get enough credit for it, but I keep saying it so people will understand. “He throws from the pocket better than people think. He’ll change routes when he sees different coverages. He’ll get you into the right things. I might call a zone-beater for that coverage and they’ll go man and he’ll see it and change to a man-beater. That was Sblendorio’s touchdown.” Well, that wasn’t all that happened on Sblendorio’s touchdown. “I told him I had a dream last night that I was going to throw him a touchdown on that play,” Adams reported. And just when you thought he couldn’t dream up this stuff. Adams was a good patient during his recovery, and more. Baldwin said the quarterback was able to put on a couple of pounds (“He can get a little light at the end of the year, from all the wear”) and that he probably returned with “a little more pop” in his throwing arm, thanks to a month off without Saturday beatings. In the meantime, the Eags won three of four under backup Jordan West, who got some valuable schooling, and stayed in the thick of a wonderfully jumbled Big Sky title chase. “It’s never ideal to lose your quarterback,” said Butorac, “but it’s nice when he comes back and we don’t miss a step and we have another guy ready for any situation.” But the Grizzlies had to deal with Adams. “But that was OK,” said UM linebacker Jeremiah Kose. “We wanted the best they have, and they’re at their best with Vernon.” And now he’s Back-in-Play V.A.