By Jake Zivin

EUGENE, Ore. --- To most Duck fans, Kenjon Barner's decision to return to school for his senior season was a no-brainer.  But for Barner himself, it wasn't easy.

"Until I talked to my mother, and coach [Chip] Kelly and [running back] coach [Gary] Campbell, I thought it was time to go. I was extremely close," said Barner on Wednesday.  "The promise to my mother [that I'd complete] my degree was really the main thing that got me to come back."

It's such a similar situation to Chip Kelly's.  Both Kelly and Barner flirted with leaving Oregon for the NFL, but both ultimately chose to return to the Ducks.  That point wasn't lost on either player or coach, who spoke on the phone a few days ago.

"He asked me, 'did you think I was going?', and I said 'yes, absolutely, that's what was reported'," said Barner, with a smile. " He explained that it was a similar situation [to Barner's].  You have to make the best decision for yourself, and the best decision for him was to be here."

After three years playing in the relative shadow of his best friend, LaMichael James, Barner will now be the Ducks feature back.  More so, he'll be the public face of the program, and the internal leader of the team, roles that he's been groomed for.

"Coach Kelly forced me into this role even before [James and quarterback Darron Thomas declared for the NFL draft]," said Barner.  "Now I'm trying to be more vocal, to do the right things and say the right things to lead this team in the right direction."

It's now Barner's decision to organize off-season workouts and to keep the team focused between now and spring practice.  But motivating teammates is not something that Barner is worried about.

"We won [the Rose Bowl] and now we want it again.  You have to be hungry, you can never get complacent," said Barner.