Dargan and Mariota Share Oregon's Football MVP Honors
University of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota was voted the Ducks’ Most Outstanding Offensive Player (Skeie’s Award) while senior safety Erick Dargan was named the school’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player at its annual football awards reception Sunday in Autzen Stadium’s Club at Autzen.
It addition, Mariota and senior wide receiver Keanon Lowe shared acclaim as the team’s Most Inspirational Player (Wilford Gonyea Award) honors.
Recipients of both awards were determined in a vote by their Oregon teammates.
Lowe also was presented with the Todd Doxey Award, with the honor given to the player who best exemplifies the traits of spirituality, dedication and brotherhood associated with being an outstanding teammate, and qualities possessed by the Ducks’ former defensive back, who drowned prior to the start of the 2008 season.
Mariota becomes the first player in school history to claim shares of the team’s most valuable player honor three years in a row and only the third player to ever claim consecutive “most inspirational” recognition after first being voted the recipient of the award following the 2013 season.
The Honolulu, Hawaii, junior signal-caller has started all 38 games the past three seasons while leading the Ducks to 34 wins. The finalist for the Maxwell Award (presented to the nation’s top collegiate football player) and Davey O’Brien Award (given to the nation’s best college quarterback) has completed 229 of 334 passes for 3,470 yards and 36 touchdowns. Oregon’s second-leading rusher also ran for 636 yards and 11 more scores.
He completed the regular season leading the country in passing efficiency (190.2), quarterback rating (92.9), yards per pass attempt (10.39 avg.), and most points responsible for (288).
Dargan becomes Oregon’s first defensive back in 15 years to earn a share of the program’s most outstanding player honors after leading the Ducks in tackles in six of 12 appearances, with the Pac-12 Conference leader tying for 17th in the country with five interceptions.
The first-year full-time starter paced Oregon in tackles with 81 in addition to recovering one fumble and forcing a second loose ball.
The Pittsburg, Calif., standout was credited with double-digit tackles on four occasions his senior year in addition to serving as a mainstay on each of the team’s four primary special teams units, recording 15 of his tackles while covering kickoffs and punts.
Freshman running back Royce Freeman was honored with the Len Casanova Award, given to the Ducks’ first-year player who best exemplifies the athletic ideals and inspiration of the University’s former head coach and athletics director, Len Casanova.
Additional team honorees included senior running back Kenny Bassett as the winner of the Elmer Sahlstrom Award as the senior maintaining an outstanding academic record who has demonstrated an exemplary attitude and tremendous contributions; junior tight end Pharaoh Brown as the recipient of the Duane J. Cargill Memorial Award as Oregon’s outstanding offensive impact player as determined by the coaching staff; junior linebacker Joe Walker as the recipient of the Dudley Clarke Memorial Award as Oregon’s most improved player; senior linebacker Derrick Malone with the Bob Officer Award, presented to the player who excels in spite of physical adversity; freshman offensive tackle Tyrell Crosby with the Pancake Club Award for knocking down the most opposing defenders; senior center Hroniss Grasu as the recipient of the Ed Moshofsky Trophy as Oregon’s outstanding offensive lineman; junior DeForest Buckner as the winner of the Joe Schaffeld Trophy as the program’s top defensive lineman; and freshman Charles Nelson, who was presented with the Gordon E. Wilson Award as Oregon’s Outstanding Special Teams Player.
In addition, senior Ayele Forde and sophomore Michael Manns were acknowledged for their contributions as the program’s offensive and defensive Scout Team Players of the Year, respectively, while freshman Tony James was named special teams Scout Team Player of the Year.
Oregon completed its regular season with an 11-1 record following yesterday's 47-19 win at Oregon State, and now prepares for Friday’s Pac-12 Conference Football Championship Game against Arizona.
-- GoDucks.com --