Marcus Mariota is expected to win the Heisman Trophy later tonight but that never would have happened if the Oregon quarterback didn’t give up on his dream as a backup quarterback as a sophomore in high school.
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The Oregon Ducks are expected to have their first Heisman Trophy winner in program history, a potential national championship and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft in Marcus Mariota. But a few years ago all of that would have seemed like a Hail Mary for the nation’s best player when he wasn’t even starting for his own high school team as a sophomore when he wondered if football was the right sport for him.
Mariota almost quit playing football in favor of soccer as he made this comment a few hours before the Heisman ceremony was set to begin with him the prohibitive favorite to take home the Trophy this year over Melvin Gordon and Amari Cooper.
Ever doubt yourself? Marcus Mariota just said he wondered if football was the right sport for him as a HS soph. Might have pursued soccer.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) December 13, 2014
It is very common for high schoolers to question their destiny and wonder if they’re taking the right path in life. Heck, adults struggle with that on a daily basis, but could you imagine if Mariota never continued pursuing football and didn’t take his dual-threat game to Oregon and instead was playing for the right to earn a spot on the USMNT instead?
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Next: Top 15 Biggest Heisman Trophy Snubs
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