Mariota Joins LaMichael James As Unanimous All-Americans From Oregon

by Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com

EUGENE — Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota was named to three all-America teams Wednesday, making the junior Heisman Trophy winner the second unanimous all-American in UO history.

Mariota was honored Wednesday by the American Football Coaches Association, The Sporting News and the Football Writers Association of America. He'd previously been named to the first team by the other two of the five most prestigious all-America teams as identified by the NCAA, those of the Walter Camp Football Foundation and The Associated Press.

LaMichael James had previously been the only unanimous all-American in Oregon history, for his sophomore season in 2010.

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu joined Mariota on the AFCA team Wednesday. The UO senior cornerback thus became the eighth consensus all-American in school history; he missed unanimous status when The Sporting News placed him on its second team and FWAA omitted him from either of its two teams.

Ekpre-Olomu and Mariota are the second set of Oregon teammates to be named to a majority of the five major all-America teams in the same season, joining James and returner Cliff Harris in 2010. The other four consensus all-Americans in UO history were halfback Mel Renfro in 1962, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata in 2005, James again in 2011 and running back Kenjon Barner in 2012.

Also Wednesday, center Hroniss Grasu was named a first-team all-American by The Sporting News, and Jake Fisher was named first-team by the FWAA. Grasu previously earned second-team status from the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the Associated Press; Fisher was a third-team choice by the AP.