Mariota Takes Home Heisman

Marcus Mariota of the University of Oregon was selected as the 80th winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy as the Outstanding College Football Player in the United States for 2014.  

William Dockery, President of the Heisman Trophy Trust, which annually presents the Heisman Memorial Trophy Award, announced the selection of Mariota on Saturday evening, December 13, 2014, on a nationally televised ESPN sports special live from the Best Buy Theater in Times Square.

The victory for the 6'4", 219-pound Mariota represents the first winner from the University of Oregon and the first player born in Hawaii.  Mariota is the 35th quarterback and the 17th Junior to receive the award.

Mariota, of Honolulu, HI, led the nation in passing efficiency with a mark of 186.3 by completing 254 of his 372 passes for 3,783 yards and 38 touchdowns while just throwing 2 interceptions.  He has also rushed for 669 yards and 14 scores, and recorded one touchdown reception. Mariota's total of 53 touchdowns ties the Heisman record for most touchdowns by a winner with Sam Bradford in 2008.  While leading the Ducks to the PAC-12 Championship and an appearance in the Rose Bowl Game in the first ever College Football Playoff semifinals against Florida State and last year's Heisman winner, Jameis Winston, Mariota earned the PAC-12 Offensive Player of the Year award.  Mariota was also awarded the 2014 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, which is given to the nation's top quarterback, as well as the Maxwell Award as the nation's most outstanding player.   

Ballots were emailed to 870 media personnel across the nation plus 58 Heisman winners and one fan ballot, for a total of 929 electors.  The ballots were received and tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP.  Mariota polled 2,534 points to capture the award over Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin (1,250 points), and Amari Cooper of Alabama (1,023 points).  The point total is reached by a system of three points for a first place vote, two for a second and one for a third.  

Marcus Mariota will be officially honored at the 80th annual Heisman Memorial Trophy Dinner Gala on Monday evening, December 15, 2014, at the Marriott Marquis in New York.

source Heisman.com

---

More WBOB Sports

• Sox Add Porcello & Miley, Say Goodbye to Cespedes
  Dodgers Stealing the Show: Add Kendrick, McCarthy; Lose Kemp, Gordon, and Haren
  
• PC Wins Big Behind Freshman's Double-Double
  Playoff Seeds, What Do They Matter?