Matt Barnes (American football)
{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1986)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Primary sources|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Matt Barnes
| current_title = Co-defensive coordinator & safeties coach
| current_team = Mississippi State
| current_conference = SEC
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|5|27|mf=y}}
| alma_mater = Salisbury University (2008)
| player_team1 = Salisbury University
| player_positions = Linebacker
| coach_years1 = 2009
| coach_team1 = Delaware Valley (RB)
| coach_years2 = 2010
| coach_team2 = West Virginia Wesleyan (RB)
| coach_years3 = 2011
| coach_team3 = West Virginia Wesleyan (OC/QB)
| coach_years4 = 2012–2014
| coach_team4 = Florida (GA)
| coach_years5 = 2015
| coach_team5 = Michigan (DA)
| coach_years6 = 2016–2018
| coach_team6 = Maryland (STC/LB)
| coach_years7 = 2019
| coach_team7 = Ohio State (STC/Asst. DB)
| coach_years8 = 2020
| coach_team8 = Ohio State (STC/S)
| coach_years9 = 2021
| coach_team9 = Ohio State (DB/DC)
| coach_years10 = 2022–2023
| coach_team10 = Memphis (DC)
| coach_years11 = 2024–present
| coach_team11 = Mississippi State (Co-DC/S)
}}
Matt Barnes (born May 27, 1986) is an American college football coach. He is the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for Mississippi State University, positions he has held since 2024. He previously served as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach at Ohio State and defensive coordinator for Memphis.
Playing career
Barnes played linebacker for Salisbury University.{{Cite web|date=2018-06-18|title=Matt Barnes|url=https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/coach/matt-barnes/|access-date=2021-01-14|website=Ohio State Buckeyes|language=en-US}}
Barnes played Tailback and Safety for the Urbana Hawks during their then State record 50 game win streak. Becoming, along with Billy Gaines and Eric Lenz, one of the only Sophomores to make the start for Dave Carruthers at Urbana.{{cite web |title=Urbana wins 50th straight, state title |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2001-12-01-0112010405-story.html |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 2001 |access-date=March 27, 2021}}
Coaching career
Barnes began his coaching career in 2009 as the running backs coach for Delaware Valley University. In 2010, he coached running backs West Virginia Wesleyan College. In 2011, Barnes served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for West Virginia Wesleyan.
Barnes got his first coaching opportunity at the Division I level as a graduate assistant at the University of Florida. He held this role from 2012-2014.
In 2015, he joined the staff at the University of Michigan as a defensive analyst.
From 2016-2018, he served as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator for the University of Maryland.{{Cite web|title=2016 Football Roster|url=https://umterps.com/sports/football/roster/2016|access-date=2021-01-14|website=University of Maryland Athletics|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=2017 Football Roster|url=https://umterps.com/sports/football/roster/2017|access-date=2021-01-14|website=University of Maryland Athletics|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Football Coaches|url=https://umterps.com/sports/football/coaches/2018|access-date=2021-01-14|website=University of Maryland Athletics|language=en}}
= Ohio State =
In 2019, Barnes accepted a job on Ryan Day's staff at Ohio State as assistant secondary coach and special teams coordinator. Prior to the 2020 season, Barnes was given the title of safeties coach and special teams coordinator. Barnes was then named the secondary coach on February 3, 2021.{{Cite web|date=2021-02-03|title=Ohio State Promotes Matt Barnes to Secondary Coach, Parker Fleming to Special Teams Coordinator|url=https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/2021/01/120858/ohio-state-promotes-parker-fleming-to-special-teams-coordinator|access-date=2021-02-10|website=Eleven Warriors|language=en}}
Following defensive struggles for the Buckeyes in the beginning of the 2021 season, defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs was stripped of defensive play calling duties, which were given to Barnes.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-19|title=Buckeyes' Day: DC Coombs didn't call plays Sat.|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32233394/ohio-state-ryan-day-says-matt-barnes-not-kerry-coombs-called-defensive-plays-vs-tulsa|access-date=2021-10-02|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|last1=Baird|first1=Nathan|last2=clevel|last3=.com|date=2021-09-19|title=Ohio State football demoted defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs, giving play calling duties to Matt Barnes|url=https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2021/09/ohio-state-football-demoted-defensive-coordinator-kerry-coombs-giving-play-calling-duties-to-matt-barnes.html|access-date=2021-10-02|website=cleveland|language=en}}
=== Memphis ===
On January 1, 2022, it was reported that Barnes would become the defensive coordinator at Memphis.{{cite news |last1=Brice |first1=John |title=Sources: Ohio State's Barnes top target for Memphis defensive coordinator job |url=https://footballscoop.com/news/memphis-targeting-ohio-state-assistant-for-defensive-coordinator |access-date=January 1, 2022 |work=footballscoop.com |publisher=Football Scoop |date=January 1, 2022}}
References
{{Southeastern Conference defensive coordinators}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Matt}}
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Salisbury Sea Gulls football players
Category:Delaware Valley Aggies football coaches
Category:West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats football coaches
Category:Florida Gators football coaches
Category:Michigan Wolverines football coaches