Vernon Adams

[dudeitsaid]

VA. - Great player but he choked that throw and he choke the last play before half. Don't make excuses for him. He had a great season and I'm proud of him and the team, but don't try to convince me the game wouldn't have been over had he not delivered an accurate ball.
You are right. That ball is accurate, EWU is in Frisco. And IMO, they were maybe the only team I think might be able to beat the Bison. Trust me, it still fricken KILLS me we didn't make it. I wanted to see the Eagles vs the Bison more other NC I could imagine. VA missed the pass. Don't know that people are disputing that, including him. But the point is, though those plays were some of the most conspicuous, there were other things that happened during that game that would have changed the outcome. Personally, I'm thrilled that we have VA for a couple more years. I saw a ton of growth in him versus last year, and I have to believe he will continue to improve and learn from those errors.

Frisco- the reason I said I don't see ewu in Frisco with VA at the helm is bc it's hard as he'll to keep getting back to the playoffs and having heartbreak losses. I'm telling you bc I know, it fxcks with you mentally. Again football is very much mental. It's possible and I hope it happens but it's not likely. And that's a mathematical fact.
You would know better than me, having been at in the playoffs at this level. But, they overcame that mental hurdle from the prior season. If anything, I would think they can see clearly they can compete with any team on the field, and shouldn't be intimidated by anybody. If anything, maybe this creates some mental stress in another semifinal game.

Recruiting - I was once a EWU recruit and player... trust me, that stadium hurts the program.
Yet, you came. You played. You love and support the program. It needs to improve, without a doubt, but it's far from the worst in the FCS, and looks to be better than average overall (just from pictures I've seen, not from actually being at some of them.) And EWU has been able to field highly competitive teams with multiple award winning, record setting players for a decade. They've experienced some of the most consistency in playoff participation of any team in the FCS over the last ten years. During that time, their biggest margin of defeat was 11 points, so they are typically in every game. And, when looking at playoff history, and this really goes for most, if not all sports, a history of winning begets winning. When teams have broken into the playoffs with some consistency, they have typically repeated that. So, you see mainstays in the playoffs like UM, App, GSU, now NDSU, SHSU, etc. EWU is in there, and IMO will continue to be there, barring some major catastrophe like losing our coach or starting QB, or a high level of injuries.

Coaching - based on what I saw with Wulff, yes I think Baldwin will probably take a FBS job within a few more years and he deserves it. He's a great coach and he's a good man and role model.
Completely agree with this. I hate the thought of Baldwin leaving, but he is a dang good coach with a solid track record, and when the right opportunity comes up, he will take the logical step up. I just hope EWU can continue to find solid coaches so we continue to have that problem. Because if we do, it means the team is experiencing success.

 

[EAGinAZ]

Vernon Adams is a Great QB and Played a Great game. Yes he missed that 4th down throw and yes he screwed up at the end of the first half but those two plays didn't cost us the game. The defense has been our weak link since i began following EWU football in 2001. We always seem to have great offenses and very talented players on D but the D always folds with the game on the line with the exception of 2010 season. That year our D made plays to win the game. Every year it frustrates me that we can have so much talent on D and it never dominates like our O. To me thats a coaching problem and it falls on Graham. Lets not forget we got beat by the backup QB who was known as just a running QB. He killed us with his arm on their last two drives. That is unacceptable and that is a more responsible for the loss, then one throw. I will agree that is Vernon hits Cooper we are playing in the NC on Saturday but the O won us 12 games this year the D cost us the San Houston game and almost cost us the PSU and UM games.

IF we are going to win another NC we have to get more out of our D. There is way to much talent on that side of the ball to be as bad as we are on D. I was at the San Houston game and was lucky enough to have a sideline pass. After watching their O for a quarter i could see their presnap keys and was calling their run plays to my friend and was right about 90% of the time. IF i could see if why the hell did Graham not? To his Credit i am pretty sure he heard me complaining about him and still came up to me after the game shook my hand and thanked me for supporting EWU. Hes a class act but I still think we need a new DC.

Blackfalkin- i really want to know who you are because we were at EWU at the same time and i am sure we either know each of have had interaction while we were there. You mentioned on a post you were roommates with Sheldon. What years were you with him? I hung out with many of the guys on the football team and experienced the awesomness of beating Montana in 2002 and the misery of the Sam Houston game in 2004 with many of the players after the game. Those two games are also my best and worst memories at EWU.

 

[BLACKFALKIN1]

]Vernon Adams Yes he missed that 4th down throw but [it] didn't cost us the game.

I disagree.

 

[dudeitsaid]

You can watch the highlights from the game below. That throw was a bit far, but I've seen Kupp haul those in. It wasn't like it was outrageous.

But for those who think that was THE critical play, look at the highlight before that 4th down. When Terrance West scored the prior touchdown, it was on 3rd and goal. He was hit, and should have been stopped for no gain. Two defenders had a chance to take him down. If that happened, I have to think they would have kicked a FG to make it a one score game. Then, their next TD would have created either OT, or they would have gone for two. In any case, the defense wraps up on that tackle, that fourth down may not have been such a game breaker.

Once again, there were other plays and decisions that took place in the game that had a dramatic effect. If any one or two of a number of things go our way, like those two fumbles by Towson early in the game being recovered by us, kicking a FG before the half, etc., the game very well could've had a different outcome despite that throw.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=10179346&ex_cid=espnapi_public" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Once again, I'm thrilled to no end the players that are coming back next year, especially VA!

