Adams repeats as Big Sky Conference's top offensive player

Not much can keep Vernon Adams out of the minds of the Big Sky Conference’s head football coaches.

Even a broken foot that sidelined him for four games did not dissuade voters from naming the Eagles’ junior quarterback as the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year, announced Nov. 25.

Adams, who earned the honor for a second-straight season, joins Erik Meyer (2004 and 2005) and Matt Nichols (2007 and 2009) as EWU’s repeat recipients. His honor marks the 11th time in school history an Eagle has won that honor, including eight of the last 11 seasons since 2004.

The announcement came along with the naming of the 2014 All-Big Sky teams which had their share of Eastern players, too.

Along with Adams, who also earned the first-team nod at quarterback, other Eagles on that team included sophomore wide receiver Cooper Kupp, senior tackle Jake Rodgers, junior guard Aaron Neary, senior linebacker Ronnie Hamlin and senior safety Tevin McDonald.

Adams and Kupp repeated on the All-Big Sky first team, and Hamlin won his second first team accolade after winning second team honors last year and first team in 2012.

Three Eagles were selected to the second team. They included senior running back Quincy Forte, who played in only three league games, sophomore defensive end Samson Ebukam and senior punter Jake Miller.

Selected to the third team were junior wide receiver Shaq Hill, senior defensive tackle Dylan Zylstra and Kupp as a return specialist.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].