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PACIFIC-12 CONFERENCE MEDIA DAYJuly 24, 2012Kenjon BarnerMichael ClayChip KellyUNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA COACH KELLY: We're excited to be back at this again, it signifies the start of college football for us. We finished April28th and had a great spring as a group, but now it's been in these guys' hand since then. Couldn't be in two better hands. They've done a great job. We have great leadership from this group and we're excited. We have a team coming off the Rose Bowl. Great victory for us, and that spring boarded us into the off‑season, we had 10 seniors, and we have 16 seniors on this team and 65 freshmen and sophomores. So we know with a youthful group like that, you're going to have to have great leadership from your older players and these two players, Kenjon Barner and Michael Clay will be playing their senior seasons, their senior degrees and everything I want in a football program and in players is what these two guys represent. Can't wait to get started. Q. With the departure of James, how big of a role will De'Anthony's role increase? COACH KELLY: I think De'Anthony will increase and Kenjon's role will increase, and knowing that we have Kenjon and Anthony, let us you sleep at night and then we have to see who we will develop as a third and fourth, because you're going to need depth in this league. Q. What are the plans for new uniforms this year, and helmets? And I want to know, Kenjon, do you guys seriously sometimes look at the uniforms that come out‑‑ and I won't name any teams but you have to wonder if they went too far? KENJON BARNER: I will be careful when I answer this question. As far as the uniforms, who knows what to expect, it's Oregon. I look at teams and kinda wonder what exactly was the reasoning behind it. Everybody wants to be fresh and everybody wants to be brand new and innovative, so I can see where you're coming from. Q. Championship, to piggy back the question off earlier about De'Anthonoy, he was electrifying as a freshman. How much more can he do? COACH KELLY: Hopefully a lot! There are some things‑‑ and these guys will tell you that he's done in practice that you kinda just go "wow" and he was like that from the start last year. We were conscious in using them that we didn't want to overload him and we had him for a true freshman to come in and play receiver and running back and to be able to handle both those roles speaks a lot to his football acumen, he's a smart kid, understands concepts well and we'll keep add to go his plate a little bit. I think the only thing we won't do is let him throw because I've seen him throw, right, Kenjon, and I don't know if he has the arm to throw but maybe as a kick returner, punt returner, but our job as coaches is knowing when you have a guy as talented as him you've got to find ways to get him the football. Q. Chip, you've had an NCAA investigation hanging over your head for quite a while. I'm curious, what you thought about the punishment that was handed out to Penn State yesterday? Obviously it came quickly and the situations are vastly different but what do you think of the fairness of it? COACH KELLY: When I heard what happened to Penn State, I don't think about the sanctions, I think about the kids that were involved and the heinous crime that was committed and I think that's where the attention should be, protecting the youth of this country should be first and foremost what goes on. Q. Michael, being on the opposite end of that quick‑strike offense, you guys being out on the field for so long, one of the most lopsided time of possessions for a defensive unit what measures do you take to be properly conditioned for that defense and being out on the field for so long? MICHAEL CLAY: We go against the fastest offense in the country four times out of the week so I think we're mentally and physically prepared to go 60 minutes with any team because we go against our offense ten minutes throughout the day but you're pulling out 40 plays, that's unheard of right there. I think we just kind of get ready for that in the summer and then during practice the fastest offense in the country. Q. Kenjon, what kind of pressure are you feeling in regards to LaMichael James leaving and you and De'Anthonoy back? Are you feeling pressure and what you feel when you don't know what you're doing? KENJON BARNER: I've been in this position before, quite a few times throughout my career, in Oregon when my name is called upon, yeah, it will be called upon more often now but it's nothing new, so not too much pressure at all. Q. We have been soliciting questions on Facebook and Twitter so for Michael, Jenny wants to know what the Ducks defense is criticized in national media for lacking the tougher, heavier defenses against the south, how do you shake this stereo type? COACH KELLY: We have guys that go up to 295 and 300, and they run as well as anybody in the country, and I think it works for our defense, personally, we don't want the big, slow, clunky guys that get tired after two plays, we want guys that will give you four, hard plays, get a drink of water and come back in and give you more. Q. Is De'Anthonoy more of a running back now or split evenly between running back and receiver, and can Kenjon carry the ball as much as LaMichael did, get as many touches? COACH KELLY: I don't know what De'Anthonoy is. I think he's a special talent that you figure out how to use him and get him the football. I believe Kenjon can handle the load. We don't want anybody to be carrying the ball 30 times a game and that's happened in LaMichael's career just because maybe Kenjon wasn't available in that game, but usually we have two guys and we split the carries between those to, so depending on the depth behind those two guys will determine how we will use them, but you will see them both on the field at the same time, and I think what that presents to a defense with some of the other weapons we have from a skilled position standpoint is going to make defensive coordinators stay up late at night. THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, thank you so much for your time. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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