Sources: Eastern Kentucky's Barnett heading to Louisiana Tech

Author:
Publish date:

Veteran football operations director John Barnett is returning to the Football Bowls Subdivision level of college football.

Sources tell FootballScoop that Barnett is leaving his post at Eastern Kentucky to join the football operations staff at Louisiana Tech for head coach Skip Holtz.

Barnett had spent the past four years at EKU, transitioning with the program from former coach Mark Elder into the rebuilding work being done by Walt Wells.

For Barnett, it's a return to the region where he's worked a majority of his football career. Barnett had a six-year run at Southern Miss.

While starting out as a video assistant for the Golden Eagles' football program, Barnett eventually ascended to the assistant director of football operations post and then spent his final year in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, as the lead director.

Following that time, he transitioned briefly to Kansas in an assistant role before he left the Jayhawks' program after a few months to take over operations at FCS resident Eastern Kentucky.

A Virginia Tech graduate, Barnett is credited with helping the Colonels land top-20 recruiting classes in both 2019 and 2020 after assuming recruiting operations duties for EKU in 2018.

Eastern Kentucky is expected to immediately begin a search for Barnett's replacement in the Colonels' program.

EKU just wrapped up spring practice, after it played a daunting fall schedule under Wells, and is slated to open its 2021 campaign Sept. 4 at Western Carolina.

As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest news and notes in football.

You May Like

Kiffin Ole MIss

#ScholarshipAlert at Ole Miss with Lane Kiffin

Pointed out in front of his entire team after a hard workout for exhibiting "uncommon" traits in the best possible way, Lane Kiffin and the Rebels award a scholarship to a walk-on linebacker.

Hawaii Manoa Valley Field

A look at Hawaii's temporary home for this fall

With Aloha Stadium officialy condemned, here's where Hawaii will be playing home games this fall.

IMG_1217

Pasadena City College tabs new head coach with West Coast, Power 5 ties

Pasadena City College has long been a strong, two-year program that's sent plenty of players on to four-year programs. The school now has selected the coach to lead the Lancers' program into the future.

LSU-tigerstadium

LSU legend Marucci prepares for new role

Jack Marucci has been a fixture among LSU athletics for the past quarter-century, and in the field of athletics training, Marucci long has been seen as a bit of a visionary. He's prepared to move into an all-new role in collegiate athletes.

Soldier Field

Chicago Bears considering a move to the suburbs

Is the team considering a move to the suburbs after a century in Chicago or bluffing to get a better deal out of the city?

Mark Mangino Kansas

Former Kansas head coach Mark Mangino is open to a return to college football

Mark Mangino, the last Kansas coach to lead the Jayhawks to a bowl game and top 25 ranking, shares that he's open to a return to coaching as long as its the right opportunity.

NFL covid

The NFL will treat the vaccinated and the unvaccinated quite differently.

For vaccinated players and personnel, training camp will feel a lot like 2019 and before. For the unvaccinated, it'll be a repeat of 2020.

NFL world

Pioli Family Fund selects first two HBCU honorees

The University of Miami's Terry Jefferson and the Los Angeles Rams' James Bullock III have been selected as the first two recipients of grants from the Pioli Family Fund for HBCU Coaches and Scouts, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Wednesday.