Wonderful Article on Lowe

Discussion in 'Oregon Ducks' started by BLAZER PROPHET, Oct 23, 2013.

  1. BLAZER PROPHET

    BLAZER PROPHET Well-Known Member

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    http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2013/10/post_24.html#incart_river

    EUGENE -- They hold him as an example of what Oregon football is all about, because Keanon Lowe works so hard, plays so selflessly, and does it all with an attitude that teammate Bralon Addison describes as “bringing sunshine to the rain.”

    “He is everything we want to be,’’ head coach Mark Helfrich said.

    On a team bursting with superstars, Lowe won’t often make the front page or the highlights. But inside the program, he is a headliner.

    Earlier this season after the Ducks demolished Cal, Helfrich called Lowe the game's most valuable player, even though he didn’t catch a pass. That’s because he delivered blocks that led to three touchdowns for teammates. And in Monday’s team meeting, Lowe was again the star of the big screen, as Helfrich showed a replay not of Lowe’s touchdown catch, but of Lowe’s block that took out two Washington State players and freed Thomas Tyner for a 66-yard touchdown run.

    He also starts on every special teams unit, often throwing his nose in the middle of a fray that most 186-pounders would shy from.

    “He is an example for everybody to follow because he epitomizes what we try to do,’’ offensive coordinator Scott Frost said.

    As it turns out, the qualities Helfrich and Frost rave about are not best exemplified by a key block, a determined practice repetition, or even a touchdown catch. They are personified by a 13-year-old in Portland.

    His brother, Trey.

    “He is who I live my life for,’’ Lowe said. ”There is no one on this earth I love more than that kid.’’

    It started with the first breath

    There is nothing unique about a brother loving another brother. But when people see Keanon and Trey, they can’t help but notice something different.

    “The love I saw between those two was amazing,’’ said Ken Potter, the coach at Jesuit High in Portland, where Keanon was All-State as a running back and defensive back, as well as the 2009 state defensive player of the year.

    Added Kevin Lowe, their father: “Their connection is tighter than just brothers. It’s father/son, it’s brothers, it’s friendship. It’s almost weird how close they are. There’s no doubt there is a special bond.’’

    It started when Keanon was there for Trey’s first breath.

    When Jennifer Lowe went into labor 13 years ago, she invited Keanon and his older sister, Alisa, to be in the delivery room. When the birth neared, Alisa said she couldn’t take it. She went to the restroom and got sick.

    Not Keanon.

    “Keanon was very concerned about me, and was up right next to me,’’ Jennifer said. “Before I knew it, he was right down there, seeing what was happening, watching Trey come. It was very cool. Ever since then they have been connected.’’

    Two years later, Kevin and Jennifer would divorce.

    “When that happened, it put a lot on me, personally,’’ Keanon said. “I had to be a big brother, but also a father figure.’’

    He took the role seriously and with the same determination that Helfrich and Frost speak of today. Everything Lowe does is full effort. His mom calls him a perfectionist, and there would be nothing missed, no short cuts when it came to Trey.

    When Keanon was in eighth grade and Trey in kindergarten, he would wake his little brother by 7 a.m. and get him ready for school, walking him one block to the bus stop, where he would wait until it came.

    “I remember always waving to him out the bus window as we left,’’ Trey said.

    And when it came time to learn how to ride a bike, Keanon was there by Trey’s side, steadying the bike, giving encouragement.

    “I remember it like it was yesterday,’’ Trey said. “I remember him walking next to me, and one time he let go, and I was still riding. Then he was running right beside me. He was so happy for me.’’

    Passing down lessons

    So how does a 13-year-old little brother come to exemplify the leader of one of the most excellent football teams in the nation?

    It’s the lessons Keanon passes down to Trey. Lessons that are shaping the next generation as well as strengthening an already established culture at Oregon.

    “He tells me how to be a team player, how to play together,’’ Trey said. “He stresses that when you are playing on a team, it’s not just about you.’’

    Earlier that day in Eugene, shortly after he was surrounded by television cameras and reporters, Lowe explained why it’s not hard for him as a receiver to accept a role dominated by blocking more than catching the football.

