Anthony Barr praises Marcus Mariota’s toughness

Quarterback Marcus Mariota earned himself a bit of additional respect on Saturday. After taking some big hits from UCLA linebackers in Oregon’s 42-14 win Saturday, his demeanor impressed even Anthony Barr.

“I think people don’t give him enough credit for his toughness and his competitiveness,” the Bruins’ All-American said. Continue reading “Anthony Barr praises Marcus Mariota’s toughness” »

At a glance: No. 12 UCLA at No. 2 Oregon

No. 12 UCLA (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) at No. 2 Oregon (7-0, 4-0)
Location:
Autzen Stadium, Oct. 26, 4 p.m.
TV: ESPN (Brent Musberger, Kirk Herbstreit, Heather Cox)
Radio: 570 AM (Chris Roberts, Matt Stevens, Wayne Cook)

Last meeting: An already-fired Rick Neuheisel coached his final game, a spot in the 2011 Pac-12 Championship game that came by way of a USC postseason ban. UCLA lost 49-31 against No. 8 Oregon, as LaMichael James rushed for three scores — tying LenDale White with 52 career touchdowns.

He scored one more in a Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin, taking sole possession of second in conference history.

Key storylines: UCLA is trying to rebound after its first loss of the season, a 24-10 loss at Stanford in which its offense struggled as much as ever in the Jim Mora era. Continue reading “At a glance: No. 12 UCLA at No. 2 Oregon” »

Pac-12’s Top 25 Players, Part V

Picking up from Parts I, II, III and IV, here are the final five in our top 25 countdown.

5. De’Anthony Thomas, Oregon

Thomas claims track and field season made him even faster — a frightening prospect given that he already threatened to score whenever he touched the ball. The 5-foot-9, 176-pound back is about 20 pounds lighter than All-American predecessors Kenjon Barner and LaMichael James, but is more versatile as a receiver and returner. He’s also responsible for the best tweets in the Pac-12. Continue reading “Pac-12’s Top 25 Players, Part V” »