Football: Media ban for Barkley

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Matt Barkley has gone from media darling to ... not talking at all?

I called Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson this week to try to set up an interview with his star quarterback, who was recently featured on the cover of the Orange County Register and the cover of USA Today’s sports section. Apparently all the attention got to be a bit much.

I received a return call not from Rollinson but from school spokesperson Pam Coe, who said Barkley was not conducting interviews this week. And Barkley’s father, Les, pretty much reiterated the same thing.

‘It got pretty crazy here recently,’ Les Barkley said. ‘Let’s let him relax and get acclimated to everything.’

Barkley, last season’s Gatorade national player of the year, completed 15 of 31 passes for 301 yards and six touchdowns with four interceptions during Mater Dei’s opening 46-43 victory over Carson in triple overtime. The Monarchs play host to Cypress on Thursday at Santa Ana Stadium in their home opener.

--Ben Bolch

--Image by Glenn Koenig/Los Angeles Times