North Carolina A&T head football coach Sam Washington promoted Chris Barnette to offensive coordinator on July 23, 2018. Barnette kept his duties as the Aggies quarterbacks coach, a position he has held since 2015. Barnette has served as offensive coordinator for three seasons over four years because COVID-19 forced the 2020 season's cancelation.
In the Aggies first season in the Big South Conference in 2021, Barnette's offense established some young talent on offense in freshman running back Bhayshul Tuten and freshman wide receivers Jamison Warren, Elijah Bowick and Sterling Berkhalter. The foursome combined for 49 receptions, 725 yards and three touchdowns.
Tuten earned Big South freshman of the week honors twice, and he averaged 5.8 rushing yards per carry with three touchdowns on 37 carries. Â
In Barnette's first two seasons as the Aggies offensive coordinator, the Aggies have won the MEAC, the Celebration Bowl, and the black football national championship. Also, in his first two seasons, the Aggies offense ranked No. 1 in the MEAC in red zone offense.
In 2019, the Aggies led the MEAC in rushing offense, scoring offense and total offense. A&T had the sixth-best scoring offense in the nation.
Running back Jah-Maine Martin had one of the best seasons in school history, breaking the single-season school record for rushing touchdowns (23) and total touchdowns (23).
Quarterback Kylil Carter tied the school record for single-game total offense when he tallied 460 yards (364 passing, 96 rushing) at the Celebration Bowl played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Barnette helped the Aggies post 574 yards of offense in beating Alcorn State to win another black college football national championship.
As offensive coordinator in Barnette's first season, the Aggies won their fourth MEAC title in five years and claimed the Celebration Bowl and the HBCU national title for the second straight season.
Seven Aggies earned All-MEAC honors on the offensive side of the ball, including three first-team selections. In addition, two Aggie running backs – Marquell Cartwright (1st team) and Jah-Maine Martin (3rd team) – earned All-MEAC honors. A&T's offense ranked No. 1 in the MEAC in red zone offense, second in scoring offense, third in total offense and fourth in rushing offense.
A&T's signal-callers have seen tremendous success with Barnette as quarterbacks coach. Lamar Raynard earned the 2017 MEAC offensive player of the year award to become the first Aggie quarterback since Connell Maynor in 1991 to win the honor. He was also a finalist for the Deacon Jones Award, which goes to the best player in black college football. In the process, Raynard broke several single-season records, including most passing yards, touchdown passes, completions and attempts.
Raynard earned three All-MEAC honors as the Aggies QB and broke career records in touchdown passes (68), touchdowns responsible for (79, 68 passing & 11 rushing) and passing percentage (.594). Raynard finished his career 35-2 as a starter after winning his first 28 starts as A&T's starter. Barnette also developed Kylil Carter into an effective backup for Raynard. In 2015, Carter threw the game-winning touchdown at S.C. State that propelled the Aggies to the Celebration. Three seasons later, Carter led the Aggies offense to an upset victory over FBS opponent East Carolina.
In his first season, Barnette prepared three different quarterbacks to start during the 2015 season in senior Kwashaun Quick, Raynard and Kylil Carter. All three played a crucial role in helping the Aggies win a share of the MEAC title, the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl and the HBCU National Championship.
In season two, Barnette had to prepare four quarterbacks for play because of injuries. Nevertheless, Raynard, Oluwafemi Bamiro and Carter led the Aggies to a quadruple overtime win over Division I-FBS Kent State. Raynard, Bamiro, Carter and Isaiah Hicklin threw touchdown passes during the season.
Before accepting the position at A&T, Barnette spent the past 12 years at nearby Division III Guilford College as a player, student coach and offensive coordinator. He served the Quakers well in all three capacities making the GC offense one of the most prolific in Division III as a player and coordinator.
Barnette took over the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach duties in 2011. As offensive coordinator, Barnette guided quarterback Matt Pawlowski to second-team All-ODAC honors in 2013. Barnette also directed running back Josh Schow to All-ODAC honors. In his four seasons as offensive coordinator, the Quakers offense never had fewer than 2,300 yards passing. In 2014, Guilford finished first in the NCAA Division III statistical rankings in third-down conversion percentage and team passing efficiency.
Pawlowski ranked second in the nation with 347.6 passing yards per game. Guilford also ranked fifth nationally in completion percentage (.668), third in passing offense (349.5) and sixth in total offense (507.8). In addition, the Quakers set single-season school records for points (407) and touchdowns (55).
Barnette's coaching career at Guilford began in 2007 as a student assistant working with wide receivers. In the spring of 2008, Barnette served as the offensive coordinator for the Elancourt Templiers of the French Elite League. The team went 9-3 and reached the league championship game.
As a player, Barnette caught a school-record 266 passes for 2,953 yards and 30 touchdowns in a four-year career that concluded in 2006. As a senior, he was named an All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and D3football.com. It would be his second straight All-American season. He led Guilford's pass-catchers in each of his four years. In addition, the Quakers' first ODAC Offensive Player of the Year, Barnette, played in the 2006 East Coast Bowl and Aztec Bowl senior all-star games.
Barnette is from Semora, N.C. He was an all-conference receiver and quarterback at Person High School for coach Mark Lunsford. His brother, Jamie, played quarterback at North Carolina State University from 1994-99.
Barnette earned his degree in sports management from Guilford.
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