Oregon football fans that line the sidelines of the litany of practices are likely to see Joe Barnett’s familiar face.
When the Oregon football team started this fall, a mixture of new personalities, new offensive formations and coaching infusions surrounded the program – except not everything changed – notably Barnett’s longtime presence. Barnett, an 86-year-old retired Eugene resident, has provided security as part of a volunteer role held since 1994.
Every day, Barnett can be found sitting comfortably in his golf cart, dressed in loose-fitting pants, a long-sleeved shirt and wide-brimmed hat, a common feature among Oregon coaches. His eyes peeled, he sets up green cones between the players and fans, watching for fans getting too close or the occasional child crawling his or her way into the action.
Barnett chats with dedicated fans and imparts words of advice to players. And he knows his football. He has been coming to football games since becoming a Eugene resident in 1955. It allows him, Barnett said, to provide keen insight to players and enjoy the game.
“I love football,” Barnett said. “I love these kids. They keep me young.”
Barnett will let players know his opinion.
“I can say things to them that even some of the coaches can’t say,” Barnett said. “(Players) know where it’s coming from because they know what I’m talking about.”
Barnett began his volunteer position through assistant coach Neal Zoumboukos and then-coach Rich Brooks. Oregon lost to Penn State 38-20 in the 1995 Rose Bowl and Barnett provided security at the visitor’s entrance.
Mike Bellotti became head coach in February 1995 and the first thing he told Barnett was, “I want you out here.”
Though much remains the same, this offseason featured a coaching staff reorganization and the natural roster change with new players, including heralded running back Jonathan Stewart, and players leaving. The coaching staff gained offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, the former head coach at Brigham Young University.
The changeup came after a disappointing 5-6 season and three years of seasons featuring five or six loss seasons since the 2001 team that went 11-2 and won the Fiesta Bowl against Colorado, 38-16. In the three years leading up to this season Oregon has amassed a pedestrian 20-17 record.
The team has since reloaded with transfer James Finley, sophomore Cameron Colvin and a healthy Demetrius Williams.
“Any team and every team at one time or another has those (down years),” Barnett said. “You just got to accept them and forget about them.”
The early results have been positive, with two wins against Houston and Montana and upcoming home games against Fresno State and USC. This is all good, but Barnett hopes to see Oregon have an undefeated season and win a national title before he goes.
The odds are against them, though this is part of the excitement of a new season with endless possibilities and where at its essence, the football remains the same – just like his enthusiasm about Oregon athletics – including college basketball.
“It’s always changing, and yet it’s never the same, and yet it’s always the same,” Barnett said.
Barnett was a part of Army ROTC through the University from 1955 until 1968 and then worked at the Physical Plant, which equipped the University with school supplies such as toilet paper and soap, until he retired in 1981. Around that time his wife Margaret passed away and Barnett decided to traverse the globe, visiting Alaska, China, Belgium, Thailand, Canada, Ireland and other countries.
“It was something to do more than anything else,” Barnett said.
But he always came back to Eugene. His family is here (he remarried to Paula in 2000), including relatives that are current and former University employees, such as retired Senior Associate Athletic Director Sandy Walton.
Naturally, Barnett fits in, and at the end of practices, he ambles out onto the field, talking to players and coaches, comfortable in his surroundings.
“They really accept me as one of their own,” said Barnett of the players. “It’s just a great feeling.”