Pubdate: Sat, 10 Jan 2015
Source: Oakland Press, The (MI)
Copyright: 2015 The Oakland Press
Contact:  http://www.theoaklandpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2114
Author: Anne M. Peterson, AP Sports Writer

OREGON'S CARRINGTON, FORDE BENCHED AFTER POSITIVE DRUG TESTS

DALLAS - Oregon wide receiver Darren Carrington and running back Ayele
Forde will not play in Monday's national championship game after
positive NCAA drug tests, coach Mark Helfrich said Saturday.

Carrington did not travel with the team to Dallas after testing
positive for marijuana. The results of Forde's test were not
immediately clear.

Helfrich said the team has faced many issues during the season,
including injuries. But he insisted that the team is not distracted
heading into the first College Football Playoff title game.

"How you manage those things is what matters most. And our guys have
managed all those situations very, very well," Helfrich said.

Not having Carrington leaves the Ducks down two key wide receivers
against Ohio State. Carrington, a 6-foot-2, 191-pound redshirt
freshman, had seven catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns in
Oregon's Rose Bowl victory over Florida State.

Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota said the team was disappointed. He
hadn't been able to talk to Carrington.

"But at the same time I think a lot of guys feel guilty like they
should have helped, including myself," Mariota said. "It's tough. But
we'll have to be ready for the next one, whoever the next guy is to
step up."

Last week Oregon lost redshirt freshman receiver Devon Allen on the
opening kickoff with a knee injury. Allen had 41 catches for 684 yards
and seven touchdowns.

The Ducks have also been playing for the last four games without star
tight end Pharoah Brown, who went down with a season-ending leg injury
against Utah.

"We've had stuff happen all year long where a guys missed and the next
guy has jumped in there and done a great job," receivers coach Matt
Lubick said. "Our guys are going to be fine."

Carrington's absence leaves Oregon, which regularly uses three- and
four-receiver formations, with Byron Marshall (66 catches for 834
yards), Dwayne Stafford (39 for 578), Keanon Lowe (25 for 359) and
freshman Charles Nelson (11 for 101) to rely on at wideout.

"We all know as recievers that we're going to have to step up. It's
the last game of the season. We're going to have to make plays and
play basically our best game ever," Nelson said. "But losing him,
losing a great receiver and a great kid with a great talent, it's sad."

Forde played in all 14 games this season, with three carries for 17
yards. He had a carry for five yards in the Pac-12 championship
against Arizona.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D