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An All-Southern Conference candidate ... An invited walk-on to start the 2002 season, Barnes has become one of Western's top players over the past three years ... One of the hardest hitters on the team, he has gone through numerous helmets and face masks in his career ... In the spring of 2005, named to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) All-American team, recognizing players' dedication to strength and conditioning ... Barnes was bench pressing 400 pounds at the time, back squat 627 pounds and power clean 315 pounds ... Runs the 40-yard dash in 4.90 seconds, runs the pro shuttle in 4.89 seconds and has a vertical jump of 30.5 inches ... During the summer of 2005 improved on some of those categories ... Now ranks ninth on the WCU strength & conditioning all-time top 10 with a bench press of 410 lbs ... Named "Most Valuable Linebacker' by the coaching staff at the conclusion of the 2003 spring drills ... Was also honored after 2004 spring drills, being named "Defensive Core Most Valuable Player".
2004 (Jr.): Was a game captain in nine games, even though he only played in eight contests ... Despite being injured was one of WCU's three game captains for the Appalachian State game ... Played and started in the first eight games of the season, missing the final three after suffering a knee injury during the Chattanooga contest ... Still ranked third on the team in tackles (46), two behind the team leader despite playing three less games ... Was fourth on the team with six tackles for losses ... Logged seven tackles, all solo stops, in Western's dominating defensive performance versus Nicholls State, holding the Colonels to just two first downs and 45 yards of total offense in the first half ... Led the Cats with nine tackles at Alabama and eight tackles versus Georgia Southern ... Also led WCU in tackles versus Chattanooga, getting six, despite leaving the game early with a season-ending injury ... Played a key role in WCU ranking 12th nationally in total defense (301.91 yards/game), the school's highest ever national rank at season's end.
2003 (So.): Played in 12 games, starting 11 (gave up starting role for senior Johnta Philyaw in the 2003 season finale) ... Ranked second on the team and 28th in the SoCon with 70 stops (5.9 per game) ... Of his 70 stops, six went for losses ... Started the season by getting seven tackles at both North Carolina State and Duke ... Forced a Wolfpack fumble early in the second quarter, setting up the Cats first TD ... Also had five stops versus Furman and Wofford ... Recorded career-high with eight tackles on two occasions (at Georgia Southern and Gardner-Webb) ... Continued to be effective on offense in his role as a blocking back, leading the way for Michale Spicer in Western's lone TD versus Wofford.
2002 (Fr.): Played in 10 games, logging 16 tackles ... Also played fullback on offense, seeing action in short yardage situations ... Was the lead fullback in several scoring plays ... Did not play in the season opener, then saw action in the remaining 10 contests ... Had a season-high six stops in a win at The Citadel ... Contributed four tackles in the win over Chattanooga.
Prior to Western: Three-time all-conference, earning the honor as a defensive end in his sophomore season, as a fullback in his junior season and as a linebacker as a senior ... Named his football team's MVP, his school's Spring Athlete of the Year and his school's Male Athlete of the Year as a senior ... As a junior, earned his team's Running Back of the Year Award ... Also participated in track, where he was named Team MVP ... Was tabbed all-conference and all-region in the discus and shot put ... Qualified for the state championships thanks to a second place finish in the discus at regionals and a third place finish in the discus.
Lamar Barnes' Career Defensive Statistics
Blkd
G UT AT Tot. TFL-Yds Sacks-Yds INT PBU FR FF Kick
2002 10 11 5 16 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
2003 12 39 31 70 6-10 0-0 0-0 2 0 0 0
2004 8 29 17 46 6-11 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Totals 30 70 53 123 12-21 0-0 0-0 2 0 0 0
