Harlon Barnett, Michigan State’s longtime defensive backs coach and 2023 interim head coach, has found a new job in the Big Ten Conference after being passed over for the Spartans’ head coach opening in November.
According to a report from 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Barnett has been hired by Northwestern as the Wildcats’ new defensive backs coach. Zenitz report was collaborated by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.
Barnett had been a staple on Michigan State’s coaching staff for much of the past two decades, having spent 15 out of his 17 years coaching college football in East Lansing. Barnett spent 11 seasons under former head coach Mark Dantonio as the Spartans defensive backs, also taking on a co-defensive coordinator role in his final three seasons under Dantonio. Barnett then left to become the full-time defensive coordinator at Florida State, but was relieved of his duties after then-Seminole head coach Willie Taggart was fired.
Barnett was then brough back to Michigan State as defensive backs coach under Mel Tucker in 2020. He served in that role throughout Tucker’s tenure in East Lansing, and was named interim head coach for the final 10 games of MSU’s 2023 season after Tucker was suspended and eventually fired by the university amidst sexual harassment claims. The Spartans went 2-8 with Barnett serving as the interim, and although it was the 57-year-old’s dream to be given a chance as Michigan State’s future head coach, athletic director Alan Haller instead hired Oregon State’s Jonathan Smith for the job.