    “An offense can’t go unless all 11 guys are executing at the best of the their abilities,’’ Lowe said. “When I help Josh (Huff) score, it’s like I score. If Marcus (Mariota) scores, I score. It doesn’t matter. It’s the Oregon offense, and if someone scores, I’m happy because I’m part of the Oregon offense.’’

    In Portland, Trey is a standout running back and linebacker, and an accomplished point guard. He says he hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps and attend Jesuit next year as a freshman. His father, who Keanon calls in Portland after every game, says he will be able to pick his college in either sport.

    Keanon says he has been teaching Trey the techniques and concepts that he is learning at Oregon, a benefit Trey says is a big advantage. But the biggest lesson, Trey says, has nothing to do with pass routes or training tips.

    “He reminds me all the time that I have to be humble,’’ Trey said. “If you want to be a good person, or a good player, you can’t get a big head and think you are better than you are. He tells me if you are humble, you will always think you can get better, and that is the only way you can get better.’’

    But more than anything, Trey says, Keanon teaches him how to be a good person.

    “Do things unto others like you want done to you,’’ Trey said. “And he’s not just saying that. I see how he acts around people. He is kind to everyone.’’

    Potter, the longtime coach at Jesuit, said Keanon’s considerable on-the-field achievements were only half of the story in high school.

    “He is one of those special, rare breeds who makes you feel good just being around him,’’ Potter said. “He always made sure everyone, even those less fortunate, felt like they were the most important people around. He just has that way about him, that nothing is below him. Everybody is equal.’’

    Now, that is being passed down to a brother, and also to his team at Oregon.

    “I just try to teach Trey to be a good person,’’ Keanon said. “How you treat others is one of the most important things in life; it’s one of the many things I learned at Jesuit. The people there had such an effect on my life. So I’ve tried to pass that along.’’

    A leader's motivation

    Addison, the rising star of the team, says many on the team know of Trey. It’s hard not to.

    “Keanon talks about him all the time,’’ Addison said. “So we hear about him all the time. He always talks about how he can’t wait to go up to Portland to see him.’’

    The lessons go not only up and down Interstate 5, but throughout the team.

    “He is a selfless player,’’ offensive lineman Tyler Johnstone said. “He does whatever he can do to help the team. He sells out for us, and it’s noticeable. You just don’t see other receivers selling out like he does. I mean, there’s plays where there is a 99 percent chance Keanon Lowe is not going to get the ball on passing plays, but he is running his route harder than anybody, which takes pressure off the guy who is probably going to get the ball.’’

    It’s not like Lowe is a decoy. For the season, Lowe has 13 catches for 164 yards and three touchdowns. He also has three tackles on special teams and six kick returns for an average of 19.5 yards, including one for 48 yards. He has directly accounted for at least four touchdowns for teammates with blocks.

    “He is quietly one of the most important guys on offense,’’ Mariota said. “The way he blocks, the way he is able to get open underneath ... he does a great job at being that steady force for us.’’

    Addison, who said he scored both of his touchdowns on punt returns because of blocks by Lowe -- including his second return in which Lowe made two blocks at different points of the return -- thinks he knows why Lowe has been such a force this year.

    “Keanon is always telling us how he loves his brother to death,’’ Addison said. “And I think that is one of his motivations, why he is playing so great. He thinks about his brother, he thinks about his family.’’
     
  2. BLAZER PROPHET

    BLAZER PROPHET Well-Known Member

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    http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2013/10/post_24.html#incart_river

    EUGENE -- They hold him as an example of what Oregon football is all about, because Keanon Lowe works so hard, plays so selflessly, and does it all with an attitude that teammate Bralon Addison describes as “bringing sunshine to the rain.”

    “He is everything we want to be,’’ head coach Mark Helfrich said.

    On a team bursting with superstars, Lowe won’t often make the front page or the highlights. But inside the program, he is a headliner.

    Earlier this season after the Ducks demolished Cal, Helfrich called Lowe the game's most valuable player, even though he didn’t catch a pass. That’s because he delivered blocks that led to three touchdowns for teammates. And in Monday’s team meeting, Lowe was again the star of the big screen, as Helfrich showed a replay not of Lowe’s touchdown catch, but of Lowe’s block that took out two Washington State players and freed Thomas Tyner for a 66-yard touchdown run.

    He also starts on every special teams unit, often throwing his nose in the middle of a fray that most 186-pounders would shy from.

