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CFB AM: Watch Oregon's last hurrah for Marcus Mariota before NFL Draft
The Marcus Mariota era has come and gone at Oregon, with the Ducks saying goodbye to the best quarterback they've ever had a couple months ago.
But Thursday night will be the official transition for Mariota from his college life into his new professional adventure.
In Chicago, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will announce Mariota's name as a first-round pick in the NFL Draft, possibly as high as No. 1 overall, almost certainly within the first five picks.
Life, for both Mariota and the Ducks, will continue to move on.
Before that, though, Oregon has one final hurrah for its Heisman winner.
The Ducks had student-athletes on various Oregon teams help record a video saying thanks to Mariota. They thank him for providing a perfect example of what it means to be an elite competitor with elite character. It's pretty cool to see the universal respect for Mariota in Eugene (and beyond).
Here's the video. Best of luck in the NFL, Marcus.
THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
1. Meanwhile, in Oregon ... Speaking of the Ducks, my colleague Stewart Mandel paid them a visit last week and came away with a few notes. Among the most notable: You believe offensive coordinator Scott Frost when he says he'd "be fine" if Jeff Lockie was Oregon's starting QB in Week 1, because the system will sustain Oregon. But you also believe they can't wait until Vernon Adams Jr., a transfer from Eastern Washington, arrives this summer to take the starting job (which no Oregon coach will comment on with Adams Jr. not officially part of the program yet). Also, Oregon's arsenal of playmakers is going to be pretty exceptional, perhaps the deepest the Ducks have had at any point under Mark Helfrich or predecessor Chip Kelly.
2. Sorry, Jim, no can do. After Michigan's satellite camp schedule upset many coaches in the South last week, Jim Harbaugh made a bold move as Jim Harbaugh tends to do: He invited every college coach in the country to be guests at Michigan's camp in June. It's a nice gesture but one that is hollow for SEC coaches. Why? The SEC has its own rules that states coaches can't participate in camps more than 50 miles from their own campus (this rule is intended to prevent SEC schools from setting up shop in the front yards of other league members). The league will not make an exception for Harbaugh's invitation, which, of course, is not Michigan's problem. I'm continually surprised that the SEC, where football is king just as much, if not more so, than any other region of the country, won't amend its own rules to allow its coaches the same liberties as other conferences. It's not the NCAA telling Nick Saban he can't hold a camp in Texas.
3. A couple reads for you. I enjoyed this Steven Godfrey piece on Bryan Harsin and Boise State, a program that continues to keep the good times rolling. If you like more analytical pieces, read Bill Connelly's preview of Tom Herman's first Houston team.
LASTLY
This morning I was reading something on Illinois coach Tim Beck and he was talking about the rivalry with Northwestern coming to Soldier Field. "That's going to be a fun game," I thought. You know you're getting an itch for college football when you're starting to talk yourself into Illinois-Northwestern on a random Tuesday morning. Just about four months to go, guys.
Have a great Tuesday, everybody.
Teddy Mitrosilis works in content production at FOX Sports Digital. Follow him on Twitter @TMitrosilis and email him at tmitrosilis@gmail.com.
