THE BARNES FILE

Hometown: Urbana, Md.
College: Salisbury University, 2008
X/Twitter: @CoachMattBarnes
Birthday: May 27, 1986
Wife: Christina
Children: Son: Henry

COACHING EXPERIENCE

2024-present:
Mississippi State, Co-Defensive Coordinator
2022-23:
Memphis, Defensive Coordinator
2021:
Ohio State, Assistant Coach/Defensive Backs
2019-20:
Ohio State, Special Teams Coordinator/Assistant Defensive Backs
2018:
Maryland, Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers
2016-17:
Maryland, Special Teams Coordinator
2015:
Michigan, Defensive Analyst
2012-14:
Florida, Defensive/Special Teams GA
2011:
West Virginia Wesleyan, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2010:
West Virginia Wesleyan, Assistant Coach/Running Backs
2009:
Delaware Valley, Assistant Coach/Running Backs

BOWL GAMES COACHED

2022: SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (Memphis)
2022: Rose Bowl (Ohio State)
2021: Orange Bowl / CFP National Championship (Ohio State)
2021: Sugar Bowl / CFP Semifinal (Ohio State)
2019: Fiesta Bowl / CFP Semifinal (Ohio State)
2016: Quick Lane Bowl (Maryland)
2015: Citrus Bowl (Michigan)
2014: Birmingham Bowl (Florida)
2012: Sugar Bowl (Florida)

Mississippi State head football coach Jeff Lebby announced the hiring of Matt Barnes as the program's co-defensive coordinator on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. Barnes will also coach the safeties.

Barnes joins Lebby's staff at Mississippi State after spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons as the defensive coordinator at the University of Memphis. Before his time with the Tigers, Barnes spent three seasons at Ohio State, helping the Buckeyes win three Big Ten Titles and appear in two College Football Playoffs. Throughout his career, Barnes has also made stops at Power Five programs such as Maryland, Michigan and Florida.

While leading the Memphis defense, Barnes helped coach eight players to All-AAC honors, highlighted by first team honoree Quindell Johnson, who currently plays for the Chicago Bears.

Barnes' 2023 Tiger defense has produced some of the best numbers in the country. His unit has been a force on third downs, holding opponents to a 31% conversion rate, which ranks 17th best in the FBS. As good as his teams have been on third down, they are even better on fourth down, allowing opponents to convert just 30% of the time, which ranks fourth nationally. Additionally, in 2023, Barnes' defense was good at forcing teams to commit turnovers. On the year, the Tigers ranked 19th in fumble recoveries (9) and 41st in interceptions (11).

In his first season at Memphis in 2022, Barnes helped guide the Tigers to a 38-10 victory over Utah State in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. Memphis finished the season ranked fifth in the nation in fewest penalties (53), 10th in interceptions (16) and 25th in turnovers gained (25).

During his three seasons in Columbus, Barnes helped the Buckeyes post an overall record of 31-4 and a winning percentage of .882 – the third-best mark in the nation. Barnes' role increased each year at Ohio State, with him calling the plays for the Buckeyes' defense for the last 11 games of 2021. Over that stretch, the Buckeyes' defense allowed just 20.3 points per game after surrendering 33 per game in the first two contests of the year while also leading the nation in defensive touchdowns (6).

In 2019, Ohio State's defense led the nation in fewest passing yards allowed (156.0 per game) and also led the country in pass-efficiency defense with a rating of 97.50.

Prior to coaching the Buckeyes, Barnes spent three seasons at the University of Maryland as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator.

Under his guidance, the Terrapins ranked 18th nationally and third in the Big Ten with a 23.9-yard average on kickoff returns. Maryland had two players – Ty Johnson and Tavion Jacobs – who averaged more than 25 yards per kick return and ranked in the top five in the conference in yards per return. Johnson and Jacobs also returned kicks of 97 and 98 yards, respectively, for touchdowns during the 2018 season. Additionally, Maryland tied for 11th nationally in blocked punts (two) and was 39th in net punting (38.8 yards).

During his three-year stay in College Park, Barnes mentored second-team All-American and first-team all-Big Ten linebacker Tre Watson and another pair of Terp linebackers who garnered All-Big Ten recognition: Jermaine Carter and Shane Cockerille. Carter went on to be a fifth-round draft choice of the Carolina Panthers, while Cockerille signed as a free agent with the New York Jets.

Barnes arrived at Maryland after spending the 2015 season at Michigan as a defensive analyst. During his one season in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines ranked first nationally in defensive pass efficiency, third in passing yards allowed, fourth in total defense and 11th in scoring defense.

From 2012 to 2014, Barnes was a defensive and special team's graduate assistant at Florida. Over his three-year stay, the Gators' special teams were eighth nationally in punt return average and No. 24 in kick return average (22.6 yards/kick). Florida was also No. 11 in net punting average (43.2 yards). On defense, the Gators ranked 15th nationally in total defense and 10th in defensive pass efficiency during the 2014 season. In two of his three seasons, Florida boasted a top 15-ranked scoring defense.

Barnes spent the 2011 season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College, where he helped coach Adam Neugebauer to Division II Quarterback of the Year honors and a fifth-place finish in the Harlon Hill voting, which goes to the top player in Division II. Barnes' offense led the conference in total offense, passing offense, passing efficiency and first downs.

Barnes began his coaching career in 2009 as the running backs coach at Delaware Valley College before moving on to West Virginia Wesleyan in 2010 as running backs coach.

Barnes is a 2008 graduate of Salisbury University on Maryland's eastern shore, where he was a team captain and helped the Sea Gulls win three ECAC bowl games and compete in the NCAA Division III tournament in 2007. A fine student, he was a candidate for the academic Draddy Award as a senior. The award is now named the William V. Campbell Trophy and is given to the outstanding student-athlete across all four divisions in college football. His degree is in business.

Matt is married to Christina Holowinsky, who is from Annandale, Va. The couple has a son, Henry.