Kris Farris scares opposing defenses

Friday, October 16, 1998

Kris Farris scares opposing defenses

FEATURE: Big man wanted to direct films but opted to be lineman
instead

By Vytas Mazeika

Daily Bruin Staff

‘Action!’

Kristofer Martin Farris always thought he’d say ‘cut’ behind a
film camera instead of hearing ‘hut’ in front of a quarterback.

As part of a family which is more likely to watch figure skating
than football or basketball games, UCLA’s junior left tackle was
never really interested in sports. He wouldn’t go outside to play
football; rather he would stay inside and act out plays and
recitals with his three sisters ­ Kimberly (the oldest), Kelly
and Karly (the two youngest).

Kim, who Kris says is really into drama, would have her siblings
reenact plays while she would play the part of the director.

One day Farris hoped he too could be a director like Steven
Spielberg; Farris admires him quite a bit and always finds some way
to mention him in an interview.

‘Football wasn’t my No. 1 priority in high school,’ Farris said.
‘I wanted to be a film director and that’s the reason I narrowed it
down to USC, UCLA and Stanford.

‘I figured I couldn’t go wrong with Stanford, but USC and UCLA
have great film schools. I figured I could use football to get into
film school here. Eventually film didn’t work out, but football
started to mature and the NFL turned out to be more of a desirable
goal for me.’

Farris is now one of 12 semi-finalists for the Rotary Lombardi
Award ­ an award that honors the top offensive lineman in
college football. Jonathan Ogden, the UCLA tackle whom Farris
replaced, took second place for that award; Ogden also won the 1995
Outland Trophy and is now a part of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.

Considering Farris only made second-team all-league in his
second year, being considered one of the top 12 linemen in the
nation is a reflection of Farris’ talent and work ethic.

Will he win the award?

‘I think he’s every bit as entitled (to that honor) as any of
the other guys,’ UCLA assistant coach Gary Bernardi said. ‘If he
continues to improve week to week, and from the beginning of the
season to the end of the season, I hope he’s one of the favorites.
But he’s got to continue to improve.’

His mother always told Farris, who right now is 6-feet-9-inches
tall and 320 pounds, that he was off the charts. Going into junior
high, Farris was 6-feet tall, then 6’4′ when he graduated junior
high, 6’5′ and 230 pounds entering high school and 6’7′ and 250
pounds by the time he finished high school.

Due to his humongous stature, a common misconception is that
Farris is good at basketball. Although 1998’s ‘Godzilla’ preached
that ‘Size Does Matter,’ sometimes skills are more important.

‘I’m really terrible at basketball,’ Farris said. ‘That’s my No.
1 secret that no one should really know about. (UCLA head
basketball coach Steve) Lavin wanted me to play basketball for him
last year because they needed a big center … and obviously I
couldn’t do it because I wanted to focus on football. But little
did he know how terrible at basketball I am.’

Inept on the basketball court, Farris showed just as little
skill on the gridiron. ­ until he reached high school

Farris left Minnesota and moved to California in 1984 at the age
of seven. He remembers trying to watch the Super Bowl ­ the
only football game he would watch all year long. The problem was he
would get bored halfway through the first quarter and turn the TV
off.

This nonchalant attitude toward the pigskin changed once he
entered high school. Now Farris watches football all of the time
­ including the Super Bowl.

‘I wasn’t even planning on playing football, the coaches just
kind of told me this would be a great thing,’ Farris said. ‘I
didn’t even know anything about football and they said Å’We’ll
teach you.’ They just threw me out there and blew a whistle and I
said Å’Where do I go?’ And they pointed me to all these huge,
fat people.’

That’s when Farris found out he was going to be an offensive
lineman.

Since that day Farris has had to learn the intricacies of
football at a rapid pace. Even now he learns something new every
day.

UCLA offensive line coach Mark Weber joined the staff two years
ago. Farris had already been a Bruin for two years, but Weber could
see how Farris wasn’t completely comfortable playing in a Division
I program.

Two years and many practices later, Farris has become one of the
best in the nation.

‘He has improved in all areas,’ Weber said. ‘The biggest thing
with Kris is he’s learning how to play at this level. I don’t think
he quite knew how to play at this level, so he’s gaining confidence
and now he’s able to play harder.’

As his knowledge of the position and the game increases, so does
the his confidence level. This allows Farris to feel more at
ease.

Therefore Farris is always attentive and focused ­
especially during the football season.

Farris earned a spot on the Director’s Honor Roll in the fall of
1995 with a 3.30 grade point average and in the fall of 1996 with a
3.57 GPA.

The reason Farris gives for his two best academic quarters
coinciding with the football season is a drive to succeed.

‘I just want to do the best I can and I haven’t done that yet,’
Farris said. ‘I didn’t come in being the No. 1 recruit in the
nation like a handful of these guys. My high school only won four
games my senior year and I have a lot of things that drive me that
I haven’t accomplished yet. That’s what keeps me going.’

The battle in the trenches is something Farris has learned to
appreciate. In high school he preferred to pass protect, but now
the one-on-one battle involved in run blocking appeals to him
more.

Farris battles to settle who’s stronger, tougher and has the
best technique. This change in philosophy can be attributed to
Weber, but senior right guard Andy Meyers should also take some of
the credit.

Farris and Meyers are close friends who motivate each other to
get better. Ever since Farris’ redshirt freshman season, the two of
them continually interact and share a good relationship.

‘When he was a freshman I knew he was going to play,’ Meyers
said. ‘As a true freshman I saw his talent and said, Å’This is
going to be our next tackle once Jonathan Ogden leaves.’ And that’s
just the bottom line.

‘He needed to kind of grow up in the game. Become a little
tougher. Become a little meaner. Now he’s a monster. Now I wish I
was as good as he is.’

Many of the nation’s offensive linemen wish they were as good as
Farris is right now. But what else should the UCLA fans know about
Farris?

‘I don’t think UCLA should now anything more about me,’ Farris
said. ‘I’m pretty one-dimensional unfortunately. I used to be
pretty well-rounded, but now it’s just football.’

And watching a lot of Spielberg movies.

‘Cut!’

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