http://www.enidnews.com/opinion/columns/column-revenge-would-only-be-human-nature-for-baker-mayfield/article_c7a91d95-ec2a-5a20-8ba6-f1363e1df54d.html
Rivalries are a fundamentally fantastic function of college sports. Usually, it's simply between two longstanding logos, but rivalries between individuals are even sweeter.
Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury have a history with each other for their unexpected union in 2013, which makes for a fascinating storyline. But, of course, neither of them can play along during their weekly press conferences.
“That whole talk is something I'm gonna stay away from this week,” Kingsbury said. “I'll focus on the game and two really good teams going at it.”
“Just another game,” Mayfield said with a smirk.
But, is it? Of course not. There are much higher personal stakes riding on this game. Who you beat, or who beat you,. becomes much more important than ever before. Especially if you feel like your were personally wronged by your opponent in the past.
There's no reason for Mayfield to resist human nature when spending this week seeking retribution against the Red Raider head coach who looks like Ryan Gosling, but sounds like Matthew McConaughey.
This is not just another game. This is Mayfield's chance to best his former coach, who's fate and respect he had to earn two years ago when he walked onto the team and climbed the depth chart to become the first walk-on freshman starting quarterback in major college football. That coach, who's indecision on the starting position leading into the 2013 Holiday
Bowl left him so insulted he left the program all together rather than play out through the competition to see who get the nod against the 10-win Arizona State Sun Devils. Ironically one month after wearing a uniform during a Big 12 football game that literally had “NEVER QUIT” plastered all over his helmet and jersey.
After Mayfield spent an entire year rapidly rising through the ranks, while slaving through all of the hours with none of the scholarship money, only to be strong-armed out of a year of eligibility by Kingsbury for choosing to transfer to another school, seeking revenge would be an understandable motivator.
“It’s human nature to try to get revenge,” Mayfield said. “That’s just how everybody works.”