The first bit of drama surrounding the first National Championship Game erupted on Friday, and it depletes the Ducks’ offensive corps.
CSNNW reported Friday that Oregon wide receiver Darren Carrington will not play in Monday night’s game after he tested positive for marijuana in “an NCAA administered drug test.” The redshirt freshman didn’t even make the trip to Arlington, Texas with the rest of the team. Reports from Fox Sports say that Oregon has already to appeal the suspension, but that said appeal has already been denied.
The loss of Carrington could limit Oregon’s passing game. The freshman caught seven passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns in the Ducks’ 59-20 beatdown of Florida State in the semifinals, and has evolved into one of Marcus Mariota’s “top targets,” says Yahoo!Sports. The San Diego native has 37 catches for 704 yards and four touchdowns on the season.
Carrington came up big in the Ducks’ semi-final match against Florida State. He led the Ducks in targets and receptions on the night, with seven catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns. That kind of production is difficult to replicate on a whim, but Mariota is capable of spreading the ball around. Mariota will still have Byron Marshall and Devon Allen as options too, which bodes well for Oregon considering they are the Ducks’ season leader in yards and receptions (Marshall) and receiving touchdowns (Allen). With fellow redshirt freshman receiver Devon Allen sidelined with an injured knee, the Ducks are going to rely heavily on receiver Keanon Lowe and tight end Evan Baylis to help Mariota move the ball down the field at AT&T Stadium on Monday night.
*Section Photo credit to SportSpyder; Featured Photo (above) credit to Gary Vasquez, USA Today Sports