Kid asks Helfrich if Mariota is staying at Oregon

Published Nov. 22, 2014 10:42 p.m. ET

foxsports

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) Following the No. 3 Ducks' victory over Colorado, a 12-year-old boy asked coach Mark Helfrich if quarterback Marcus Mariota was going to stay at Oregon for his senior year.

When Helfrich prodded the young reporter, he said there are just a few things that matter at O'Hara Catholic School in Eugene.

''There's Jesus, there's girls and there's Marcus Mariota,'' Charlie Pape proclaimed, prompting laughter in the postgame press conference.

Mariota threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 73 yards and another in Oregon's 44-10 victory over Colorado. That gave the Heisman hopeful 42 total touchdowns this season to set a new Pac-12 record.

Mariota has a year of eligibility left, but most believe that he'll go to the NFL after this season.