Marcus Mariota is only 2015 first-round draft pick who has not signed with his NFL team. The Tennessee Titans reportedly refuse to exclude offset language in Mariota’s proposed contract, which would save the team money if it chooses to release the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback. Allegedly the language had a clause preventing Mariota from surfing due to risk of catastrophic injury, but those reports have been discredited.
Mariota is nominated for the Best Male College Athlete ESPY Award, along with Boston University hockey player Jack Eichel, Wisconsin basketball player Frank Kaminsky, Ohio State wrestler Logan Stieber and Vanderbilt baseball player Dansby Swanson. Online fan voting determines “most” of the award winners, who will be revealed tonight on ESPN.
Mark Helfrich was named to the 2015 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year watch list Tuesday. Helfrich, who is 24-4 in two seasons with Oregon, joins 22 other coaches on the list, including Pac-12 head coaches Jim Mora of UCLA, Rich Rodriguez of Arizona and Kyle Whittingham
Senior defensive end DeForest Buckner joined fifth-year offensive tackle Tyler Johnstone on the watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award, reserved for the best college football lineman or linebacker. Bucker was named to the watch lists for two national defensive player of the year honors last week, the Bednarik Award and Nagurski Trophy.
Joseph Young signed a long-term rookie deal with the Indiana Pacers, who selected him in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft, Monday. Young is averaging more than 20 points per game in Summer League, and will receive upwards of $4 million over four seasons, the first two guaranteed.
Caroline Inglis won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifier Tuesday and earned a spot in the world’s premier tournament held at Portland Golf Club August 10. Inglis, who became the first Oregon Ducks golfer to win a Pac-12 championship in April, shot the only under-par score of the day.
TrackTown USA president Vin Lananna was officially announced as head coach of the U.S. men’s and women’s track and field teams competing at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday. He was an assistant coach for the U.S. in 2004, the same year he began his eight-year tenure as head coach of the Ducks. Leanne joins Bill Bowerman as the only former Oregon coach to earn an Olympic head coaching role.
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