Marcus Mariota went 13-of-15 for 169 yards and two scores in Oregon’s spring game. (Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

The offseason’s final crop of spring games wrapped up over the weekend. Here’s a look at the top news and notes from around the nation:

• Oregon: Chip Kelly may have skipped town to take over the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, but Oregon’s offense looked as explosive as ever even without its old coach. With former coordinator Mark Helfrich at the helm, the Ducks’ attack reeled off 65 points, 802 yards and nine touchdowns in the team’s spring game on Saturday. Sophomore quarterback Marcus Mariota was sharp coming off a strong freshman campaign, finishing 13-of-15 for 169 yards and two scores in four short series of action. As the offense thrived, former Oregon tailback LaMichael James returned to Autzen Stadium to watch the scrimmage from the sidelines.

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UCLA cornerback Marcus Rios (right) could miss all of 2013 due to an ongoing battle with a fungal infection. (AP)

By Holly Anderson

Well, this is horrible and horrifying: UCLA defensive back Marcus Rios could miss all of 2013 (that’s not the horrifying part) thanks to an ongoing series of surgeries intended to eradicate what the L.A. Times is calling “a fungus infection in his sinus area” (there it is). His next operation will be his seventh since last October.

Rios joined the Bruins as a four-star Rivals prospect in the class of 2012. The California native appeared in nine games during his freshman season in a backup and special teams capacity, recording a total of three tackles. “Get well soon” seems like a feeble platitude to slap on something like this, but the sentiment is sincere: Get well soon, kid.

By Zac Ellis

UCLA offensive guard Alberto Cid will end his career by taking a “medical retirement” due to concussions, Chris Foster of the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.

#UCLA OL Alberto Cid (concussion) annoucned he will take a medical retirement.—
chris foster (@cfosterlatimes) April 25, 2013

Cid missed all of spring camp after starting seven games over the past two seasons for the Bruins. The 6-foot-2, 325-pound lineman transferred to UCLA from Citrus Junior College in 2011.

In the wake of Cid’s departure, UCLA will likely look to incoming freshmen Caleb Benenoch, Kenny Lacy and Christian Morris to build depth on the offensive line.

By Zac Ellis

UCLA’s Jim Mora Jr. has offered his support of gay players and coaches, saying they’d be encouraged to join his Bruins program. As part of the school athletic department’s “You Can Play” campaign, UCLA released a video Tuesday of players and coaches endorsing gay athletes. In the video, Mora says: “At UCLA, we play with integrity and we honor diversity. We respect all athletes and coaches. If you can play, you can play. And if you can coach, you can coach.”

Mora reaffirmed his support of gay athletes in his program via a telephone interview with OutSports.com. “It doesn’t matter to me,” Mora said. “I don’t judge people on their color of their skin, their sexual orientation, their religious beliefs. It doesn’t matter to me.”

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After looking long and hard for a new team, Rushel Shell decided to transfer to UCLA. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

By Zac Ellis

Former Pittsburgh running back Rushel Shell has finally found a new home. Shell will transfer to UCLA, where he will sit out the 2013 season as a new member of coach Jim Mora Jr.’s roster.

Shell rushed for 641 yards and four touchdowns last season as a freshman at Pitt. News broke last month that Shell was considering a transfer, and Pitt released a statement that said, in part, that the tailback was “working through some challenges.” Arizona State was originally on Shell’s short list of destinations, but Pitt wouldn’t release Shell from his scholarship to join the Sun Devils, the team that former Pitt coach Todd Graham now leads.

As a four-star prospect in the class of 2012, Shell nixed offers from the likes of Alabama and Ohio State to sign with the Panthers. Shell set a state record with 9,078 career rushing yards at Hopewell High in Aliquippa, Pa., the same high school that Pitt legend Tony Dorsett once attended.

By Zac Ellis

It wasn’t too long ago that many analysts questioned UCLA’s hire of Jim Mora Jr., the former coach of the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons, in 2011. After all, Mora had very little collegiate coaching experience when the Bruins brought him in; aside from a stint as a graduate assistant at Washington in 1984, the bulk of Mora’s coaching experience came on Sundays.

Mora put those concerns to rest in 2012. The Bruins went 9-5 and brought home a Pac-12 South title in his inaugural campaign. Mora’s predecessor, Rick Neuheisel, went just 21-29 during his four seasons with the program.

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Los Angeles football will be short two McDonald brothers next season, with T.J. departed for the draft and Tevin for parts unknown. (AP)

The UCLA Bruins have announced the dismissal of starting safety Tevin McDonald for the Ever-Popular-And-Mysterious Violation of Team Rules. McDonald, last seen missing the Holiday Bowl for failing a drug test, is the brother of USC safety and NFL draft hopeful T.J. McDonald, and the son of former Fresno State and current Jets position coach Tim McDonald. Also officially be-goned are lesser-known wide receiver Ricky Marvray and Jerry Rice Jr., whom some of you may have heard of. Those two players intend to transfer.

Ten days away from spring training, Jim Mora has turned into a bloodthirsty lion. http://t.co/aZmuKf2yYU—
Jack Wang (@thejackwang) March 23, 2013

The story of one college football postseason contest, as told through social media.

If you’re not playing this on a loop during every commercial break with the TV muted, you’re not really Holiday Bowling youtube.com/watch?v=iPy7uG…

— Holly Anderson (@SIHolly) December 28, 2012

You’re being optimistic RT @edsbs: Holiday Bowl doesn’t come on until 9:45 ET & w/Baylor playing should end around 3 a.m.

— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) December 27, 2012

But on a serious note, the Big Ten refers to the amount of points that’ll be scored in the Holiday Bowl as “October.”

— David Ubben (@davidubben) December 28, 2012

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The 2012 Holiday Bowl is just hours away. We’re sure you have so many questions. We’re here to help. (For an X’s and O’s breakdown, click through to Gabriel Baumgaertner’s game preview.)

• What’s all this, then? The Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl is the second of two college football bowl games played in San Diego, and comes with its own theme song, if you count singing “Holiday BoOOOooOOOOwl” to “Holiday Road” as a theme song.

• Where will this game be played? Qualcomm Stadium, home of the San Diego Chargers, San Diego State Aztecs and the Poinsettia Bowl.

• When is it on television? Coverage begins at 9:45 ET on ESPN (in 3D where available! That’s still a thing!), with Dave Pasch, Brian Griese and Jenn Brown relaying the action. The game will also be streamed on WatchESPN.

• Whom does it feature? Current tie-ins pair Big 12 versus Pac-12.

• What about this year? Ursidae-on-ursidae action! Pointsplosion potential running high! The 7-5 Baylor Bears, regarded with some awe for fielding the nation’s top-ranked offense and 119th-ranked defense, will take on the UCLA Bruins, themselves averaging more than 35 points per fame and surrendering about 410 yards.

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