Ducks Go Down: Outcome of National Championship Game Could Benefit Chip Kelly & Eagles

4. Marcus Mariota, For the First Time in Over a Year, Is Slightly Within Reach. 

Jan 12, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) walks off the field during the fourth quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2015 CFP National Championship Game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Any Eagles fan tuning in Monday night should be doing cartwheels over what transpired in terms of Oregon’s Marcus Mariota. In the trigger-happy world of instant-analysis, the Heisman Trophy winner’s night was deemed a Hindenburg-level travesty well before the final gun. Though it’s true that Mariota did not cap his Cinederella season with a performance for the ages, he was not nearly as bad as some made it out to be.  Aside from a few instances where it seemed that the pressure forced him into a hasty throw, Mariota’s entire repertoire was on display against the Buckeyes. He demonstrated his arm strength, decision-making, accuracy, mobility, and competitiveness in what very quickly turned into a demoralizing game. The Ducks were doomed by a few early drops in key situations and the offense was forced to play from behind against a physically superior Ohio State team. Despite the fact that Oregon was outmatched at nearly every position on the field, Mariota was still able to deliver a performance (24-37, 333 yards passing, 39 yards rushing, 2 touchdowns, one late interception) that shouldn’t diminish what his draft value should be.  One observation of the game that does hold some merit is Mariota’s ‘readiness’ to play in the NFL. Considering where he’ll likely be drafted (top-5), Mariota will have a great deal of pressure heaped upon him to serve as the savior for whatever organization lands his services. It is a perfectly reasonable argument to assume that he could use some serious seasoning before being thrust into the role a starting, franchise quarterback. This is a young man that will have to develop a comfort level within the locker room and in himself before he’s ready to take on the workload that comes with being ‘the guy’. With how much it seems that rookie quarterbacks are expected to start during their first season, hesitancy to draft him that high knowing a franchise might have to wait a year is reasonable. There is, however, one team where this transition would not be so harsh.

What people seem to miss about Monday’s game is that there was nothing else Mariota could have done physically to change how analysts feel about him. He made every throw he has over the course of the year and adequately demonstrated his mobility both in terms of buying time and gaining yardage. For the most part, he made correct decisions over the course of the game and was really left out to dry by some of his receivers. By no means, however, was this a strong showing for those who feel Mariota is ready to step into a pro-style situation and contribute right away.

Mostly due to the nature of their passing scheme, Mariota wasn’t asked to push the ball downfield much against the Buckeyes. After their run game became a non-factor, this would have been my plan of attack against the Ohio State defense. After they put a lid on Helfrich’s initial approach, there was nothing keeping the Ohio State secondary from continuing to creep closer and play everything in front of them. Mariota is not Joe Flacco, but he has the arm to make every throw he will have to in the NFL. There might be a handful of players who can heave the ball 70 yards in the air like the Ravens QB, but what makes Flacco great is his ability to have that zip translate to his other passes. This is what I was focusing on when watching Mariota as a passer.

What makes Mariota such an appealing prospect from an Eagles standpoint is that they could theoretically start ahead of the curve and grow together. Chip Kelly was able to coach him for one season and brought about the best performance any quarterback ever had under him during his college career. Were the two to reunite at the NFL-level the Eagles, unlike any other team in the league, could ease Mariota into their framework without missing much of a beat as far as where their offense currently stands. With 29 other teams, there would probably be too much asked of Mariota as a year-one starter. With the Eagles, it would be to his benefit to continue his trajectory in a familiar system while gradually integrating more elements.

At this point, it’s tough to say what it would take for the Eagles to land Mariota. One of the top-2 teams may fall in love with him and decide they’re willing to roll with the early punches. However, there’s months of evaluation, prodding, psychological exams, and hyperfocus that await Mariota in the pre-draft process. It may not end up being as drastic a fall as Teddy Bridgewater or Aaron Rodgers took, but something tells me the list of detractors towards Mariota will grow before it shrinks. Does this mean he’ll be available at 20? Most likely no. Does it mean that he could slip to a spot where trading up would be more reasonable for the Eagles?Probably not. That all said, it was going to require a very specific series of events to take place for Mariota to become attainable for Chip Kelly. Oregon’s loss Monday night and the manner in which it occurred was a big first step in that direction.