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Cedar City • When second-ranked Eastern Washington visits Southern Utah on Saturday, the Eagles will be without one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

Vernon Adams suffered a broken foot in the first half of Eastern Washington's 56-53 victory over Idaho State last week.

Almost unbelievably, Adams continued to play and finished with 433 yards of total offense — 354 passing and 79 rushing. He threw four touchdown passes and ran for two more scores.

Adams will be sidelined 3-6 weeks.

"You feel for Vernon because of all the hard work he puts in," said Eastern Washington coach Beau Baldwin. "... But it's part of the game. We understand that."

During Adams' absence, Eastern Washington will turn to redshirt sophomore Jordan West. He has thrown 11 passes this season and will make his first collegiate start against Southern Utah.

"We anticipate we'll be up against the same high-powered attack as always," Thunderbird coach Ed Lamb said.

Eastern Washington is 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big Sky Conference. The Eagles' only loss was a 59-52 shootout at Washington on Sept. 6.

Southern Utah is 1-5 overall and 1-1 in the league after last week's 42-39 loss at Cal Poly.

The Thunderbirds struggled on defense, where Lamb has been forced to shuffle the two-deep because of injuries.

"We're playing a lot of young guys," he said. "They are talented, but we've really had to speed up the process with some of them."

Offensively, quarterback Ammon Olsen made his second start of the season. He completed 29 of 43 passes for 402 yard and three touchdowns.

Lamb called it "a breakthrough" for the BYU transfer, who also ran for 47 yards and led the Thunderbirds to their highest point-total of the season.

—-

Eastern Washington at Southern Utah

At Eccles Coliseum

Kickoff: 1:05 p.m.

TV: none

Radio: 590-AM

Records: Eastern Washington 5-1, 2-0; Southern Utah 1-5; 1-1

Series: Eastern Washington, 5-2

Last meeting: Eastern Washington, 34-10 (2013) —

Eastern Wash.at Southern Utah

O At Eccles Coliseum

Kickoff • Saturday, 1:05 p.m.

TV • None

Radio • 590 AM

Records • Eastern Washington 5-1, 2-0; Southern Utah 1-5; 1-1

Series • Eastern Washington, 5-2

Last meeting • Eastern Washington, 34-10 (2013)