Eastern Washington University quarterback Vernon Adams was runner-up for the Walter Payton Award for a second year, but will get another chance in 2015.
Despite missing a significant percent of his season due to injury, Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams still impressed Walter Payton Award voters.
Just not quite enough, however, as for the second consecutive year Adams wound up as the runner-up for the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision's top offensive player, this time to Villanova's John Robertson in a ceremony Dec. 15 in Philadelphia.
"I wasn't surprised because I missed those four games, but it is just an honor being here," Adams said. Voting was conducted the week of Nov. 24 at the conclusion of the regular season - at the time, Adams had played only eight games.
Adams, a junior, led EWU to eight victories in the 10 games he played this season, improving his record as a starter to 28-6. The Eagles finished the 2014 season with an 11-3 record, and were the Big Sky Conference champions for the third straight year.
Robertson finished with 467 votes, followed by Adams with 383 and Idaho State's Justin Arias with 220. Robertson was the FCS leader in passing efficiency with a 181.3 rating but did not play in his team's 34-31 quarterfinal round loss to Sam Houston State University last Saturday due to a concussion.
Adams, too, saw his season end in a 59-46 loss to Illinois State. Arias led the FCS with 38 touchdown passes.
"It was an awesome experience," Adams added. "Next year I hope to win it, but I hope not to be here because we'll be preparing for a playoff game. That's the plan."
North Dakota State's Kyle Emanuel was named the Buck Buchanan Award winner while Chase Edmonds from Fordham University earned the Jerry Rice Award as the top rookie in the FCS. Eastern's Cooper Kupp won that award in 2013.
New Hampshire head coach Sean McDonnell won the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS's top coach where his Wildcats are 2014 semifinalists and have qualified for the playoffs for 11 straight years.
Previously, Eastern's Bo Levi Mitchell (2011) and Erik Meyer (2005) have won the Payton Award, and J.C. Sherritt (2010) and Greg Peach (2008) have won the Buchanan Award.
Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].
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