Marcus Mariota’s Oregon records
Total offense: 11,113
Passing yards: 9,122
Completions: 661
Touchdown passes: 92
Total touchdowns: 114
Points accounted for: 696
Consecutive passes without INT: 353
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota was issued a traffic citation this week for doing on that state’s roadways what he does so well on the gridiron — speeding.
The Colorado Buffaloes are faced with trying to slow Mariota and the supercharged Oregon offense on Saturday in Autzen Stadium. The Buffs have trouble stopping teams when they’re at full strength, and they will be short-handed this week against one of the most dynamic playmakers in the recent history of the college game.
Mariota is the front-runner for the 2014 Heisman Trophy, and he will be looking to pad his statistics against a Colorado defense that gives up nearly 40 points a game and more than 200 yards a game on the ground.
CU coach Mike MacIntyre said it is particularly important for the Buffs to keep Mariota corralled as much as possible when he’s in the pocket as a passer. MacIntyre noted several instances in the Ducks’ victory over Utah where the Utes had receivers covered but Mariota burned them by running.
“I mean, he’s flying,” MacIntyre said. “They couldn’t even touch him. Then, he did it on another third down. So, somehow you have to keep him corralled in the pocket because if he can find the area before the ball is snapped, he kind of already knows where his escape lanes are.”
All Mariota did against the Buffs last year in Boulder was throw five touchdown passes and run for two more in 57-16 victory over MacIntyre’s team. Similar results are expected Saturday, with CU going into the game as a 33-point underdog ranked 104th in the nation in total defense.
Mariota, a junior from Honolulu, already holds seven Oregon school records for offense and is one pace to set records this season in completion percentage and passing efficiency. He needs eight more touchdown passes to move into second place on the Pac-12 Conference’s career touchdown passes list. Former USC quarterbacks Matt Barkley and Matt Leinart are the only players ahead of him.
CU senior cornerback Greg Henderson has played Mariota twice before and said it can be frustrating because Mariota’s stellar athletic ability allows him to make big plays in situations where other quarterbacks might be sacked, throw an incompletion or gain just a few yards.
“The first thing we have to do is just get lined up because they’re fast tempo,” Henderson said. “So we have to get aligned and read our keys and keep Mariota contained.
“If he starts running around and scrambling and doing the things that he does, that’s why he’s a Heisman candidate. We have to keep him contained.”
Henderson said he is equally impressed with Mariota’s control over the Oregon offense and his speed.
“If you give him a lane, he’s going to take it the distance,” Henderson said. “He’s fast and he’s hard to catch. So we have to keep him contained and tackle well.”
Of course, Mariota isn’t the only future NFL draft pick on the Oregon offense. Another reason why he is so effective is that he is surrounded by other all-Pac-12 Conference-caliber players.
Mariota dazzles fans when he’s on the run. He impresses coaches with his decision-making. He doesn’t make many mistakes and rarely costs his team a chance to score points.
He has completed 67 percent of his passes this season for 2,780 yards with 29 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. He has run for 524 yards and eight more scores.
MacIntyre said he doesn’t think Mariota has ever been beaten when he’s been healthy in his college career.
“Maybe he’ll stub his toe in warm-ups or something,” he said.
Kyle Ringo: ringok@dailycamera.com, twitter.com/kyleringo