Latest news with #OregonAthletics
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Quarterback Marcus Mariota headlines an impressive Oregon Ducks Hall of Fame class
This was the no-brainer of all no-brainers. As soon as he was eligible, the University of Oregon inducted quarterback Marcus Mariota into the Athletics Hall of Fame. The former signal caller headlines an impressive class that includes a Bowerman Award winner, an Olympic medalist, a Rimington Trophy finalist and nine NCAA championships. Along Mariota will be javelin thrower Sam Crouser, lineman Hroniss Grasu, track star Jenna Prandini, softball player Janie (Takeda) Reed and the 2011-14 women's indoor track and field teams. "The 2025 Hall of Fame Class for Oregon Athletics is truly exceptional, including a Heisman Trophy winner, a Bowerman Award recipient, an Olympic medalist, and multiple NCAA team and individual national champions," said Ducks Athletic Director Rob Mullens. "The excellence achieved by all inductees places them among the very elite in the storied history of Oregon Athletics, and we look forward to honoring them and their remarkable achievements this fall as they take their well-deserved place in the Hall of Fame." One might think these inductees should already be in the Oregon Hall of Fame, given their accolades, and each has a strong case to be in the HOF as soon as they left Oregon, especially Mariota. However, there is a minimum 10-year rule that must be met once they leave Oregon to be eligible. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle While the others are great Ducks and each deserves a Hall of Fame nod, make no mistake about it, Mariota is the star attraction here. He won the first and so far only Heisman Trophy for Oregon football. He's the most decorated football player in school history with 36 wins, more than any of his contemporaries in three seasons, while breaking numerous school and conference records. Not only did Mariota capture the Heisman, he was also the Player of the Year by the Associated Press, the winner of the Walter Camp Football Foundation, and the Maxwell Award. Mariota was the Pac-12's first three-time all-conference first-team quarterback and finished his career with the school and league record for total offense (13,033), as well as the University's all-time standards for passing yards (10,796), passing touchdowns (105), 300-yard passing games (17), completions (779), attempts (1,167), completion percentage (.668), and starts (41). It's only fitting that the guy who snapped the ball to Mariota for a lot of those games should also be in the Oregon Hall of Fame himself. But Grasu was much more than Mariota's center. He was a four-year starter on teams that won the Rose Bowl twice and the Fiesta Bowl once, and played for the CFP National Championship. Grasu earned first-team All-America honors as both a junior and a senior when he was also a two-time finalist for the Rimington Trophy given to the nation's top center. Grasu received First Team All-America honors from and SB Nation in 2013 on a team that defeated Texas, 30-7, in the Alamo Bowl and ranked second nationally in total offense (565.0 ypg) and fourth in scoring (45.5 ppg). Grasu's senior season was one of the best in program history. The Ducks won the Pac-12 title by defeating Arizona, 51-13, in the league championship game and routed Florida State, 59-20, in the CFP National Semifinal at the Rose Bowl before falling to Ohio State in the championship game. Named First Team All-America by The Sporting News and and Second Team by the Associated Press. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Steelers Land Massive DT in Latest Mock Draft
Derrick Harmon, Oregon Athletics draft analyst Lance Zierlein has the Pittsburgh Steelers landing Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon at 26th overall in his latest mock draft. Zierlein had a scenario where the Steelers traded back with the Los Angeles Rams. Advertisement On Monday, general manager Omar Khan hinted the Steelers are interested in making a trade to get themselves back into the second round. The Steelers would also fill a major need by landing the massive DT out of Oregon. 'Earlier in the pre-draft process, an NFC executive told me that Harmon 'plays like a Raven or a Steeler.' Well here we are, and the Steelers still need defensive line help after moving back in this mock,' Zierlein wrote. Derrick Harmon, Oregon Athletics Harmon, 21, likely solidified himself as a first-round pick at the NFL Scouting Combine. The 6-foot-4 1/2, 313-pound defensive tackle ran an impressive 4.95-second 40-yard dash and 1.74-second 10-yard split. Advertisement However, Harmon's 2024 campaign made a strong argument that should be the case, too. Last season, he had a career-high 45 tackles (27 solo), five sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed. Before transferring to Oregon in 2024, Harmon spent three years at Michigan State, where he recorded 69 tackles (24 solo), 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two passes defended. Harmon may not only be Heyward's future replacement, but also Heyward 2.0. The Oregon product has already received several comparisons to Heyward throughout the pre-draft process. n fact, Harmon himself revealed he's watched Heyward for inspiration at the NFL level. Advertisement 'Definitely Cam,' Harmon said. 'The run, how he plays that run. If I want to watch some run tape, I'm turning on Cam Heyward.' Depending on how the draft falls, he might just get the chance to learn from Heyward up close before eventually taking his place. Alan Saunders and Aaron Becker contributed reporting for this story.
