Beau Baldwin’s comments made a move to bar Vernon Adams from EWU facilities after Adams announced his transfer to Oregon look vindictive. Even though this move makes all the sense in the world, and anyone who doesn’t see that understands nothing about football or team sports. While the outside world may not give EWU much of a shot when they roll into Autzen for the first game of the season, but you have to believe Baldwin believes there’s a way to win, and he has to to be able to convince his kids of that. That being said it makes no sense to follow that up by taking shots at both the University of Oregon and the NCAA.
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Of course Baldwin believes his team can give Oregon a run for their money. Oregon will have new starters all over the field. Offensive line, defensive line, cornerbacks, safety and oh yeah quarterback. That doesn’t mean they’re down in any of those positions, but legitimately there could be some cohesiveness issues. Baldwin has turned EWU into a very good football program. A program that went 1-1 against the Pac 12 over the last two years. So why would you want Oregon’s QB hanging out with your team, working out around your players and in your facilities. Might seem petty but it makes sense.
Beau Baldwin’s Comments Seem Less Than Supportive
Sep 6, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Eastern Washington Eagles quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. (3) after the game against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium. Washington defeated Eastern Washington 59-52. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Baldwin punctuated that by going on 700 ESPN in Spokane Washington and saying Baldwin said. “When you’re Oregon and over the last three or four years you’re not recruiting a number of guys that can fill in when Marcus leaves, I’m kind of asking the question — I’m flattered, I guess — but what are we doing over there? “I don’t see Urban Meyer going to Northern Iowa for his next guy.”
Well let’s start by saying, if Urban Meyer needed to go to Northern Iowa to increase competition in his QB’s to the level he wanted, Urban Meyer would do that. And with regards to how well Oregon has or has not recruited to fill Mariota’s shoes, it simply seems Baldwin is the pot calling the kettle black. If EWU had done a better job recruiting and developing he wouldn’t feel the void he’s going to when Adams departs.
To go on and say that “It’s not what the rule is intended for, and when you’re Oregon and we’ve gotten a guy that we recruited when no one else was … ultimately we feel like, you know what, we were also the ones who developed him from a level where obviously out of high school he wasn’t at that level,” it suggests that the coaches did more for Adams than Adams did for himself. Saying it’s only because he and his coaches he’s reached a level that an Oregon would look at Adams, that’s egotistical at best. At worst it’s taking a shot at a coaching staff in Eugene that has coached up a two star in Mariota to win the Heisman. Humorously Helfrich and Frost take virtually no credit for that, and instead throw al of the praise to Marcus Mariota. Vernon Adams earned an opportunity to play for a team that is going to give him more weapons and talent around him as well as brighter lights and a much bigger stage. The exact same reason you take games against higher level. Exposure with recruits, expanding your brand and making you more money. It’s ok for EWU to use Oregon for those things, but absolutely wrong for them to offer Vernon Adams the same?
I understand being upset, but as a head coach your words set the tone for your entire program. The tone he’s set is panic. And he’s provided plenty of bulletin board material for Oregon (not that we’ll ever hear that). Adams’ said that Baldwin has been supportive and wanted Vernon to do what makes sense for him, doesn’t this make all of that ring hollow. I expect Adams, if he wins the job, to be extremely motivated looking forward to the match-up with his now, clearly, former team.