Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota speaks to the media after winning the 2014 Heisman Trophy Award at the Marriott Marquis in New York City on December 13, 2014. UPI/Rich Kane |
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NEW YORK, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Amid an outpouring of support from past award winners and professional athletes, 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota caught praise from an unlikely source, rival Oregon State University.
A night after receiving the trophy, the University of Oregon Ducks quarterback woke up Sunday to a full-page ad in the Oregonian headlined: "Congratulations Marcus." The 106-word statement referenced Oregon State's own Terry Baker, who quarterbacked the Beavers and won the 1962 Heisman trophy. The spread featured Mariota in his white away jersey, scanning through his progressions with his eyes downfield.
Mariota won 90.9 percent of possible points in the Heisman vote out of 929 ballots cast, winning by the second-largest margin in the history of the award. Alabama's Amari Cooper received the second most votes with 256. Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon finished with the most second-place votes.
The University of Oregon also released a four-minute video, profiling Mariota's entire football career and offering congratulations.
"Honestly, I'm looking forward to it," Mariota told reporters Saturday in a press conference. "These last couple days have been hectic but it's been so much fun and been a great experience, but I'm just looking back to getting on the field and playing and go back to my teammates and going back to work. We do have a team goal."
Mariota has a 3-0 career record against the Beavers. On Nov. 29, the best player in college football was 19-of-25, completing 76 percent of his passes for 367 yards and scoring six total touchdowns in a 47-19 victory.
The No. 3 Ducks (12-1) face No. 2 Florida State University (13-0) at 5 p.m. Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl as part of the first College Football Playoff.
