Oregon Football: How Vernon Adams Can Win Ducks Starting QB Job by Week 1

The biggest math test in college football is finally over, as is the long national nightmare for Eastern Washington Eagles transfer Vernon Adams Jr. The Football Championship Subdivision human highlight reel is officially a member of the Oregon Ducks. The dream for Adams to play at the highest level of college football is still alive, as B/R colleague Adam Kramer wrote Thursday evening.

But now comes the harsh reality: Adams was a superstar at his old program and a two-time runner-up for the Walter Payton Award, the FCS' version of the Heisman Trophy. That's not the case in Eugene. The competition between him and front-runner Jeff Lockie is very real.

"At Oregon, he's below the walk-ons in terms of where he fits in," said B/R colleague Michael Felder, a former defensive back for the North Carolina Tar Heels. "He's the new kid in school.

"He has to figure out whom he's going to eat lunch with."

If Adams is to start for the Ducks in Week 1 against his old team, he'll have to earn every bit of respect possible from his teammates and the coaching staff. It starts with the fact that Adams is a late arrival to preseason camp, which for Oregon began Monday, Aug. 10.

In June, Andrew Greif of the Oregonian reported there was unfinished business with Adams' arrival, stemming from the now-infamous math class. He has taken care of it, but it's important to remember Adams announced his transfer to Oregon in February.

Granted: Lord knows most of us have had to take (and retake, and maybe retake again) some crucial tests during college. They're not fun. And beyond the stress and frustration of it all, a "football purgatory," as Kramer described, awaited Adams if he did fail.

No one should want that for him.

All the same, Adams had intentions of moving on from Eastern Washington six months ago under the condition that he would be allowed to play immediately once he graduated. Adams did graduate—eventually—but not within the timeline he initially promised.

That, Felder explains, can create trust issues in the locker room. Put simply, Adams didn't take care of his business when he said he would. His responsibility now is to show that type of misstep won't happen again. 

Adams' challenge between now and Sept. 5 is twofold. On the practice field, Adams has to show he can digest the playbook. He can receive help from teammates on running the offense, but he can't rely on them. He has to show command.

Ultimately, Felder said, "he either gets it or he doesn't." 

And because Adams wasn't able to work out with his new teammates over the summer, he'll have to come early and stay late to develop a rapport with Oregon's wide receivers, running backs and offensive line. "That type of chemistry takes time. That's the reason [quarterbacks and receivers] throw over the summer," Felder said.

Ryan Kang/Associated Press

Secondly, and just as importantly, Adams has to show up humble and willing to work. The college football world outside of Oregon's locker room may expect Adams to be the starter, but that's not the attitude he can have himself.

"Adams has to be genuine," Felder said. "He has to show he cares about them [teammates]. He has to show that he has the same goals as they do.

"If that means he has to carry balls during practice, it means he has to carry balls during practice." 

As counterintuitive as it may sound, Adams also has to shadow Lockie. Yes, the two will compete against each other. Yes, Adams arrives looking to "steal away" Lockie's grip on the job. But showing respect to a guy who has been in the program for four years is a good way to, in turn, earn everyone else's respect.

Lockie doesn't possess the physical gifts Adams does. There's not a thing in the world Lockie can do if Adams pulls even with him in the quarterback race. However, pulling even isn't a given, either. Lockie knows the offense backward and forward.

We don't know yet if Adams does. 

Lockie's not going to outrun anyone like Marcus Mariota did or throw the ball 80 yards down the field with the flick of a wrist, but all signs indicate that he can move the chains. 

We don't know yet if Adams can.

Lockie has the respect of his teammates. Adams has to work on that. 

All of these things mean something, and nobody knows that better than head coach Mark Helfrich, who elaborated on what Oregon's offense would look like under Lockie to Fox Sports in July: 

"

Jeff Lockie had an outstanding spring, and I know to a person in our program, we have a hundred percent confidence in him and all those around him.

The key to replacing a great player, a once-in-a-lifetime player, however you want to describe a guy like Marcus is everybody has to do their job better. We don't need somebody to come in and try to be Superman when they're not. We need them to play their role well, utilize the strengths we have on our team and go. 

"

Adams can bring Oregon's offense to a level that Lockie probably can't, but don't mistake that for Helfrich not having confidence in Lockie. If, in a few weeks, all things are equal, it wouldn't be surprising for Adams to get the nod.

Why? Because he can give you highlight reels like this: 

But there's a lot that Adams needs to prove before anyone can even consider him to be on the same level as his main competitor.

"And that's hard to do," Felder said.

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.