 

[Dozy]

I still haven't watched the game replay but I just watched the highlitht link provided above. They gave the wrong guy credit for the blocked punt! I checked the stats and they have it wrong, too. That's probably where ESPN got it...

Back to the issue at hand, I get your point and you're right. You can point to almost ANYONE at some point in the game and say they blew a play and had they made the play the game could have been different. That's why there's no way anyone should be putting this on VA. It's a team game for 60 minutes and all 60 minutes count.

 

[clawman1]

Vernon has put on considerable weight this off season. It made him look even better in spring practices and Red- White game. He throws a lot harder than I remember.
As you recall VA had trouble with cramps last year. Will that extra weight help prevent cramping issues?

 

[Rjones61]

Gee, that is an excellent question. I'm no professional, so I could be way off base here. But I would attribute cramping to an endurance issue. Wouldn't having more pounds hinder his endurance? I dunno, all speculation, no facts.

 

[ewusisterfan]

I'm not sure it's his endurance.... more so the sickle cell trait? I'm no doctor though.

 

[Screamin_Eagle174]

I thought it was all about heat and hydration.

Definitely glad he bulked up though, it'll help when he takes hits.

 

[DefendtheRed]

Doubt it has anything to do endurance in VA's case. For some people, maybe, but not an athlete of that caliber whose body is conditioned to heat.

 

[Rontheoldwiseeagle]

VA probably has a very low body fat percentage. Fat helps store water, his body has few places to get water which leads to cramping much sooner than someone who has some fat where the body can get water. So the extra body mass should help with that problem.

 

[Seattle Eagle]

Vernon has put on considerable weight this off season. It made him look even better in spring practices and Red- White game. He throws a lot harder than I remember.
As you recall VA had trouble with cramps last year. Will that extra weight help prevent cramping issues?

How much are we talking? I wouldn't want to see him lose that elusiveness although a good 10 pounds probably wouldn't hurt when he's taking some of those hits.

 

[Dozy]

Vernon has put on considerable weight this off season. It made him look even better in spring practices and Red- White game. He throws a lot harder than I remember.
As you recall VA had trouble with cramps last year. Will that extra weight help prevent cramping issues?

How much are we talking? I wouldn't want to see him lose that elusiveness although a good 10 pounds probably wouldn't hurt when he's taking some of those hits.

Oh, it's more than ten...

 

[clawman1]

Vernon has put on considerable weight this off season. It made him look even better in spring practices and Red- White game. He throws a lot harder than I remember.
As you recall VA had trouble with cramps last year. Will that extra weight help prevent cramping issues?

How much are we talking? I wouldn't want to see him lose that elusiveness although a good 10 pounds probably wouldn't hurt when he's taking some of those hits.

Oh, it's more than ten...

Dozy would know better than I but in spring ball he was carrying it in all the right places. To my novice eye it has made him more balanced.

 

[eaglesfootball]

I've seen a couple recent pictures of va recently and he didn't look much different to me at all.

 

[kalm]

VA probably has a very low body fat percentage. Fat helps store water, his body has few places to get water which leads to cramping much sooner than someone who has some fat where the body can get water. So the extra body mass should help with that problem.

Why do I still cramp??? :mrgreen:

 

[Eagledawg]

Vernon has put on considerable weight this off season. It made him look even better in spring practices and Red- White game. He throws a lot harder than I remember.
As you recall VA had trouble with cramps last year. Will that extra weight help prevent cramping issues?

Put on considerable weight? I hear he has been chowing down at Papa D'z pizza in Pasadena ever since school got out and he has ballooned up to 235 and now looks one of the Pulu brothers! Break out the stretchy pants! Also he got a part in as an extra in a music video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeYKN2TjHjs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[DefendtheRed]

Vernon has put on considerable weight this off season. It made him look even better in spring practices and Red- White game. He throws a lot harder than I remember.
As you recall VA had trouble with cramps last year. Will that extra weight help prevent cramping issues?

Put on considerable weight? I hear he has been chowing down at Papa D'z pizza in Pasadena ever since school got out and he has ballooned up to 235 and now looks one of the Pulu brothers! Break out the stretchy pants! Also he got a part in as an extra in a music video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeYKN2TjHjs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't know about all that. He did, however, just become a father.

 

[Rjones61]

Vernon has put on considerable weight this off season. It made him look even better in spring practices and Red- White game. He throws a lot harder than I remember.
As you recall VA had trouble with cramps last year. Will that extra weight help prevent cramping issues?

Put on considerable weight? I hear he has been chowing down at Papa D'z pizza in Pasadena ever since school got out and he has ballooned up to 235 and now looks one of the Pulu brothers! Break out the stretchy pants! Also he got a part in as an extra in a music video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeYKN2TjHjs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't know about all that. He did, however, just become a father.

Haha, I've been waiting for someone to mention this. Didn't know if it was on the hush hush.

 

[GoldenEagle]

The truth is VA went on my peanut diet (two bags per day). He will be OK as long as he does not follow the diet for too long as Jared Lorenzen did. But if VA is now the size of Jared Lorenzen, that kinda takes his running threat away

http://dailyupperdecker.com/2014/02...ntinental-indoor-football-league-or-some-shit