At Oregon, we have grown accustomed to outsiders disrespecting our players by calling them “soft.” Even Marcus Mariota was not safe from such descriptions, as critics in the national media called him a mere by-product of a successful system. Many Duck fans believe the labels of “soft” and “by-product” of the system started with Dennis Dixon and when the spread …
The oak tree has long been a symbol of strength, endurance, valor and accomplishment. These distinguished attributes signify the separation of the ordinary from the exceptional. A century of Oregon football has produced a grove of tall firs and mighty oaks, individuals whose roots vibrantly pulse beneath a lavish wildwood of virtue. The 2014 Oregon football team was just the latest embodiment of the fortitude of the oak, led by Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and surrounded by men of robust …
Marcus Mariota will participate in the 2015 NFL scouting combine as the most decorated football player in Oregon history. Thus begins the native Hawaiian’s arduous journey to the NFL. For three years, Mariota thrived in the no huddle, up-tempo Oregon offense, rolling out and extending plays, often racing past flat footed linebackers. But most NFL teams want pocket passers, quarterbacks comfortable making reads and capable of standing firm amidst …
551 yards, that’s the NFL passing record for a single game. Every year, the league evolves to incorporate more passing into offenses, yet that mark, set in 1951, has remained untouched for over six decades. It was a record set by Norm Van Brocklin, one of six Ducks in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the star of the …