University of Oregon Ducks football star Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy in a landslide Saturday, completing a story college football pundits began writing before the 2014 season began. Mariota was named on 95.15% of all Heisman ballots, a record for the annual award. It was something to watch Marcus Mariota Heisman Trophy acceptance speech, as his emotional speech said as much about Mariota the person as it did Mariota the star quarterback.
Mariota’s Heisman presentation was impressive to watch live. In some respects it echoed Kevin Durant’s NBA MVP acceptance speech, though it was far shorter and didn’t call-out specific players by name. Fortunately ESPN has made the quarterback’s emotional speech available to watch over and over again — or for the first time if you haven’t done so already. You can watch Marcus Mariota Heisman Trophy acceptance speech online below.
Mariota, the biggest University of Oregon Ducks football star for the past two seasons, entered his junior as one of college football’s front-runners for the Heisman Trophy presentation. In spite of a few miscues this season, Mariota ended his Heisman campaign last weekend with 313 yards and two passing TDs along with 33 yards on the ground as the Ducks beat Arizona in the Pac-12 title game.
For the season, Mariota proved his value as college football’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterback. His stats also showed why he could be the top pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Mariota had a 68.3% completion percentage, 3,783 passing yards, 38 passing TDs (with just 2 interceptions) and 669 rushing yards with four rushing touchdowns.
And he’s not done yet. Mariota and the Ducks football team have at least one more game to play. On January 1, the University of Oregon Ducks face the Florida State Seminoles in the first college football playoff game. The winner of that game will go on to face the winner of the Alabama / Ohio State game for the national championship.
As you watch Marcus Mariota Heisman Trophy acceptance speech, keep in mind that his margin of victory was the second-highest of all time, and it came against some serious competition.
Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper, one of the other two Heisman finalists, had an incredible season for Bama football this year. Cooper was one of the SEC’s most dangerous receivers, amassing 1,656 yards and 14 touchdowns. His 115 receptions for Bama football this year were a single-season record for the SEC.
The other Heisman finalist, Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon, also had a record-setting year. Although Gordon didn’t play well against Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game, he had 309 rushing attempts for the year and racked-up 2,336 total yards and 26 TDs. In fact, Gordon had fewer than 120 rushing yards only twice all year. On Nov. 15 against Nebraska, Gordon rushed for 408 yards, an NCAA football record.
But again, watching Marcus Mariota’s Heisman acceptance speech online shows why this columnist at The Oregonian was so effusive in his praise of Mariota the human being, not just the player. Mariota has rightfully filled the University of Ducks football program with pride. And with it, much of the state of Oregon as well.
