Brent Barnes was appointed the Saxons’ defensive coordinator prior to the 2014 season.
Barnes, who also serves as linebackers coach, comes to AU from Rhodes College, a Division III program in Memphis, TN. He served as passing game coordinator and defensive secondary coach at Rhodes from 2012-14 before being named co-offensive coordinator/running backs and tight ends coach this year.
As secondary coach at Rhodes, he helped guide a defense that saw significant improvements in scoring defense, yards per play allowed, third down defense and pass efficiency defense, which helped lead the Lynx to an 8-2 record and Southern Athletic Association title in 2013.
Barnes comes to AU with 13 years of previous coaching experience. Prior to his two-season tenure at Rhodes, he served two seasons (2010-11) as offensive coordinator at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC, Canada, coaching wide receivers in 2010 and quarterbacks in 2011. He was an assistant at Middlebury (VT) College in 2008 and 2009, serving as passing game coordinator and wide receiver coach, recruiting coordinator and special teams coach.
He was running backs coach two seasons (2006 and 2007) at the University of Chicago; graduate assistant/defensive backs coach, at Utica College in 2005; defensive backs coach at the University of Redlands (CA) in 2003 and 2004. Barnes served two seasons (2001 and 2002) as an assistant at Montclair (NJ) State, coaching running backs in 2001 and tight ends in 2002.
Barnes graduated from Rice University (Houston, TX) with bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering, economics and history. While at Montclair State, he earned his master’s degree in physical education.
