He’s only 6-0 and 200 pounds, and he’s not considered a top-shelf pro prospect, but all of a sudden, he might be the key piece to a College Football Playoff puzzle. 

Eastern Washington star quarterback Vernon Adams is transferring to Oregon, spurning Texas and UCLA, and while he’s not going to be simply handed the starting quarterback job, it’s going to be implied that he’s going to keep the machine going. 

Too small and not courted by the bigger boys, the Pasadena native went up to EWU and set the FCS world on fire, completing 65% of his passes over the last three years for 10,438 yards and 119 touchdowns and 31 interceptions, throwing 55 touchdown passes two years ago in 15 games, and 35 last year. While he’s not going to be Marcus Mariota running the ball, he can take off with 1,232 career yards and 11 touchdowns. 

There are knocks, starting with ball control. Oregon’s offense – specifically Mariota – lives for turnover margin and not giving away big mistakes, but Adams fumbles a bit too much and has thrown way too many picks. However, he’s a big-play performer, throwing for 475 yards and seven touchdowns in the 59-52 loss to Washington, and hanging up 300 yards or more in eight of the ten games he played last season – he threw for 298 in one of the others. 

The Ducks are loaded again with offensive weapons, getting back the 1-2 rushing punch of Royce Freeman and Thomas Tyner, and Byron Marshall and Devon Allen lead another great receiving corps. The O line is the concern with three starters gone, but with a solid defense, enough depth to play around with a few positions on offense, and the system in place, all that’s missing is a quarterback. 

Oregon landed one of the prime free agents, and now the expectations are playoff or bust.