Tag: Robert Barnes

Former Oklahoma LB Robert Barnes transferring to Colorado

Former Oklahoma linebacker Robert Barnes announced on Sunday night that he will be transferring to Colorado.

Another Oklahoma player who had previously entered the transfer portal has announced his new home.

Former linebacker Robert Barnes announced on Sunday night that he would be heading to the mountains and joining Colorado out of the Pac-12.

Originally a safety, Barnes made the move to linebacker prior to the beginning of the 2020 season. Although, he did still play some safety sporadically throughout the year.

In 27 career games with the Sooners, Barnes accumulated 77 total tackles with 54 of those coming in his breakout 2018 season. He also picked up two career interceptions.

A solid player with bright spot moments peppered throughout his tenure, this move should provide Barnes more consistent playing time in the 2021 season. He and his new Buffaloes teammates will open their season at home against Northern Colorado on Sep. 3rd.

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Oklahoma 2020 player card: No. 20 Robert Barnes

Sooners Wire will be creating player cards for readers to be introduced to the 2020 roster. Here is No. 20 Robert Barnes.

There is a ton of momentum to having a 2020 college football season these days. No definite signs, yet, but the season would start less than 100 days from now.

Sooners Wire will be creating player cards for readers to be introduced to the 2020 roster.

Here is the defensive No. 20 for Oklahoma.

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Name: Robert Barnes

Number: No. 20

Year: Redshirt junior

Position: Linebacker

Hometown: Southlake, Texas

Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 207 pounds

After a position change last season, Robert Barnes may hold his own among Oklahoma’s young linebacker core.

A redshirt junior, Barnes was a starter for majority of Oklahoma’s 2018 season. He appeared in 11 games at safety and started in the final eight games of the season. Barnes’ spot was taken by the tandem of Patrick Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell in 2019 as he only appeared in four games and redshirted. He then made the switch to linebacker.

Despite playing less last season, Barnes will be vying for the starting position in one of the most unsure position groups on Oklahoma’s team heading into the 2020 season.

Outside of Caleb Kelly, the Sooners will have plenty of youth across the board at linebacker position. Barnes’ experience alone could earn him more valuable minutes this upcoming season.

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Robert Barnes, Jamal Morris have moved positions from safety to linebacker

Two of OU’s safety have come down to play at linebacker. Lincoln Riley announced that Robert Barnes and Jamal Morris have made the move.

Two of Oklahoma’s safety have come down to play at linebacker.

The Sooners were going to be thin behind returners DaShaun White, Brian Asamoah and Caleb Kelly for linebackers coach Brian Odom’s second season. Former safeties Robert Barnes and Jamal Morris have made the move to help him out, Lincoln Riley announced on Monday.

Barnes was a starter for majority of Oklahoma’s 2018 season. He appeared in 11 games, including starts in the final eight games of the season that ended with a loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoff at the Orange Bowl. Barnes’ spot was taken by the tandem of Patrick Fields and Delarrin Turner-Yell in 2019 as he only appeared in four games and redshirted.

“I think it was one of those situations where we just kind of looked at where he was and opportunities for the future,” Riley said at his press conference Monday in regards to Barnes’ 2019 campaign. “I don’t know if necessarily those two decisions were made at the same time. I think more, it’s about where he was as a player at that point and thinking that that year could be of benefit. And then as time went on with conversations that we continually to have, it makes sense all the way around.”

Morris got to Oklahoma as an early enrollee from the 2019 recruiting class. He was a four-star safety out of high school with offers from the likes of Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame and Texas. Morris could be seen in street clothes on the sidelines for much of the 2019 season as he redshirted.

Riley and Alex Grinch welcome in early enrollee Shane Whitter from the 2020 recruiting class as the only newcomer into the linebacker room for the spring.

Barnes comes into the spring at 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, up 12 pounds from the end of the 2019 season. Morris comes in at 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, up 16 pounds from the end of last season.

Oklahoma begins spring practice on Tuesday.

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