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Washington Commanders veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota is known for motivating teammates, so it’s no surprise he’s doing the same for his alma mater.
The Oregon Ducks softball team is gearing up for the Women’s College World Series, and Mariota — a former Heisman Trophy winner — lent his voice to the team’s hype video.
In it, the Washington veteran delivers a message of resilience, pride, and legacy.
“Every champion was once doubted, overlooked, underrated, counted out,” Mariota says in the video. “But belief is louder than doubt.”
To Ducks fans, Mariota is more than a familiar name — he’s a symbol of Oregon football greatness. He became the first player in school history to win the Heisman Trophy, leading the team to 36 victories over three seasons.
His 2014 season was one of the most dominant in college football history: he posted a nation-leading total quarterback rating (QBR) of 90.9, threw for 4,454 yards (third among FBS quarterbacks), and recorded 42 passing touchdowns (second in the nation).
Now in the NFL, Mariota continues to inspire. In the 2024 season with the Commanders, he played a supporting role behind second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels, throwing for 364 yards and four touchdowns.
Belief.
— GoDucks (@GoDucks) May 23, 2025
Narrated by Marcus Mariota. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/l0ApckES3y
Though it’s been years since he last wore an Oregon jersey, Mariota’s connection to the school remains strong.
“Built by those before us, strengthened by those beside us, carried on by those behind us,” he says, speaking to the spirit of legacy that runs deep in Oregon’s athletic programs.
The video ends on an inspiring note — a message that Ducks fans and players alike will carry with them as the team chases its first-ever WCWS title:
“When belief meets the moment, champions are made.”
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Tua Tagovailoa addresses relationship with Tyreek Hill after controversial comments
Shortly after Miami Dolphins players reported for training camp on Tuesday, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill suggested he wants to be "better as a leader" after he controversially subbed himself out of Miami's regular-season finale this past January and then told reporters he was "out." While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa addressed the Hill-sized elephant in the room. "I think there’s a lot more vulnerability with Tyreek," Tagovailoa explained, as shared by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "He’s conversating a lot more with the guys, not just about football, but about things off the field, being vulnerable about some of the things people know about his personal life and things of that nature. I think that’s the first step toward him building true relationships and a real connection with a lot of the guys in there." Following Hill's "out" comment, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier revealed that the 31-year-old speedster never requested a trade. While publicly apologizing to his teammates during a Super Bowl week interview, Hill directly said that Tagovailoa is his "guy." Hill also insisted at the time that he loves Tagovailoa. "Everybody makes mistakes," Tagovailoa added about Hill. "It’s just, some people, they’re in the spotlight, and their deals get pushed out more than some others. So you’ve just got to cut him some grace. That’s our teammate. We love him, but as a person, I think if you get to know him, you’ll love him too." Hill and Tagovailoa likely will need to be on the same page if they want to prevent the Dolphins from going through a franchise reset next offseason. At least head coach Mike McDaniel is reportedly on the hot seat this summer, while Tagovailoa's status beyond the upcoming campaign is up in the air after he suffered a third reported concussion since the fall of 2022 last season. "You guys aren’t the only people that heard that," Tagovailoa said about Hill's "out" statement. "...So when you say something like that, you don’t just come back from that with, 'Hey, my bad.' You’ve got to work that relationship up. You’ve got to build everything up again. It’s still a work in progress, not just for me but for everybody. But like I said, he’s working on himself, he’s working on the things he says he wants to get better with and do better on. So that’s the first step to me, so I commend him for doing that." As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the 2024 Dolphins at -275 betting odds to miss the playoffs. Those who believe the relationship between Tagovailoa and Hill is on shaky ground following Wednesday's developments may want to take a flier on such a wager before the odds change later this year.
