Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, whose bold moves and leadership on the field brought the Ducks to the brink of a national championship before falling short, is leaving Oregon early for the NFL.
Mariota announced his long-awaited decision to forgo his senior season on Oregon’s website. The team said he filed paperwork on Wednesday, a day before the NFL deadline.
“I will miss being with my teammates,” he said in a statement. “Being a part of this team was something special that I will always treasure.”
Mariota has been the humble leader of Oregon’s high-flying offense for three seasons. This season, the Ducks (13-2) defeated Florida State at the Rose Bowl in college football’s first playoffs, but fell 42-20 to Ohio State in Monday night’s national championship game.
The 6-foot-4 dual threat from Hawaii won every major award he qualified for, starting with the Heisman, as well as AP Player of the Year, the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards and Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year. He set a conference record for most touchdowns in a single season with 58; 42 via pass, 15 on the run and a touchdown catch.
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