The Oregon Ducks have soared pretty high over the years in college football, particularly since the early 2000s, with 12 AP top-10 finishes and a national championship game appearance in 2014.
The Ducks have also produced individual stars who’ve earned the sport’s most respected award: the Heisman Trophy, which is awarded annually to college football’s best player. Here are the Duck players who managed to win the crown.
Who Are The Oregon Ducks Players Who Managed To Win The Heisman Trophy?
Oregon’s football program has a rich history dating back to 1894. While the Ducks have been in the game for a long time, their Heisman win is relatively very recent. It was a good reflection of the program’s rise under coaches like Mike Bellotti and Chip Kelly.
Marcus Mariota’s 2014 Heisman Season Highlights are truly soothing 🦆
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) May 30, 2024
According to the Oregon Ducks’ official athletics site, the team has had five players named Heisman finalists, with one taking home the trophy.
Marcus Mariota (2014)
Marcus Mariota, a quarterback from Honolulu, became Oregon’s first and only Heisman Trophy winner in 2014. During his redshirt junior season, Mariota led the Ducks to a 13-2 record and a spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
His stats were staggering: 4,454 passing yards, 42 passing touchdowns, and just four interceptions, while completing 68.3% of his passes. Mariota also added 770 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, showcasing his dual-threat ability.
Mariota’s defining moment came in the Rose Bowl, where he threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns, leading Oregon to a 59-20 rout of Florida State. He won the Heisman in a landslide, earning 90.9% of first-place votes, the third-highest percentage at the time.
Mariota’s No. 8 jersey was retired by Oregon in 2015, securing his legacy.
Notable Heisman Finalists
While Mariota stands alone as Oregon’s only winner, several Ducks have come close. Running back LaMichael James finished third in 2010, earning the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back with 1,731 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.
Quarterback Dennis Dixon placed fifth in 2007, despite a late-season knee injury, after leading Oregon to a No. 2 ranking with 2,136 passing yards and 20 touchdowns.
More recently, quarterbacks Bo Nix (2023) and Dillon Gabriel (2024) made their mark. Nix, who threw for 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns, finished third in 2023, per NCAA records. Gabriel, a 2024 finalist, posted 3,558 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, earning a trip to New York.
Oregon’s Heisman history may be short, but it has its impact. With the Ducks now in the Big Ten and consistently recruiting top talent, more could join Mariota in the future.
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For now, his 2014 triumph remains a pinnacle for a program that continues to chase greatness on the national stage.
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