From the Other Side: Kenjon Barner
A mutual friend set up a quick interview with Oregon redshirt freshman running back/punt returner Kenjon Barner, from up the road in Riverside...Here are his thoughts:
On what Oregon expects out of UCLA this year:
"Were expecting them to come out and compete. Thats a good football team. They're a much better team than last year. Theyre focused this year. They want to come out and compete. Even in the Stanford game, they competed. Last year, i don't think they really competed."
On Oregon's response after a Week 1 loss to Boise State:
"Our response has been great. We haven't lost a game. Our focus has been much better, our attention to detail. Everything has kind of come together after that loss. We knew after the loss what we'd have do to."
On how far the team has come since then:
"It definitely was a wake-up call. 'Whoa, the season's here, time to get ready.' It changed a lot of us as players, and it brought us closer together. How we practice, we have to practice every day like were preparing for the national championship. That loss helped developed the mindset."
On now being ranked No. 13 heading to the Rose Bowl:
"One you could be the highest team in the nation, next week not ranked at all. We expected to rebound as a team. We expected to better than what we showed after that loss."
We didn't compete last year? WOAH!!!
Do I smell bulletin board material?
No, MaltBaa, I think he meant compete. His tone implied that he thought the team lost its will to win at times, and now that the group is better, they've gotten it back. At leaest, that's what I thought he meant.
when he says they didnt "compete" he is not refering to effort given. Its more referring to our 4-8 record. its not a competitve record. getting blown by oregon state , arizona, arizona state, usc, cal is not being competitive.
He said he doesn't think we really competed. That seems pretty straight forward to me. It's also a load of garbage. Anyone who paid any attention to UCLA's season at all knows the team competed with everything within them last year. In EVERY GAME (with the exception of BYU) we hung around until late in the 3rd qtr / 4th qtr. The game against Oregon was close, and the team never gave up. 1st qtr.: Oregon 7, UCLA 0. 2nd qtr.: Oregon 14, UCLA 0. 3rd qtr.: Oregon 21, UCLA 14. 4th qtr.: Oregon 31, UCLA 24. Yeah, I'd say we competed. In the end, we just didn't have enough to get the W, but to say we "didn't compete" is ridiculous.
He's a kid......you're acting like he came down there & slapped you around.
I wouldn't get all upset about it.
I interpreted his meaning as "i don't think they really competed."(up to their potential).
I have talked with Kenjon several times in practices and he is a determined young player that loves competing.