Marcus Mariota Sports Performance Center Unveiled At University Of Oregon

The University of Oregon unveiled on Thursday the Marcus Mariota Sports Performance Center, a huge, state-of-the-art facility funded by Nike co-founder Phil Knight. 

Marcus Mariota Sports Performance Center Unveiled At University Of Oregon

The 30,000-square-foot venue, named after the school’s 2014 Heisman Trophy winner and Tennessee Titans’ second-year quarterback, combines “sports performance, sports science, sports medicine and technology in one efficiently designed space,” according to a release from the university.

According to the Daily Emerald, the center also came with an estimated price tag of $19.2 million.

“My mom just sent me the text,” Mariota, 22, said after Titans practice Thursday. “I’m going to look at it right now. I heard it’s pretty ridiculous.”

The quarterback–who was selected by the Titans as the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Oregon– won the Heisman in 2014 after passing for 4,454 yards, 42 touchdowns and just four interceptions, and running for 770 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Ducks made it to the national championship game, but lost to Ohio State.

In his rookie season with the Titans, Mariota passed for 2,818 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while winning three of the 12 games he started. He also ran for 252 yards and two scores and caught a touchdown.

“The goal of this project was to create one space where we could utilize the most state-of-the-art technology to improve student-athlete wellness and emphasize our commitment to the health and safety of our student-athletes,” Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said in a release. “Thanks to the incredible generosity of Phil and Penny Knight, we now have a world-class facility that is going to take the student-athlete experience at the University of Oregon to a level not previously seen anywhere on the collegiate level.”

Greg Skaggs, Oregon’s director of athletic medicine, went on part-fact-finding trips to NASA and Australia in order to research the facility’s construction.

“We focused on creating a space that would allow us to objectively measure a student-athlete’s development and readiness,” Skagg said in the release. “This data will give us the best opportunity to individualize training to maximize performance and prevent injury.

“Unlike other university performance centers, this facility is designed to make real-time interventions into a student-athlete’s training program and well-being.”

Mariota knew of the project and of many of the details. However, he will likely have to wait a few months before seeing it.

“Probably next year,” Mariota said when asked when he would visit his alma mater to see the new center. “I was going to try to go back during the bye week (Titans are off Dec. 4), but it depends on if they’re playing well or not, because that’s going to be the week of the Pac-12 championship game (Dec. 2). I haven’t really decided yet.”

Article by Pablo Mena