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Johnny Manziel

(Associated Press)

Johnny Manziel, whom Oregon pursued in the same class that ultimately brought Marcus Mariota to Eugene, still has a little affinity for the Ducks, apparently, according to his Instagram feed.

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, from a Jason Quick story during the past football season:

Not long ago, the two struck up a friendship. It was in Eugene in 2010, at an Oregon football camp when the two were still in high school. Mariota found that Manziel could make him laugh. He thought Manziel was nice. He wasn’t the only one. (Mark) Helfrich, who at the time was Oregon’s offensive coordinator, recruited Manziel heavily to Oregon. Manziel liked the pitch and committed to the Ducks. Mariota was planning to do the same. “We thought we were going to be teammates,’’ Mariota said. “I think that’s why we bonded so quick.’’

Manziel, who won the Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M and left the Aggies early after last season to enter the NFL draft, recently signed an endorsement deal with Nike.