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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Former Central Point crime lab tech under investigation in OSP probe ... Medford police arrest suspect in gun robbery ... Fatal crash leads to manslaughter charge ... Former Central Point crime lab tech under investigation in OSP probe ... Medford police arrest suspect in gun robbery ... Fatal crash leads to manslaughter charge ... COLLEGE FOOTBALL Baker happy to have Heisman company Comment By Les Gehrett Albany Democrat-Herald MailTribune.com By Les Gehrett Albany Democrat-Herald Posted Dec. 14, 2014 at 5:26 PM By Les Gehrett Albany Democrat-Herald Posted Dec. 14, 2014 at 5:26 PM » Social News Terry Baker is very happy to have an Oregon companion as a fellow member in one of the world’s most select clubs. Baker, a quarterback at Oregon State, won the Heisman Trophy in 1962. Since then, he has been the only player from an Oregon school, in fact from any school in the Pacific Northwest, to receive that honor. Saturday night, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota joined Baker as a Heisman Trophy winner. In a phone interview after the televised ceremony, Baker said Mariota was a deserving winner, and he was struck by the young man’s demeanor during the event. Mariota seemed “such a modest person and humble that he looked noticeably uncomfortable,” Baker said. “He’s not about himself. He is about other things and you have to admire him for that. “And I would add one other thing: I hope he never changes.” Baker scoffed at the idea floated this fall by one NFL talent evaluator that Mariota may be too nice to succeed at the next level. “I think that’s garbage,” Baker said. “What they care about in the pros and what they care about in college is the same, if he can make plays.” Baker continues to follow college football very carefully and watched “quite a few” of Oregon’s games this season, along with as many games of his alma mater as he could. Baker noted that during the coverage Saturday night, 1989 Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware of the University of Houston said that when he played, most of the country didn’t see his games on television. That is no longer the case, as television coverage has exploded nationally in the past 25 years. “It’s big. This country has really got a love affair with college and professional football,” Baker said. This week, Mariota preceded his Heisman win by receiving the Maxwell and the Walter Camp awards, which both honor the player of the year. He also received the Davey O’Brien and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards, which are given to the nation’s top quarterback. In 1962, Baker received similar recognition. He also won the Maxwell, along with a wide range of player of the year awards. To cap his stellar collegiate career, he was named the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. After winning the Heisman, Baker led Oregon State to a 6-0 victory over Villanova in the 1962 Liberty Bowl. Mariota will lead Oregon against Florida State on Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl in one of the of the semifinal games of the inaugural College Football Playoff. By Les Gehrett Albany Democrat-Herald MailTribune.com By Les Gehrett Albany Democrat-Herald Posted Dec. 14, 2014 at 5:26 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501