    “He is an example for everybody to follow because he epitomizes what we try to do,’’ offensive coordinator Scott Frost said.

    As it turns out, the qualities Helfrich and Frost rave about are not best exemplified by a key block, a determined practice repetition, or even a touchdown catch. They are personified by a 13-year-old in Portland.

    His brother, Trey.

    “He is who I live my life for,’’ Lowe said. ”There is no one on this earth I love more than that kid.’’

    It started with the first breath

    There is nothing unique about a brother loving another brother. But when people see Keanon and Trey, they can’t help but notice something different.

    “The love I saw between those two was amazing,’’ said Ken Potter, the coach at Jesuit High in Portland, where Keanon was All-State as a running back and defensive back, as well as the 2009 state defensive player of the year.

    Added Kevin Lowe, their father: “Their connection is tighter than just brothers. It’s father/son, it’s brothers, it’s friendship. It’s almost weird how close they are. There’s no doubt there is a special bond.’’

    It started when Keanon was there for Trey’s first breath.

    When Jennifer Lowe went into labor 13 years ago, she invited Keanon and his older sister, Alisa, to be in the delivery room. When the birth neared, Alisa said she couldn’t take it. She went to the restroom and got sick.

    Not Keanon.

    “Keanon was very concerned about me, and was up right next to me,’’ Jennifer said. “Before I knew it, he was right down there, seeing what was happening, watching Trey come. It was very cool. Ever since then they have been connected.’’

    Two years later, Kevin and Jennifer would divorce.

    “When that happened, it put a lot on me, personally,’’ Keanon said. “I had to be a big brother, but also a father figure.’’

    He took the role seriously and with the same determination that Helfrich and Frost speak of today. Everything Lowe does is full effort. His mom calls him a perfectionist, and there would be nothing missed, no short cuts when it came to Trey.

    When Keanon was in eighth grade and Trey in kindergarten, he would wake his little brother by 7 a.m. and get him ready for school, walking him one block to the bus stop, where he would wait until it came.

    “I remember always waving to him out the bus window as we left,’’ Trey said.

    And when it came time to learn how to ride a bike, Keanon was there by Trey’s side, steadying the bike, giving encouragement.

    “I remember it like it was yesterday,’’ Trey said. “I remember him walking next to me, and one time he let go, and I was still riding. Then he was running right beside me. He was so happy for me.’’

    Passing down lessons

    So how does a 13-year-old little brother come to exemplify the leader of one of the most excellent football teams in the nation?

    It’s the lessons Keanon passes down to Trey. Lessons that are shaping the next generation as well as strengthening an already established culture at Oregon.

    “He tells me how to be a team player, how to play together,’’ Trey said. “He stresses that when you are playing on a team, it’s not just about you.’’

    Earlier that day in Eugene, shortly after he was surrounded by television cameras and reporters, Lowe explained why it’s not hard for him as a receiver to accept a role dominated by blocking more than catching the football.

    “An offense can’t go unless all 11 guys are executing at the best of the their abilities,’’ Lowe said. “When I help Josh (Huff) score, it’s like I score. If Marcus (Mariota) scores, I score. It doesn’t matter. It’s the Oregon offense, and if someone scores, I’m happy because I’m part of the Oregon offense.’’

    In Portland, Trey is a standout running back and linebacker, and an accomplished point guard. He says he hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps and attend Jesuit next year as a freshman. His father, who Keanon calls in Portland after every game, says he will be able to pick his college in either sport.

    Keanon says he has been teaching Trey the techniques and concepts that he is learning at Oregon, a benefit Trey says is a big advantage. But the biggest lesson, Trey says, has nothing to do with pass routes or training tips.

    “He reminds me all the time that I have to be humble,’’ Trey said. “If you want to be a good person, or a good player, you can’t get a big head and think you are better than you are. He tells me if you are humble, you will always think you can get better, and that is the only way you can get better.’’

    But more than anything, Trey says, Keanon teaches him how to be a good person.

    “Do things unto others like you want done to you,’’ Trey said. “And he’s not just saying that. I see how he acts around people. He is kind to everyone.’’

    Potter, the longtime coach at Jesuit, said Keanon’s considerable on-the-field achievements were only half of the story in high school.

