Kenjon Barner and Josh Huff have been friends since 2010, when Barner was a sophomore at Oregon and Huff was a freshman.
 
So when the Eagles released Huff a couple weeks ago, it was very tough time for Barner.
 
His close friend was gone. And playing time arrived.
 
Huff’s release opened up the door for Barner to return kickoffs for the Eagles, and on Sunday, he had his first three returns of the year — a 31-yarder in the second quarter, a 31-yarder in the third quarter to set up a field goal and a 52-yarder that he nearly broke for a TD in the fourth quarter.
 
Barner had only returned three kickoffs in his entire NFL career — one of them with the Panthers in 2013.
 
“He just told me to ball out,” Barner said of Huff. “We’ve got a long relationship. I know what he’s capable of doing, he knows what I’m capable of doing. 
 
“He told me, 'You know what to do, you know what you’re capable of. Now go out there and make it happen.'”
 
Huff averaged 36.0 yards on seven kickoff returns, including a 98-yard touchdown, before he was released. Rookie Wendell Smallwood is averaging 31.6 yards on seven returns, including an 86-yard TD. And Barner is now averaging 38.0 yards on three returns.
 
He’s the first Eagle in at least 45 years — as far back as stats are available — to have three or more kick returns in a game and gain 30 or more yards on every one of them.
 
His 38.0 average Sunday was highest by an Eagle with three or more kick returns in a game since Quintin Demps averaged 44.3 yards on four returns against the Ravens in 2008 — the game Donovan McNabb was benched for Kevin Kolb.
 
“Just seeing the hole, hitting the hole, being aggressive,” Barner said. “Having faith in the guys up front. They did a great job there and helped me make plays.”
 
How rare is it to have three players on the same team with a kick return of 50 yards or more?
 
It’s never happened before in Eagles history.
 
As a team, the Eagles are averaging 33.7 yards per kick return. 
 
For the record, no team in NFL history has ever averaged 30 yards per return over a full season. The Chiefs set the NFL record with 29.9 in 2013.
 
For Barner, bringing back kicks is a way to get on the field now that it appears he’s only going to be used sporadically as a ball carrier.
 
Barner got 14 carries for 86 yards in the Eagles’ first three games — all wins — but has just six carries since.
 
“Coach (Gary) Campbell, my running back coach back at Oregon, told me when I first got there, ‘Never count your reps, just make your reps count, no matter where they come from,’" Barner said.
 
“So that’s my mindset. That’s what I intend to do wherever my reps may come. Kick return, whatever it is. Just go out there and make them count.”