Marcus Mariota: Former Ducks OL Doug Brenner ‘more than capable of having an opportunity to play in the NFL’

EUGENE — Marcus Mariota testified that his former Oregon Geese teammate, Doug Brenner, was “greater than able to having a chance to play within the NFL” and that he “completely” believes within the former offensive lineman’s skills to guard him as a quarterback.

Regardless of a number of motions from the authorized group representing the College of Oregon, former soccer coach Willie Taggart and former power and conditioning coach Irele Oderinde to forestall Mariota from showing, together with on Friday morning, the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner spoke in Lane County Circuit Court docket through video convention from Atlanta, the place he’s participating in offseason coaching with the Falcons.

Mariota spoke about Brenner’s potential to play skilled soccer and disagreed with the assertion put forth by the attorneys representing UO, Taggart and Oderinde that Brenner was too quick and likewise not expert sufficient to be an NFL participant.

“Bodily (Brenner) was very able to attending to the following degree,” Mariota stated. “If you’re speaking an offensive lineman, guys need to be athletic, particularly to play the middle place. To have the ability to attain and to have the ability to stand up prime to the second degree, to have the ability to block linebackers which might be athletic. Doug was very fast laterally, may get out and in from the snap to get to the place he wanted to be.

“Secondly, what i feel is type of underrated is his capability to speak. At this degree everyone seems to be gifted, however to have the ability to talk, to have the ability to get guys to purchase in and be all on the identical web page, I actually consider Doug had these qualities that not solely would have made him offensive lineman, but additionally someone that might’ve been an important teammate and someone that you’d need within the constructing.”

Mariota, who performed with Brenner at UO within the 2013 and 2014 seasons, referred to him as a “key cog” throughout the 2014 season, when Brenner appeared in 10 video games as a redshirt freshman.

The previous Geese QB additionally praised Brenner’s versatility with with the ability to play each guard and sort out.

“It simply makes you that rather more worthwhile to professional groups,” Mariota stated.

Requested concerning the arguments put forth by UO’s authorized group that Brenner was too quick and never ok to play within the NFL, Mariota disagreed on each issues and stated Brenner was “completely” in the identical caliber of inside linemen within the execs. There are 9 present NFL facilities who’re listed at 6-foot-2 or shorter, in keeping with The Soccer Database, a lot of whom made it to the league as undrafted free brokers.

“I don’t suppose top and stature is de facto one thing that’s that essential,” Mariota stated. “I feel in the event you not solely can bodily present you might be athletic to stand up doing various things, but additionally be considerably just a little bit completely different, whether or not it’s with the ability to talk, being a frontrunner, these qualities stand out greater than bodily stature. …

“To be fully trustworthy, I performed with him firsthand. I noticed him play middle; he performed guard for us. He moved round, performed completely different positions. He was greater than able to having a chance to play within the NFL, for positive.”

Stephen English of Perkins Coie objected simply twice throughout Mariota’s testimony, when he was requested by Greg Kafoury of Brenner’s authorized group from Kafoury & McDougal and Eiva Regulation about subjects deemed exterior his scope of data.

“I don’t wish to block Marcus Mariota from doing something he desires to do,” English stated. “However having stated that, he has no data of what occurred for 25 years” inside the Oregon soccer program.

Solely hours earlier, English argued Mariota’s testimony was going to be “cumulative and it’s prejudice,” however was overruled by decide Clara Rigmaiden, who stated “I do know why you don’t wish to have him.”

After her ruling within the morning, Brenner’s attorneys knowledgeable the court docket that Mariota would testify after lunch.

“I feel they’re going to wish a while to carry the Heisman award in,” English stated.

That comment was not heard in entrance of the jury, and neither have been UO’s movement that was denied on Friday and the same listening to and movement argued for by Marten King of the identical agency on Monday to restrict the scope of what Mariota and former UO gamers Henry Mondeaux and Tyrell Crosby may testify to concerning Brenner’s professional prospects.

The jury will determine on the $125.5 million being sought by Brenner within the case: $100 million in punitive damages in opposition to the NCAA and $20 million for ache and struggling and $5.5 million for previous and future medical bills from UO, Taggart and Oderinde.