Harlon Barnett will not be part of next year’s Michigan State football coaching staff.
Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal is reporting that Barnett will not be retained by new head coach Jonathan Smith and will be coaching elsewhere in 2024. There had been rumors that Barnett would return to Michigan State for next year but that apparently has since changed.
According to Couch, Barnett was notified earlier this week by Smith that the Spartans were looking at three other candidates for the secondary assistant coach and that served as the final indication that Barnett would not be retained.
Barnett has coached at Michigan State on and off for the past 20 years, notably serving as a defensive coordinator under Mark Dantonio. Barnett served as the Spartans’ interim head coach this past season after Mel Tucker was relieved of his coaching duties. Barnett went 2-8 in his 10 games as interim head coach.
Click on the tweet below to read Couch’s full story on Barnett’s departure from Michigan State:
Harlon Barnett is leaving Michigan State and won't be part of Jonathan Smith's staff. He plans to coach elsewhere.
“After 20 football seasons at Michigan State, five as a player, 15 as a coach, my time is up,” he said.
Story:https://t.co/Fyo4aKim6d
— Graham Couch (@Graham_Couch) December 21, 2023
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