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Oklahoma LB/DB announces his new school

Robert Barnes, who entered the transfer portal on Jan. 2, says he will continue his career at Colorado
John E. Hoover|
Oklahoma LB/DB announces his new school
Oklahoma LB/DB announces his new school

Oklahoma senior Robert Barnes announced his new college home on Sunday night.

Barnes will continue his career at the University of Colorado, he revealed on Twitter.

“The memories and relationship I have obtained over the last 4 years I will cherish forever,” Barnes wrote. “ … The lessons I have learned over the last 4 years will carry me through life and for that I will be forever indebted.”

Barnes announced his entry into the transfer portal on Jan. 2.

After playing 10 games (he made one start) as a freshman in 2017, Barnes became a starter at safety during the 2018 season and contributed 54 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble and broke up two passes.

He sustained a head injury in the Orange Bowl loss to Alabama, however, when he was run over by the Crimson Tide’s Josh Jacobs.

Barnes only played four games in 2019 and made five tackles, then moved to linebacker during the offseason. In 2020, he played in eight games and made just six tackles, but when the Sooner roster was hit with COVID for what turned out to be the the regular-season finale against Baylor, he drew plaudits for his willingness to step back in at safety, where he made his first start in two years and played well.

Barnes is the son of former Sooner linebacker/end Reggie Barnes, who played at OU from 1989-92 and finished his decorated career with 217 career tackles and 18 quarterback sacks and was named All-Big Eight in 1991. Reggie Barnes eventually played for the Dallas Cowboys, and Robert Barnes played at Southlake Carroll High School.

The 6-foot-2, 196-pound Barnes was a four-star prospect by 247 Sports and Rivals and played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. 

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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