Notes: Mariota Takes Flight To Help Ducks Beat Wyoming
By Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com
Marcus Mariota had another Heisman moment Saturday in No. 2 Oregon’s 48-14 victory over Wyoming.
In the second quarter, with the Ducks still looking to establish their momentum following a shaky start, Mariota scored on a leaping, somersaulting touchdown run sure to make the highlight shows. It was his second rushing touchdown of the day, and one of four touchdowns he accounted for through the air or on the ground.
Mariota finished the game a coolly efficient 19-of-23 for 221 yards, with five rushes for 71 yards. But just like a week earlier against Michigan State, on Mariota’s improvised flip to Royce Freeman for a third-down conversion, one play from the win over Wyoming figures to stick in the collective memory.
It came with Oregon holding a 13-7 lead, possessing the ball at the 19-yard line midway through the second quarter. The Ducks called a pass play, but confusion among receivers led Mariota to roll out of the pocket to his right, where he was greeted with open field and receiver Keanon Lowe engaged with a defender near the goal line.
Mariota kept rolling out, thinking Lowe would get free to receive a pass. Lowe, an equally selfless player, instead transitioned to blocking mode, so Mariota tucked it and ran. “I tried to hold the block as long as I could,” Lowe said. “There wasn’t that much room on the sideline, so I was expecting Marcus to either run me over along with the (defender), or step out of bounds. I hear the crowd go crazy, I looked up and he’s doing a flip through the end zone. In my head I was like, ‘Did he just jump over me?!?!’”
Indeed, Mariota catapulted himself from just outside the 3-yard line over the front corner of the end zone, doing a somersault and landing near tight end Pharaoh Brown. It was a scary play to watch, until Mariota got to his feet and was fine – and a video review proved he had scored. “The first thing coach Helfrich said to me," Mariota recalled later with a laugh, "was, ‘Don’t ever do that again.’”
Mariota’s final touch Saturday resulted in his second touchdown pass, but on that play the more notable participant was the receiver.
Senior slot receiver Johnathan Loyd, who participated in more UO men’s basketball victories than any other player in that program’s history, caught a five-yard scoring pass from Mariota midway through the third quarter against Wyoming.
Loyd, a point guard on the hardwood, came out for football in the spring after completing his basketball eligibility. He fielded a punt in Oregon’s opener this season, also catching one pass against South Dakota.
On Saturday, Loyd ran a little out route off the line of scrimmage, and found himself wide open for the scoring pass from Mariota. “When I caught it I had to look and see where I was,” Loyd said. “When I realized it was a touchdown, I just kind of lost it. Emotions took over.”
Wide receiver Charles Nelson caught two passes against the Cowboys, but for the third week in a row it was his play on special teams that got the most attention.
Nelson, who returned a punt for a touchdown against South Dakota, had two tackles on kickoff coverage for the third straight game. Yet he rarely played in that role in high school.
“Just going down there full speed, trying not to get touched and make a play,” Nelson said. “I just enjoy playing the game and doing whatever it takes to help the team.”
