Roundup: Mariota is Polynesian College Football Player of the Year
In advance of the Heisman Trophy announcement coming Saturday, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota won the first-ever Polynesian College Football Player of the Year award. And LOL at this next video – a class of fifth-graders campaigning for Mariota to win the Heisman all the way from Oxford Preparatory Academy in Chino Valley, California (OPA Ducks all the way). And one more link – Czech out the Nike uniforms for the College Football Playoff. Oregon’s are pretty sweet.
Here’s a preview of the BYU-Utah men’s basketball game courtesy of the Deseret News. Tip is at 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT on ESPNU.
Andrew Murawa of Rush The Court discusses what is ailing Colorado basketball in the early part of the season. Huge game against Colorado State Wednesday night, which you can watch on the Pac-12 Networks at 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT.
Speaking of Networks programming… you should definitely stick around for Cal men’s basketball against Wyoming at 8 p.m. PT. The Cowboys have already beaten the Buffs this season.
John Canzano, columnist for The Oregonian, calls for Oregon State to hire a “tough guy” for a football coach instead of a “nice guy” and campaigns for former Fresno State head man Pat Hill. There’s also going to be an Oregon State press conference at 1:30 p.m. PT to discuss upgrades to the football facilities (you can watch it by clicking on the preceding link).
Sam Cooper of Yahoo! Sports is one among many reporting that Washington State linebacker Darryl Monroe is leaving the team. He had 70 tackles this season even though he lost his starting gig during the season.
Christian Caple tells us that Washington men’s basketball big man Robert Upshaw is on pace to break the school record for blocks in a single season. He’s already almost halfway to the record of 67 (he’s got 33) in just seven games.
A finalist for the Broyles Award (nation’s top assistant), former USC head coach Lane Kiffin thanked Nick Saban for taking a chance on him. Kiffin didn’t win the award, but he coordinated an Alabama offense that averaged 37 points and 491 yards per game.
Arizona men’s basketball easily moved to 9-0 with an 87-56 win over Utah Valley, so let’s hear what Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had to say after registering a double-double against the Wolverines (12 points, 10 rebounds).
From the past weekend… Arizona State honored former women’s basketball player Kym Hampton by retiring her No. 32 jersey, and here’s conclusive video evidence of that happening.
Let’s learn about Stanford women’s basketball freshman Brittany McPhee, courtesy of GoStanford.com’s Mark Soltau.
UCLA basketball guard Norman Powell says he will try to eliminate what he calls “stupid fouls,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
Also, let's take some time to wish this blogger a happy 28th birthday (though as Pac-12 Networks social media manager Justin Karp said, he doesn't look a day older than 27 and a half). He accepts cash, checks or money order or gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.