    “He is one of those special, rare breeds who makes you feel good just being around him,’’ Potter said. “He always made sure everyone, even those less fortunate, felt like they were the most important people around. He just has that way about him, that nothing is below him. Everybody is equal.’’

    Now, that is being passed down to a brother, and also to his team at Oregon.

    “I just try to teach Trey to be a good person,’’ Keanon said. “How you treat others is one of the most important things in life; it’s one of the many things I learned at Jesuit. The people there had such an effect on my life. So I’ve tried to pass that along.’’

    A leader's motivation

    Addison, the rising star of the team, says many on the team know of Trey. It’s hard not to.

    “Keanon talks about him all the time,’’ Addison said. “So we hear about him all the time. He always talks about how he can’t wait to go up to Portland to see him.’’

    The lessons go not only up and down Interstate 5, but throughout the team.

    “He is a selfless player,’’ offensive lineman Tyler Johnstone said. “He does whatever he can do to help the team. He sells out for us, and it’s noticeable. You just don’t see other receivers selling out like he does. I mean, there’s plays where there is a 99 percent chance Keanon Lowe is not going to get the ball on passing plays, but he is running his route harder than anybody, which takes pressure off the guy who is probably going to get the ball.’’

    It’s not like Lowe is a decoy. For the season, Lowe has 13 catches for 164 yards and three touchdowns. He also has three tackles on special teams and six kick returns for an average of 19.5 yards, including one for 48 yards. He has directly accounted for at least four touchdowns for teammates with blocks.

    “He is quietly one of the most important guys on offense,’’ Mariota said. “The way he blocks, the way he is able to get open underneath ... he does a great job at being that steady force for us.’’

    Addison, who said he scored both of his touchdowns on punt returns because of blocks by Lowe -- including his second return in which Lowe made two blocks at different points of the return -- thinks he knows why Lowe has been such a force this year.

    “Keanon is always telling us how he loves his brother to death,’’ Addison said. “And I think that is one of his motivations, why he is playing so great. He thinks about his brother, he thinks about his family.’’
     
  3. tlongII

    tlongII Legendary Poster

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    http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/inde...l#incart_river

    EUGENE -- They hold him as an example of what Oregon football is all about, because Keanon Lowe works so hard, plays so selflessly, and does it all with an attitude that teammate Bralon Addison describes as “bringing sunshine to the rain.”

    “He is everything we want to be,’’ head coach Mark Helfrich said.

    On a team bursting with superstars, Lowe won’t often make the front page or the highlights. But inside the program, he is a headliner.

    Earlier this season after the Ducks demolished Cal, Helfrich called Lowe the game's most valuable player, even though he didn’t catch a pass. That’s because he delivered blocks that led to three touchdowns for teammates. And in Monday’s team meeting, Lowe was again the star of the big screen, as Helfrich showed a replay not of Lowe’s touchdown catch, but of Lowe’s block that took out two Washington State players and freed Thomas Tyner for a 66-yard touchdown run.

    He also starts on every special teams unit, often throwing his nose in the middle of a fray that most 186-pounders would shy from.

    “He is an example for everybody to follow because he epitomizes what we try to do,’’ offensive coordinator Scott Frost said.

    As it turns out, the qualities Helfrich and Frost rave about are not best exemplified by a key block, a determined practice repetition, or even a touchdown catch. They are personified by a 13-year-old in Portland.

    His brother, Trey.

    “He is who I live my life for,’’ Lowe said. ”There is no one on this earth I love more than that kid.’’

    It started with the first breath

    There is nothing unique about a brother loving another brother. But when people see Keanon and Trey, they can’t help but notice something different.

    “The love I saw between those two was amazing,’’ said Ken Potter, the coach at Jesuit High in Portland, where Keanon was All-State as a running back and defensive back, as well as the 2009 state defensive player of the year.

    Added Kevin Lowe, their father: “Their connection is tighter than just brothers. It’s father/son, it’s brothers, it’s friendship. It’s almost weird how close they are. There’s no doubt there is a special bond.’’

    It started when Keanon was there for Trey’s first breath.

    When Jennifer Lowe went into labor 13 years ago, she invited Keanon and his older sister, Alisa, to be in the delivery room. When the birth neared, Alisa said she couldn’t take it. She went to the restroom and got sick.

