Kevin Barnes (American Football) - College Career

College Career

Barnes redshirted in 2004 and was named the defensive scout team player of the week prior to the NC State and Virginia Tech games. In 2005, he saw action in ten games, mostly on special teams. He recorded four solo tackles and a pass broken up. In 2006, Barnes played in all 13 games including one start, the first of his career, against Florida International. That season, he compiled 11 tackles, which included nine solo.

In 2007, he was the first on the team in interceptions with four, second in passes broken up with nine, and fifth in tackles with 65, including 47 solo. He recorded the most interceptions by a Maryland player since Domonique Foxworth in 2002. After the 2007 season, the Terrapins lost three starters in the secondary to graduation, and Barnes stepped in to assume a leadership role during his senior year.

As a fifth-year senior in 2008, Barnes played in the first seven games before suffering a shoulder injury. He recorded two interceptions returned for 27 yards, 20 tackles including 15 solo, five passes broken up, seven passes defended, two forced fumbles, and one blocked kick.

In the third game of the season, against California, Barnes gained notoriety for the delivery of a hard hit against running back Jahvid Best, an early Heisman Trophy prospect. Late in the second quarter, Cal quarterback Kevin Riley recognized Maryland was in man-to-man coverage. Since he saw there were no safeties in the middle of the field, he threw a short screen pass to Best. Barnes, who had anticipated the play from the snap, immediately delivered a bone-jarring tackle that almost knocked off Best's helmet. While still laying on the field, Best rolled onto his side to vomit. Footage of the hit and its aftermath circulated widely on the internet and became a viral video phenomenon that received 50,000 views on YouTube within a week. After the game, Best said, "That's probably the hardest hit I've ever taken in my life.... It really knocked the wind out of me, and I had a little trouble breathing for the rest of the game." When asked if he felt bad about the tackle, Barnes said, "He's not permanently hurt, so I'm fine with that. Had he died or something, I'd have felt bad, but he'll probably be playing next week."

In the seventh game of the season, he used his left shoulder to hit Wake Forest wide receiver D. J. Boldin, who was attempting to catch a pass. Barnes suffered a torn glenoid labrum, fractured left scapula, damaged rotator cuff, and broken clavicle. The injury ended his season, and he missed the final six games of his senior year. Barnes later remarked, "It was my last hit ... Even though I got hurt, it caused a guy to fumble. I've got to look at it that way. I still have smile on my face." Despite being unable to play, Barnes remained actively involved with the Terrapins for the rest of the season and took on the role of a student coach. Secondary coach Kevin Lempa said:

"He's another coach out there right now.... He's been such an important player for our defense for a long time, and he still wants to help as much as he can. All throughout the game in the pouring rain against NC State, he was talking to the guys on the sideline, so he's like another coach.... We all miss having him on the field, but we're glad he's still with us in some capacity."

Barnes received an unusually early invitation to the 2009 Senior Bowl, on September 18, just five days after the game against California in which he tackled Best. He attended, but due to his shoulder injury, could not participate in the game.