Reggie Barlow

Reggie Barlow
Sport(s)	Football
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	Alabama State
Conference	SWAC
Record	34–33 (.507)
Biographical details
Born	(1973-01-22) January 22, 1973 Montgomery, AL

Reggie Barlow is currently the head coach of the Alabama State Hornets football team. He is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He played eight years in the league, five for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and two for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he won a Super Bowl ring for Super Bowl XXXVII and one offseason on the Oakland Raiders roster. He was used as a secondary wide receiver and punt returner. In 1997, he led the NFL in punt return yards with 555 yards on 43 returns.

College career

A record-breaking receiver and kick returner, Barlow was recruited to Alabama State University by legendary coach Houston Markham. During his senior year at ASU, Barlow caught 58 passes for 1,267 yards. The Montgomery native and Sidney Lanier High School standout finished his collegiate career with 133 catches and 2,536 yards.

Professional career

Barlow was selected in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was the kickoff to a successful professional career.

In 1998, Barlow led the NFL in punt return yardage, with 43 returns for 555 yards and a touchdown and was named a Pro Bowl alternate. He still ranks among the Jaguars’ career leaders for most punt returns (79), most punt return yards (967), and average per return (12.2), as well as among the single-season record holders for most punt returns (55 in 1998), most punt return yards (555 in 1998) and average per return (12.9) in 1998. After five years in Jacksonville, Barlow joined the Oakland Raiders. In 2002, Barlow began his two-year tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he would help them win a championship in Super Bowl XXXVII. Tampa Bay defeated the Oakland Raiders 48-21 in a game that is often referred to as the "Gruden Bowl."

Barlow ended his NFL career with only 39 receptions for 522 yards and 1 TD. However, his major contributions were made on kickoff/punt returns. Barlow returned 80 career kickoffs for 1,855 yards and 1 TD. Meanwhile he returned 158 punts for 1639 yards and 2 TDs.

Coaching career

Even at the height of his success, the idea of coaching was never far from Barlow’s mind. Throughout his career, he collected tips, ideas and habits of his coaches, going so far as to record them in a notebook.

He would put that information and experience to good use when he joined the Alabama State University football staff as quarterbacks coach in 2005. In his first season, Barlow served as mentor and tutor to future NFL second-round draftee Tarvaris Jackson – currently a quarterback with the Seattle Seahawks.

In 2006, Barlow worked with a trio of quarterbacks without a single snap of college football experience between them. Under Barlow’s tutelage, Alex Engram would earn a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Newcomer of the Week award and finish eighth in the conference in total offense.

After that season, Barlow was named interim head coach. Just a few weeks later, the interim title was removed and Barlow’s dream was realized.

Barlow took over as head coach in 2007 and has compiled an overall record of 27-29. In 2010, the Hornets went 7-5, claimed their fourth outright SWAC Eastern Divisional title and made their third trip to the league's championship game in eight seasons. In 2011, the Hornets improved to 8-3 winning the Turkey Day Classic over Tuskegee.

Barlow turned down an offer from then-Denver Head Coach Mike Shanahan in 2007 to be an assistant for the Broncos. He repeated his action in 2011 by turning down an offer made by San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh.

Personal life

Barlow is divorced as of 2011 to the former Tracy Kidd. He is the father of three children — Erica, Reggie Jr. and Simone.

External links

• http://www.nfl.com/players/reggiebarlow/profile?id=BAR220596
• http://www.bamastatesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=32&path=football