    Not Keanon.

    “Keanon was very concerned about me, and was up right next to me,’’ Jennifer said. “Before I knew it, he was right down there, seeing what was happening, watching Trey come. It was very cool. Ever since then they have been connected.’’

    Two years later, Kevin and Jennifer would divorce.

    “When that happened, it put a lot on me, personally,’’ Keanon said. “I had to be a big brother, but also a father figure.’’

    He took the role seriously and with the same determination that Helfrich and Frost speak of today. Everything Lowe does is full effort. His mom calls him a perfectionist, and there would be nothing missed, no short cuts when it came to Trey.

    When Keanon was in eighth grade and Trey in kindergarten, he would wake his little brother by 7 a.m. and get him ready for school, walking him one block to the bus stop, where he would wait until it came.

    “I remember always waving to him out the bus window as we left,’’ Trey said.

    And when it came time to learn how to ride a bike, Keanon was there by Trey’s side, steadying the bike, giving encouragement.

    “I remember it like it was yesterday,’’ Trey said. “I remember him walking next to me, and one time he let go, and I was still riding. Then he was running right beside me. He was so happy for me.’’

    Passing down lessons

    So how does a 13-year-old little brother come to exemplify the leader of one of the most excellent football teams in the nation?

    It’s the lessons Keanon passes down to Trey. Lessons that are shaping the next generation as well as strengthening an already established culture at Oregon.

    “He tells me how to be a team player, how to play together,’’ Trey said. “He stresses that when you are playing on a team, it’s not just about you.’’

    Earlier that day in Eugene, shortly after he was surrounded by television cameras and reporters, Lowe explained why it’s not hard for him as a receiver to accept a role dominated by blocking more than catching the football.

    “An offense can’t go unless all 11 guys are executing at the best of the their abilities,’’ Lowe said. “When I help Josh (Huff) score, it’s like I score. If Marcus (Mariota) scores, I score. It doesn’t matter. It’s the Oregon offense, and if someone scores, I’m happy because I’m part of the Oregon offense.’’

    In Portland, Trey is a standout running back and linebacker, and an accomplished point guard. He says he hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps and attend Jesuit next year as a freshman. His father, who Keanon calls in Portland after every game, says he will be able to pick his college in either sport.

    Keanon says he has been teaching Trey the techniques and concepts that he is learning at Oregon, a benefit Trey says is a big advantage. But the biggest lesson, Trey says, has nothing to do with pass routes or training tips.

    “He reminds me all the time that I have to be humble,’’ Trey said. “If you want to be a good person, or a good player, you can’t get a big head and think you are better than you are. He tells me if you are humble, you will always think you can get better, and that is the only way you can get better.’’

    But more than anything, Trey says, Keanon teaches him how to be a good person.

    “Do things unto others like you want done to you,’’ Trey said. “And he’s not just saying that. I see how he acts around people. He is kind to everyone.’’

    Potter, the longtime coach at Jesuit, said Keanon’s considerable on-the-field achievements were only half of the story in high school.

    “He is one of those special, rare breeds who makes you feel good just being around him,’’ Potter said. “He always made sure everyone, even those less fortunate, felt like they were the most important people around. He just has that way about him, that nothing is below him. Everybody is equal.’’

    Now, that is being passed down to a brother, and also to his team at Oregon.

    “I just try to teach Trey to be a good person,’’ Keanon said. “How you treat others is one of the most important things in life; it’s one of the many things I learned at Jesuit. The people there had such an effect on my life. So I’ve tried to pass that along.’’

    A leader's motivation

    Addison, the rising star of the team, says many on the team know of Trey. It’s hard not to.

    “Keanon talks about him all the time,’’ Addison said. “So we hear about him all the time. He always talks about how he can’t wait to go up to Portland to see him.’’

    The lessons go not only up and down Interstate 5, but throughout the team.

    “He is a selfless player,’’ offensive lineman Tyler Johnstone said. “He does whatever he can do to help the team. He sells out for us, and it’s noticeable. You just don’t see other receivers selling out like he does. I mean, there’s plays where there is a 99 percent chance Keanon Lowe is not going to get the ball on passing plays, but he is running his route harder than anybody, which takes pressure off the guy who is probably going to get the ball.’’

