Oregon QB Adams out, Lockie gets 1st start for No. 12 Ducks

Junior quarterback Jeff Lockie will make his first career start for No. 12 Oregon on Saturday against Georgia State.

Lockie takes over for Vernon Adams, who didn’t start because of a broken index finger on his throwing hand. Adams said the finger bothered him last weekend late in the Ducks’ 31-28 loss to No. 4 Michigan State.

The crowd at Autzen Stadium responded with hearty applause when Lockie was announced as the starter during pregame warmups. Adams, who was in uniform and participated in warmups, was expected to be available.

Lockie was Marcus Mariota’s backup last season, completing 21 of 28 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. He performed well in the spring game this year, throwing for 223 yards and three touchdowns.

Lockie competed for the starter’s job in with Adams, a senior transfer who arrived late because of a class he needed to complete his degree at Eastern Washington.

Although Adams insisted earlier this week that he could play, the decision to sit him gives him a chance to heal before next week’s conference opener against No. 21 Utah.

“I can definitely play with it throughout the season. I played with it this past game, you know,” Adams said. “I just gotta keep rehabbing it, keep icing it, make sure the swelling’s going down and hopefully it gets to 100 percent as soon as possible.”

He shared reps with Lockie this week in practice.

Adams finished with 309 yards passing and a touchdown in the loss to Michigan State, but wore gloves and was seen examining the finger on the sideline during the game. Afterward, the finger was wrapped in a splint.

Adams said he injured the finger in Oregon’s opener, a 61-42 victory over his former school, Eastern Washington. He threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns before he left the game in the fourth quarter after a scary late hit that left him wobbly. He briefly went to the locker room, but later returned to watch the end of the game from the sideline.

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