“Mahalo, Marcus” were the final words spoken on Wednesday afternoon as Oregon bid farewell to the most storied quarterback in program history.
Those two words couldn’t have been more fitting.
Mariota, who is expected to be an early pick in the upcoming NFL draft, decided to forgo his senior year to pursue what is expected to be a memorable pro career.
While fans would have enjoyed nothing more than to see Mariota return for one last season, it was undoubtedly time for both sides to move on, and for another organization to enjoy the countless benefits that come along with having Mariota under center, on and off the field.
Mariota sent out the following message to everyone who has been involved with his time at Oregon: “The support I received from the University, the city of Eugene and Duck fans has been tremendous. I will always remember the great times and support I received. Once a Duck, always a Duck.”
Whoever gets Mariota will be getting an indisputable leader, not just a prospect.
On that note, Mariota’s departure now leaves Oregon at a crossroads. Not because they don’t still have talent or veteran leadership. It’s also not because the direction of the program has suddenly changed. It’s because a new era of Oregon is on the horizon.
Mariota took the Ducks to the promise land, despite losing to Ohio State. He led them to a Rose Bowl win over a Florida State team that was riding a 29-game winning streak. He established a new meaning of “excellence,” as Mark Helfrich called it. He also redefined what it means to be a student athlete, something that has recently been jumbled with the likes of Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston, the two controversial Heisman winners before Mariota.
Simply put, Mariota brought much more to the table than the game of football and it’s not something that can be wiped off with time.
One of the moments that stuck out to me in the Oregon locker room following Mariota’s final game was Hroniss Grasu’s promise to the media. It was one that summarized what Mariota had meant to the program, a promise that looked ahead to an even brighter future.
“This will definitely keep up,” Grasu said. “With Coach Helfrich and the entire staff, they do an unbelievable job of getting us prepared every single week, every single day. We’ll be back, I promise you.”
There will never be another Mariota and that’s okay. The point is that the hard part is over. Laying the grounds for sustainable success isn’t something many athletes can accomplish.
The Ducks are forever grateful for players like Dan Fouts, Joey Harrington and now Mariota for bringing this program to new heights, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be more to thank in the near future.
Oregon will be okay without Mariota. The real question is: Can Oregon get over the hump and bring home their first title?
That remains to be seen, but if there was a team to do it – that has yet to win one – it’s the Ducks.
Follow Hayden Kim on Twitter @HayDayKim