Harlon Barnett on Michigan State, Mel Tucker

Harlon Barnett on being back at Michigan State and working with Mel Tucker.

East Lansing, MI—Harlon Barnett is a living ICONIC Michigan State Spartan football legend. After a fantastic career in East Lansing and subsequently, in the NFL, his coaching career eventually brought him back home. Every time he has been at Michigan State, his success has been legendary. He discussed the emotion when Tucker offered him a job.

“It was awesome. Just to get the call from Coach Tucker, first of all, was awesome. To be able to come back home, so to speak, and be back wearing the Green and White. I’m excited, my family is excited, and we’re very happy to be back.”

The Spartan Nation went crazy with speculating when Spartan Nation sent out a picture of Barnett back at the Breslin Center for a basketball game. He addressed that game when discussing the timeline for his return.

 ”The initial conversation was actually the day before you saw me at the Breslin Center; that Friday morning, I got a call from Coach Tucker, and it wasn’t a very long call. He was like, ‘you should come up here and be our secondary coach,’ and I said ‘absolutely.’ I said ‘when should I leave here,’ and he said ‘as soon as you can get here’ – all right, no problem. Next thing you know, I was flying out the Saturday morning, and I was there for that game that evening.”

The Spartans kick off the season on September 5, 2020. They will be hosting in the Northwestern Wildcats with a rare, season-opening Big Ten game.

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