    It’s not like Lowe is a decoy. For the season, Lowe has 13 catches for 164 yards and three touchdowns. He also has three tackles on special teams and six kick returns for an average of 19.5 yards, including one for 48 yards. He has directly accounted for at least four touchdowns for teammates with blocks.

    “He is quietly one of the most important guys on offense,’’ Mariota said. “The way he blocks, the way he is able to get open underneath ... he does a great job at being that steady force for us.’’

    Addison, who said he scored both of his touchdowns on punt returns because of blocks by Lowe -- including his second return in which Lowe made two blocks at different points of the return -- thinks he knows why Lowe has been such a force this year.

    “Keanon is always telling us how he loves his brother to death,’’ Addison said. “And I think that is one of his motivations, why he is playing so great. He thinks about his brother, he thinks about his family.’’
     
  4. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    Holy shit! BP and tlong are the same person!
     
  5. santeesioux

    santeesioux Just keep on scrolling by

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    It all makes sense now.
     
  6. BLAZER PROPHET

    BLAZER PROPHET Well-Known Member

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    I don't it.

    WAIT! If I don't understand anything, it makes me and Natebishop3 the same person!!

    AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  7. Targus

    Targus Suspended

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    http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/inde...l#incart_river

    EUGENE -- They hold him as an example of what Oregon football is all about, because Keanon Lowe works so hard, plays so selflessly, and does it all with an attitude that teammate Bralon Addison describes as “bringing sunshine to the rain.”

    “He is everything we want to be,’’ head coach Mark Helfrich said.

    On a team bursting with superstars, Lowe won’t often make the front page or the highlights. But inside the program, he is a headliner.

    Earlier this season after the Ducks demolished Cal, Helfrich called Lowe the game's most valuable player, even though he didn’t catch a pass. That’s because he delivered blocks that led to three touchdowns for teammates. And in Monday’s team meeting, Lowe was again the star of the big screen, as Helfrich showed a replay not of Lowe’s touchdown catch, but of Lowe’s block that took out two Washington State players and freed Thomas Tyner for a 66-yard touchdown run.

    He also starts on every special teams unit, often throwing his nose in the middle of a fray that most 186-pounders would shy from.

    “He is an example for everybody to follow because he epitomizes what we try to do,’’ offensive coordinator Scott Frost said.

    As it turns out, the qualities Helfrich and Frost rave about are not best exemplified by a key block, a determined practice repetition, or even a touchdown catch. They are personified by a 13-year-old in Portland.

    His brother, Trey.

    “He is who I live my life for,’’ Lowe said. ”There is no one on this earth I love more than that kid.’’

    It started with the first breath

    There is nothing unique about a brother loving another brother. But when people see Keanon and Trey, they can’t help but notice something different.

    “The love I saw between those two was amazing,’’ said Ken Potter, the coach at Jesuit High in Portland, where Keanon was All-State as a running back and defensive back, as well as the 2009 state defensive player of the year.

    Added Kevin Lowe, their father: “Their connection is tighter than just brothers. It’s father/son, it’s brothers, it’s friendship. It’s almost weird how close they are. There’s no doubt there is a special bond.’’

    It started when Keanon was there for Trey’s first breath.

    When Jennifer Lowe went into labor 13 years ago, she invited Keanon and his older sister, Alisa, to be in the delivery room. When the birth neared, Alisa said she couldn’t take it. She went to the restroom and got sick.

    Not Keanon.

    “Keanon was very concerned about me, and was up right next to me,’’ Jennifer said. “Before I knew it, he was right down there, seeing what was happening, watching Trey come. It was very cool. Ever since then they have been connected.’’

    Two years later, Kevin and Jennifer would divorce.

    “When that happened, it put a lot on me, personally,’’ Keanon said. “I had to be a big brother, but also a father figure.’’

    He took the role seriously and with the same determination that Helfrich and Frost speak of today. Everything Lowe does is full effort. His mom calls him a perfectionist, and there would be nothing missed, no short cuts when it came to Trey.

    When Keanon was in eighth grade and Trey in kindergarten, he would wake his little brother by 7 a.m. and get him ready for school, walking him one block to the bus stop, where he would wait until it came.

