The first Oregon player, the first Polynesian, and the first player from Hawaii to win the Heisman Trophy. December 13, 2014.
53
Total TDs (2014)
38 pass, 14 rush, 1 rec
2
INTs (2014)
38:2 TD to INT ratio
186.3
Passer rating
Led the nation
90.92%
Heisman vote %
2nd highest in history
2014
Marcus Mariota Heisman Trophy Acceptance Speech
The Heisman winner's moment. 90.92% of the vote. The standard.
Via YouTube
2015
Thank You Marcus
The farewell. What Mariota meant to Oregon cannot be measured in stats. This is the tribute.
Via YouTube
2012-2014
Marcus Mariota Oregon Career Highlights
The standard. 131 career touchdowns. Heisman Trophy. The greatest Duck ever.
Via YouTube
2014-2015
2014-2015 Oregon Football Hype
The Heisman. The CFP run. The most electric season in Oregon history.
Via YouTube
His parents sold their home overlooking Diamond Head in part to finance football camps that would gain him exposure. He was offered just two FBS scholarships. He chose Oregon over Memphis. He and Johnny Manziel were both briefly committed to Oregon before Manziel chose Texas A&M.
2014 Heisman season
Passing: 254-of-372, 3,783 yards, 38 TDs, 2 INTs. Rushing: 669 yards, 14 TDs. Completion rate: 68.3%. Led the nation in TDs, passing efficiency, and total offense (4,452 yards).
Awards: Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year.
Vote: 2,534 points. 90.92% of possible points (second highest in Heisman history). 788 of 891 first-place votes.
Heisman Finalists
PlacePlayerPoints
1Marcus Mariota (Oregon)2,534 pts
2Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin)1,250 pts
3Amari Cooper (Alabama)880 pts
Mariota's acceptance speech was famously humble. He held back tears and said: 'I am humbled to be standing here today. To Hawaii nei, thank you for teaching me humility and respect. Two aspects of my life that I will never change.' Then he turned to the Polynesian community: 'I hope and pray that this is only the beginning. Young Poly athletes everywhere, you should take this as motivation, and dream big and strive for greatness.' He was the first Oregon player and the first player born in Hawaii to win the Heisman. He gave the speech draped in leis. Reporters who covered him said he was 'next to unquotable after games' because he always redirected praise to teammates. The quiet ones always hit different.
131 career touchdowns (101 passing, 28 rushing, 2 receiving). Just 23 (12 INTs, 11 fumbles lost). TD-to-INT ratio: 8.4:1 (best in career history at the time).
Only player in FBS history to throw 30+ TD passes as a freshman, sophomore, and junior.
Key Games
2014
Oregon 59, Florida State 20
CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl. Mariota was 26-of-36 for 338 yards and 2 passing TDs, plus 62 rushing yards and a 23-yard clinching TD run. Dismantled the defending national champions. FSU turned the ball over 4 times in the third quarter and Oregon converted each into a touchdown.
2014
Ohio State 42, Oregon 20
CFP National Championship. Mariota was 24-of-37 for 333 yards and 2 TDs, but Ezekiel Elliott ran for 246 yards and 4 TDs. Ohio State had 9 future NFL draft picks on the field.
2012
Oregon 35, Kansas State 17
Fiesta Bowl. Mariota's first bowl game as a true freshman. Oregon crushed an 11-2 Kansas State team.
2014
Oregon 51, Arizona 13
Pac-12 Championship. Mariota threw for 313 yards and 3 TDs. Oregon advanced to the first-ever College Football Playoff.
Career Highlights
Record
90.92% Heisman Vote Share
Second highest in Heisman history at the time of the vote. 788 of 891 first-place votes. Only Troy Smith's 2006 vote was closer to unanimous.
Record
Only QB with 30+ TD Passes in 3 Straight Seasons
Mariota threw 32, 31, and 38 touchdown passes in his three seasons. The only player in FBS history to accomplish this as a freshman, sophomore, and junior.
Fact
Two Scholarship Offers
Mariota received only two FBS scholarship offers out of high school in Honolulu: Oregon and Memphis. His family sold their home overlooking Diamond Head to finance camps and combine events to increase his exposure.
Fact
First Polynesian Heisman Winner
Mariota was the first player of Polynesian descent and the first from Hawaii to win the Heisman Trophy. His speech, delivered in tears, thanking his parents and Hawaii, remains one of the most genuine in Heisman history.
NFL
Perfect NFL Debut
First NFL start: 4 TDs, 158.3 passer rating vs Tampa Bay. First QB in NFL history to throw 4 touchdowns with a perfect passer rating in his debut.
Fact
The Manziel Connection
In June 2010, Oregon had two future Heisman winners at the same camp. Johnny Manziel committed to the Ducks shortly after. Mariota committed two days later. Manziel decommitted three months later when Texas A&M offered. His reason: Oregon and Chip Kelly 'didn't roll out the red carpet.' Had Manziel stayed, Mariota may never have started.
Stat
8.4:1 Career TD-to-INT Ratio
131 career touchdowns against just 12 interceptions. At the time of his departure, this was the best TD-to-INT ratio in FBS history for a player with 100+ TDs.
NFL
#2 overall pick, 2015 NFL Draft, Tennessee Titans. First Oregon player taken in the top 2 picks. First start: 4 TDs, perfect 158.3 passer rating vs Tampa Bay (first QB in NFL history to do that in a debut).
Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy in 2014, Oregon's only Heisman winner. He received 90.92% of the vote, the second-highest percentage in Heisman history at the time. That season he had 53 total touchdowns and just 2 interceptions.
Mariota received 90.92% of first-place votes in the 2014 Heisman balloting. He won by one of the largest margins in history, receiving 2,534 total points. The margin was so dominant it was effectively unanimous.
Mariota had 131 career touchdowns at Oregon (101 passing, 28 rushing, 2 receiving). His 2014 season alone produced 53 total touchdowns with just 2 interceptions. His TD-to-INT ratio of 8.4:1 (best in career history at the time) remains among the best in college football history.
The Tennessee Titans selected Mariota with the #2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He was the highest-drafted Oregon player since Norm Van Brocklin in 1949. In his first NFL start, he threw 4 TDs with a perfect 158.3 passer rating against Tampa Bay.
