Photo: Assistant coach Larry Crowe (back row center)
poses with Golden Eagle special teams players. Front row, from
left, are long snapper Jordan Adams, Tim Donegan and Matt Barker.
Back row, from left, Jason Lennartz, Crowe and Nick
Campbell.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- It took Matt Barker and his dad 42 hours to
drive from their home in Spokane, Wash., to the Tennessee Tech
campus in Cookeville. It took him about a week to adapt to the
humidity of the South.
So far, he hasn't gotten used to the bugs.
"The bees here are about twice as big as the bees we have back
home," Barker says. "I haven't seen a live cockroach yet, but
they've warned me about them. We don't see them in Washington."
Barker is one of the newest members of the Tennessee Tech football
team, a strong-legged placekicker who spent two seasons at Oregon
State before joining the Golden Eagle roster with three seasons of
eligibility remaining.
Tech wrapped up its second day of practice in shorts and helmets
Tuesday in Tucker Stadium, and the team will add shoulder pads for
the next two days. The Golden Eagles are slated for a
two-and-a-half hour practice each day beginning at 7:30 a.m. on
Overall Field.
The addition of Barker gives the Golden Eagles depth in all of its
kicking positions, with two punters (Nick Campbell and Jason
Lennartz) and two placekickers (Tim Donegan and Barker).
"We have two punters and we wanted two kickers," explained head
coach Watson Brown of his staff's offer to bring Barker to camp as
a scholarship addition to the roster. "I just started calling
around the country trying to find another kicker."
A few Golden Eagle fans might have already seen Barker in action.
During a game in 2008 against No. 1 ranked USC, the freshman kicker
made a game-saving tackle as the Beavers upset the Trojans.
Late in the game, OSU had gone on top, 27-21, and Barker kicked
off.
"I kicked it down to the two-yard line and we blew the coverage,"
he said. "We usually had really good kick coverage, but this time
the return man broke free on the left side and I thought 'I guess
I'm going to have to do something' and I ran him out of bounds.
"We held and the clock ran down and we won," Barker recalls. "The
thing I remember most was how loud the stadium ws, and how it
shook. It was our first game after the students came back and it
was a sellout, and on the first kickoff I felt my legs shaking. I
realized it wasn't me, it was the ground vibrating."
Barker's game-saving stop helped the Beavers' win over the
top-ranked Trojans rank second that year in the ESPY awards among
the biggest college football upsets of the year.
Barker wasn't a football player when he began his high school
career, but a standout goalkeepr on the soccer team at Gonzaga Prep
High School in Spokane.
"The football coach found me and asked me to try kicking a field
goal and to see how far I could kick it," Barker recalls. "I kicked
a 48-yard field goal, so he asked me to join the team as a
sophomore."
During his first year, he handled only kickoffs, but as a junior
he earned all-state honors while making seven of eight field goals.
That included a 52-yard game-winner in the state playoffs in "a
huge storm."
"That kind of put me on the radar with colleges," Barker says.
His success continued as a senior. He was 5-for-7 on field goals
and averaged 65 yards on his kickoffs. Oregon State was one of the
schools recruiting him and he wanted to play Pac 10 football, so he
joined the Beavers. After two seasons and some coaching changes,
Barker decided to leave and went to a combine where he kicked the
ball very well.
"Tech saw me at the combine and checked on me, and coach Brown
called my dad," Barker recalls. "When a scholarship opened up,
things worked out."
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound kicker has great range.
"I think I can attempt anything inside 55 yards," Barker says. "At
practice in high school I hit a 70-yard field goal during spring of
my junior year. The track team was out there and everybody stopped
and watched, and I made another one."
Not that Tech will be attempting any 70-yard field goals, but his
strong leg could offer the Golden Eagles a whole new dimension in
2010. That doesn't bother Donegan, who handled all of Tech's
kicking chores last year and is now facing a stiff challenge from
Barker in fall camp.
"It's good for both of us because it will make us more
competitive," Donegan said. "It will make both of us better."