Penn State QB Drew Allar gets candid about team's struggles against top opponents
It is no secret that Penn State has struggled to win big games under head coach James Franklin. While the Nittany Lions have finished with double-digit wins in six of the past nine seasons, including a 13-3 season in 2024 that culminated with a loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals, they have struggled to beat quality opponents. Quarterback Drew Allar, who enters the 2025 season with the fifth-shortest odds (+1600) to win the Heisman Trophy, per FanDuel, was honest about Penn State's lack of success during his appearance at Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday. "We definitely need to get over the hump," Allar said, per ESPN's Jake Trotter. "There's no question about it." Penn State is only 4-20 against top-10 opponents under Franklin, although the three losses last season were all by one score. Allar is 23-6 as a starter, but threw a costly interception against Notre Dame that ultimately led to the game-winning field goal from the Fighting Irish. With experience on its side and lofty expectations entering the season as the No. 1-ranked team in ESPN's offseason poll, Allar pointed to better execution as a key to Penn State's success. "We definitely need to find different ways to come out with different results in those games," Allar said. "We haven't really been blown out of the water by any team. ... it's just about execution. ... finding those areas to make one or two more plays throughout those games. ... That's going to be our focus." One key for Penn State is the return of its two leading rushers from last season, Kaytron Allen (1,108 yards) and Nicholas Singleton (1,099 yards), who combined for 20 TDs. That experience, along with Allar's improved accuracy (66.5%) and career-high 3,327 passing yards from 2024, gives the Nittany Lions a lot of upside going into 2025. Allar did have an uptick in interceptions (eight) and was sacked 19 times last season, which are two concerning areas, especially against top-ranked opponents. That must improve for Penn State to reverse course and finally win meaningful games. For now, the focus is on its lack of success in those games under Franklin. If Penn State can execute and not beat itself, perhaps one of those games will eventually go its way. Until then, it will face the same questions as it looks to put its past struggles in big games behind it.
Nationals OF makes Catch of the Year candidate to rob home run
Washington Nationals outfielder Jacob Young delivered a Catch of the Year candidate with a spectacular grab he made on Wednesday. Young’s Nationals lost 5-0 to the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, and the score could have been worse if not for Young. Will Benson was batting for Cincinnati with a runner on third base and two outs in the top of the eighth inning with his team leading 3-0. He belted a first pitch 96 mph fastball to deep center, but Young climbed the wall in center field to rob Benson of a 2-run home run. Here is a slow-motion version of the catch that shows Young climbing the wall to make the catch. What a catch by Young. Although Benson gave that pitch quite a ride, the metrics suggest it would have been a home run in only five MLB ballparks, so a flyout was an anticipated outcome. You just wouldn’t expect that ball to become an out in the manner that it did. Holy cow.
Telling hint emerges about leader in Browns QB race
A clear frontrunner appears to be separating himself from the pack in the Cleveland Browns’ QB room. Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett handled all of the first-team offense reps in 11-on-11 drills during the first day of training camp on Wednesday, Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN reported. Meanwhile, Dillon Gabriel received the second-team reps, Shedeur Sanders received the third-team reps, and Joe Flacco did not receive any 11-on-11 reps at all, Oyefusi added. Cleveland has one of the most hotly-contested and uncertain QB races of the NFL offseason. With Deshaun Watson (Achilles) set to miss the entire 2025 season, the Browns acted quickly this offseason by trading for Pickett, re-signing Flacco, and then selecting both Gabriel and Sanders in the NFL Draft. Pickett, 27, indeed looks like the best option for Cleveland right now. He has already made 25 total starts in the NFL and won a Super Bowl last season as Jalen Hurts’ backup on the Philadelphia Eagles. That gives Pickett a leg up over the rookies Gabriel and Sanders, and he is also far younger than the 40-year-old Flacco. Previous reports during OTAs suggested that Flacco, who made a handful of starts for the Browns in 2023, was looking surprisingly good under center. But more recently, some Cleveland players were predicting that Pickett would end up as the ultimate winner of the race. Meanwhile, Gabriel had reportedly looked a little rough over the last couple of months, and Sanders still appears to have plenty of work to do as well (though he has received rave reviews from some notable team figures). With a rookie unlikely to get the starting nod to begin the year, it may be a two-horse race between Pickett and Flacco (with Pickett now seemingly pulling away).
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