    “I remember always waving to him out the bus window as we left,’’ Trey said.

    And when it came time to learn how to ride a bike, Keanon was there by Trey’s side, steadying the bike, giving encouragement.

    “I remember it like it was yesterday,’’ Trey said. “I remember him walking next to me, and one time he let go, and I was still riding. Then he was running right beside me. He was so happy for me.’’

    Passing down lessons

    So how does a 13-year-old little brother come to exemplify the leader of one of the most excellent football teams in the nation?

    It’s the lessons Keanon passes down to Trey. Lessons that are shaping the next generation as well as strengthening an already established culture at Oregon.

    “He tells me how to be a team player, how to play together,’’ Trey said. “He stresses that when you are playing on a team, it’s not just about you.’’

    Earlier that day in Eugene, shortly after he was surrounded by television cameras and reporters, Lowe explained why it’s not hard for him as a receiver to accept a role dominated by blocking more than catching the football.

    “An offense can’t go unless all 11 guys are executing at the best of the their abilities,’’ Lowe said. “When I help Josh (Huff) score, it’s like I score. If Marcus (Mariota) scores, I score. It doesn’t matter. It’s the Oregon offense, and if someone scores, I’m happy because I’m part of the Oregon offense.’’

    In Portland, Trey is a standout running back and linebacker, and an accomplished point guard. He says he hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps and attend Jesuit next year as a freshman. His father, who Keanon calls in Portland after every game, says he will be able to pick his college in either sport.

    Keanon says he has been teaching Trey the techniques and concepts that he is learning at Oregon, a benefit Trey says is a big advantage. But the biggest lesson, Trey says, has nothing to do with pass routes or training tips.

    “He reminds me all the time that I have to be humble,’’ Trey said. “If you want to be a good person, or a good player, you can’t get a big head and think you are better than you are. He tells me if you are humble, you will always think you can get better, and that is the only way you can get better.’’

    But more than anything, Trey says, Keanon teaches him how to be a good person.

    “Do things unto others like you want done to you,’’ Trey said. “And he’s not just saying that. I see how he acts around people. He is kind to everyone.’’

    Potter, the longtime coach at Jesuit, said Keanon’s considerable on-the-field achievements were only half of the story in high school.

    “He is one of those special, rare breeds who makes you feel good just being around him,’’ Potter said. “He always made sure everyone, even those less fortunate, felt like they were the most important people around. He just has that way about him, that nothing is below him. Everybody is equal.’’

    Now, that is being passed down to a brother, and also to his team at Oregon.

    “I just try to teach Trey to be a good person,’’ Keanon said. “How you treat others is one of the most important things in life; it’s one of the many things I learned at Jesuit. The people there had such an effect on my life. So I’ve tried to pass that along.’’

    A leader's motivation

    Addison, the rising star of the team, says many on the team know of Trey. It’s hard not to.

    “Keanon talks about him all the time,’’ Addison said. “So we hear about him all the time. He always talks about how he can’t wait to go up to Portland to see him.’’

    The lessons go not only up and down Interstate 5, but throughout the team.

    “He is a selfless player,’’ offensive lineman Tyler Johnstone said. “He does whatever he can do to help the team. He sells out for us, and it’s noticeable. You just don’t see other receivers selling out like he does. I mean, there’s plays where there is a 99 percent chance Keanon Lowe is not going to get the ball on passing plays, but he is running his route harder than anybody, which takes pressure off the guy who is probably going to get the ball.’’

    It’s not like Lowe is a decoy. For the season, Lowe has 13 catches for 164 yards and three touchdowns. He also has three tackles on special teams and six kick returns for an average of 19.5 yards, including one for 48 yards. He has directly accounted for at least four touchdowns for teammates with blocks.

    “He is quietly one of the most important guys on offense,’’ Mariota said. “The way he blocks, the way he is able to get open underneath ... he does a great job at being that steady force for us.’’

    Addison, who said he scored both of his touchdowns on punt returns because of blocks by Lowe -- including his second return in which Lowe made two blocks at different points of the return -- thinks he knows why Lowe has been such a force this year.

    “Keanon is always telling us how he loves his brother to death,’’ Addison said. “And I think that is one of his motivations, why he is playing so great. He thinks about his brother, he thinks about his family.’’
     
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