Father: Oregon's Darren Carrington didn't smoke pot before failed test

The father of Oregon wide receiver Darren Carrington said his son didn't smoke marijuana before failing his NCAA-administered drug test before the national championship game and that secondhand smoke was to blame for the positive test.

The father of Oregon wide receiver Darren Carringtontold CSN Northwest that his son didn't smoke marijuana before failing his NCAA-administered drug test prior to the national championship game.

Darren Carrington Sr. said Carrington was in a room with others who were smoking the substance and that secondhand smoke led to Carrington testing positive and thus being forced to miss the title game against Ohio State last Monday.

According to Carrington's father, Carrington tested positive for 15 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood. While higher than the threshold for the NCAA (five nanograms), Carrington's level was lower than the thresholds of the NFL (35 nanograms), MLB (50) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (150).

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"He worked his butt off, got in when he got in, took advantage of his opportunities then in two weeks he blows up," Carrington Sr. said of his son's trajectory to stardom during the season. "He becomes one of the guys and then just like that, it's done."

"If it had to happen, glad it happened now," Carrington Sr. said. "He's young. He has time to clear his name and have time to rebuild his value up. It doesn't negate what he did on the field but it's just terrible that it had to happen."

It's unclear if Carrington will be suspended for part of next season, or for how many games he'd be suspended. Carrington Sr. said the family was investigating how to appeal the failed test and potential suspension.

Carrington, a redshirt freshman, had 37 receptions for 704 yards and four touchdowns this season, including 126 yards and a touchdown in the Pac-12 championship game and 165 yards and two touchdowns in the Rose Bowl against Florida State.

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Redshirt senior running back Ayele Ford also failed a drug test and didn't travel with the team to Arlington, Texas, for the national championship game.

Oregon lost to Ohio State 42-20 in the playoff final. Ducks receivers combined for 17 receptions and 306 receiving yards minus Carrington.

- Ben Estes