Oregon's Mariota Wins Heisman

Junior QB Marcus Mariota was pretty much a foregone conclusion
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 14, 2014 6:01 AM CST
Oregon's Mariota Wins Heisman
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota speaks during a news conference after being awarded the Heisman Trophy, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014, in New York.   (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Oregon State quarterback Marcus Mariota collected the Heisman Trophy last night in something of both a landslide and a foregone conclusion: The junior, who ESPN describes as "a pinpoint passer with wide receiver speed," racked up the second-highest percentage of votes ever with nearly 91%—obliterating runner-up Melvin Gordon's 1,250 votes with his 2,534, and leaving last year's winner, Jameis Winston, languishing in sixth place with a meager 51 votes. In comparison to scandal-plagued Winston, ESPN notes, Mariota is a "quiet leader with a nice-guy reputation;" he's the first native Hawaiian to collect the Heisman and only the Ducks' third finalist in school history. Mariota has another year of eligibility, but is on track to graduate soon and will likely enter the NFL draft. (More Heisman Trophy stories.)

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