June 27, 2011
Hall of Famer Lowell Smith passes away; Services Monday
June 22, 2011
Edwards named honorable mention preseason All-America
May 1, 2011
Off the gridiron; on the job
April 14, 2011
Football team holds annual Spring Game Saturday at 11
February 22, 2011
Save the date: Jim Ragland Bass Tournament scheduled for Saturday, May 7
February 22, 2011
Astronaut, former Golden Eagle Barry Wilmore speaker for Chamber
February 2, 2011
Versatility key in Golden Eagle 2011 football signing class
January 30, 2011
Benford wins Robert Hill Johnson Award, eight others honored
January 21, 2011
Public invited as Golden Eagles holds annual awards dinner Jan. 30
January 11, 2011
Hall of Famer Bill Dupes passes; Services Wednesday in Sweetwater
January 5, 2011
It's Game Week: FCS Champion to be crowned Friday night
December 24, 2010
Golden Eagle receiver Tim Benford named to All-America team
December 18, 2010
Student-athletes, support staff among Saturday's graduates
December 17, 2010
Student-athletes, support staff among Saturday's graduates
November 24, 2010
Benford, Hilliard named all-OVC; Crawford on all-newcomer squad
November 22, 2010
Barnes captures national Player of the Week honors
November 21, 2010
Barnes, Crawford and Tooley honored with weekly OVC awards
November 20, 2010
Golden Eagles stun No. 4 Gamecocks with huge fourth quarter comeback
November 17, 2010
Area students with good grades to be honored at Saturday's game
November 16, 2010
Golden Eagles celebrate Senior Day as No. 4 JSU visits Saturday
November 13, 2010
Golden Eagles downed by EKU Colonels in Homecoming clash
November 10, 2010
HOMECOMING: Golden Eagles host Eastern Kentucky Saturday
November 6, 2010
Opportunistic Murray State upends injury-riddled Tech
November 5, 2010
Nine Golden Eagles, eight starters out Saturday at Murray State
November 3, 2010
Golden Eagles return to action with tough chore at Murray State
October 23, 2010
Golden Eagles get "special" win at Tennessee State
October 22, 2010
Four selected for induction into Tech Sports Hall of Fame Nov. 12
October 19, 2010
Golden Eagles look to make it three-in-a-row Saturday in Nashville
October 18, 2010
Edwards, Mitchell selected as National Players of the Week
October 17, 2010
Edwards, Mitchell and Crawford voted OVC weekly honors
October 16, 2010
Defense dominates as Tech tops Panthers, 34-20
October 15, 2010
From Legacy to fireworks, Saturday's game loaded with entertainment
October 13, 2010
Golden Eagles look for back-to-back wins when EIU visits
October 12, 2010
Watson Brown needs your votes for National Coach of the Year
September 30, 2010
Military Appreciation Night when Tech hosts Skyhawks in York Trophy battle
September 30, 2010
Fireworks to light up sky tonight over Tucker Stadium
September 30, 2010
Golden Eagles edged by Skyhawks in Tucker Stadium, 27-24
September 28, 2010
First Tennessee Bank sponsoring annual Football Poster Night Thursday
September 26, 2010
Nashville band Due West featured Thursday in Magic 98.5 Tailgate Park
September 25, 2010
Late rally not enough as Golden Eagles drop OVC opener, 23-21
September 23, 2010
Tech football schedule ranks as toughest in all of NCAA Division I
September 22, 2010
Watson Brown needs your vote for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year poll
September 20, 2010
Golden Eagle conference slate opens Saturday at surprising SEMO
September 16, 2010
Weather halts game early, Golden Eagles earn 43-0 victory over Lane
September 14, 2010
Season opener to finish with fireworks over Tucker Stadium
September 13, 2010
First home game of the season brings Lane Dragons to Tucker Stadium
September 13, 2010
WCTE TV to televise four home games live in 2010
September 11, 2010
Golden Eagle turnovers help No. 4 TCU roll to 62-7 victory
September 9, 2010
Communiversity Night planned at Golden Eagle home opener Thursday
September 9, 2010
Reserve by noon Friday to attend Insider's Lunch Monday
September 8, 2010
Golden Eagles to tackle highest-ranked football foe in OVC history
September 4, 2010
Early lead, solid effort highlight Tech showing at No. 17 Arkansas
September 3, 2010
Five seniors chosen as 2010 Golden Eagle football captains
September 3, 2010
Former players invited back for Football Alumni Reunion Sept. 30
September 1, 2010
Looking Back: A peek into the Golden Eagle photo archives
August 29, 2010
Golden Eagle football guide for 2010 available online
August 27, 2010
OVC finalizes Game of the Week, web streaming plans for football
August 26, 2010
Camp Notebook: Watson Brown Show to air Mondays on TV, radio
August 25, 2010
Camp Notebook: Long snapper Jordan Adams fills key position
August 24, 2010
Camp Notebook: Special events at home games announced
August 21, 2010
Outlook for Golden Eagle success boils down to one word: Depth
August 20, 2010
Camp Notebook: Fans invited to Saturday's Gathering of Eagles
August 15, 2010
First scrimmage gives coaches exactly what they're looking for
August 13, 2010
Who do you think will be Tech's "gamebreaker" this fall?
August 13, 2010
Camp Notebook: First day in pads; Business tickets on sale
August 11, 2010
Looking Back: A peek into the Golden Eagle photo archives
August 10, 2010
Camp Notebook: Golden Eagles to add pads Wednesday
August 9, 2010
Camp Notebook: Spirits soar for Golden Eagles on first day
August 8, 2010
Golden Eagles get fall camp underway Monday morning
August 6, 2010
New feature added to website; Fans can cast votes daily
August 3, 2010
Livingston greets Purple Pride Caravan
August 3, 2010
Watson Brown, Athletics to host weekly Insiders' Lunch
July 27, 2010
Large turnout greets Purple Pride Caravan in Monterey
June 16, 2010
Slade Adams named to preseason FCS All-America team