Hawaiian flyin’: Marcus Mariota zips for yardage against Florida State in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks need him to play a great game against a tenacious, aggressive Ohio State defense (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images).
Marcus Mariota played a good game in the Rose Bowl but it wasn’t his best. He misfired on several passes, notably a easy shot to Dwayne Stanford on 2nd and 5 near the goal line. Stanford was open for a touchdown but Mariota sailed the ball high and out of reach. It’s hard to miss a guy 6-5 that badly.
On the first series the Ducks went three and out when Mariota missed connections with Evan Baylis, who had two steps on the defender. He threw it out in front of the tight end, who appeared to lose the ball looking directly into the bright sun and didn’t adjust to the ball.
Put a shaded face shield on that man the next time the team plays an away game in Southern California. The Rose Bowl has a brutal sun field in an afternoon game. Details like that are important.
Just before half Mariota had Darren Carrington open over the middle, missed him high and wide as Florida State’s Nate Andrews dove in for the interception, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback’s fourth of the year, against 103 touchdown passes.
Altogether in the first two quarters he was 0-4 on passes of more than 15 yards, and that’s the question pro scouts and pundits most bring up about the junior from Hawaii. Can he throw out of the pocket? Can he throw into tight windows against NFL defensive backs who recover more quickly?
Mariota connected on two long touchdown passes to Darren Carrington in the second half, finishing with solid numbers, 26-36 passing for 338 yards. He led five touchdown drives after a rash of Seminole turnovers, directing an efficient offense that moved the ball quickly and buried the defending national champions with tempo.
But he wasn’t his sharpest in that first half. Offensive coordinator Scott Frost mixed up bubble screens and inside runs early to get the offense in rhythm, yet when it came to executing slants, posts and seam routes, Jameis Winston outplayed Mariota in the game. Oh, the Ducks won handily on the scoreboard, 59-20, but Winston showed more as a pro prospect in the Rose Bowl, despite his slipped-on-the-butter-for-the-crab-legs fumble. Winston’s interception was a tipped ball that caromed off the receiver’s chest.
In spite of the early jitters and missed connections, Marcus Mariota is still the most consistent, talented quarterback to come out of college football since Andrew Luck and Aaron Rodgers. He’s the total package: character, appealing personality, intelligence, maturity, work ethic, arm strength and athletic ability. He’s cool under pressure. He’s creative. He’s a student of the game who constantly works to get better. He reads the defense, looks off the safeties, moves well in the pocket, extends plays and makes great decisions. He’s a joy to root for and he’ll be a success as an NFL player and throughout his life.
Win or lose in Arlington, Marcus Mariota is the best player Oregon has ever had, and it’s no accident he’s beloved by Duck fans as a genuine, humble, hard-working superstar who shares credit with his teammates and coaches.
To win the National Championship against Urban Meyer and Ohio State, the Ducks need a great game from Mariota. He needs to lead. He needs to put this team on his back and make big plays. He needs to be sharp and have a great start, play within himself, play loose and confident, in Mark Helfrich’s words, “Tighten things up, not tighten up.”
Ohio State is going to try to pressure him and force some uncharacteristic mistakes. They average 3 sacks a game. He’ll have to make good decisions about keeping the football, throwing it away, and protecting it when he really doesn’t have an escape. The Buckeye secondary has picked off 24 balls this year and they are excellent are baiting the quarterback, laying back to invite a bad decision then breaking on the ball.
For Mariota, this game is an NFL audition with a dozen scouts in the house. Chip Kelly will be in attendance, as will the Jets and Buccaneers. His focus will be completely on this game, but his future, and a hefty signing bonus, are also at stake.
This week ESPN NFL analyst and Elite 11 quarterback guru Trent Dilfer told ESPN Radio Philadelphia, “I personally don’t think Marcus is a pro-ready quarterback. I don’t think he’s a guy that can play right away. I think he’s a guy that has to sit for a year or two, learn an NFL system. I think as this process goes on you’re going to see Marcus Mariota’s stock drop a little bit because he is not pro-ready.”
“He’s a phenomenal talent. He’s a great kid. But he’s not ready to play in a traditional system.”
Between now and the draft, there will be a lot nit-picking about his pro potential. NFL GMs look for a reason not to draft a player. Mariota can preempt a lot of the negatives with a superlative, Vince Young-like performance in the championship.
And he’ll be a much better pro quarterback than Vince Young. He’s a better passer, and he has better priorities and football savvy, much less likely to rely on his legs, far more likely to continue to develop in all areas of his game.
This week, however, he’s not looking beyond Monday. It’s the biggest game in Oregon history. In 2011 the Ducks were happy just to get to Glendale, but this time they have the talent, size and experience to win. They need a great game from their best player to finish the job.