Insight on Barnett's coaching style.

[dcpony]

This article provides some good insight on Barnett's coaching style.

Missourian
Colorado football team buffing up
Colorado running back Hugh Charles stuck around through CU’s tough times. Now his Buffaloes are fast approaching respectability.
By JEFF BIRNBAUM



COLUMBIA — When the Missouri football team plays Colorado on Saturday night in Boulder, it will be facing a team with renewed vigor.

Only two years ago, the Colorado football program was languishing. Three straight losses to end the 2005 regular season led to the dismissal of embattled coach Gary Barnett, whose legacy was tainted by a myriad of off-the-field scandals.

The firing punctuated the downfall of one of the country’s elite football programs. To clean up the mess, the CU Board of Regents hired Dan Hawkins, a proven winner at Boise State with a clean record.

After a rocky first year filled with growing pains and adjustments, the Colorado players have bought into Hawkins’ stricter system. Now the Buffaloes are 5-4 and appear to be on their way back to the top of the college football mountain.

No one ever questioned Barnett’s coaching ability. The MU graduate could flat out win. He took a downtrodden Northwestern team and led it to two Big Ten Conference titles and a Rose Bowl berth in 1995.

Barnett’s success continued when he was hired to replace CU coach Rick Neuheisel in 1999. He led the Buffaloes to a Big 12 championship and an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl three years into his reign. His place in Rocky Mountain lore appeared to be set.

But Barnett’s legacy began to crumble in the spring of 2004 when a scandal erupted amid allegations that CU had used drugs, sex and alcohol to entice football recruits to come to Boulder. Barnett was briefly suspended after calling former CU place kicker Katie Hnida, who alleged that she had been raped by a teammate in 2000, an “awfulâ€

[BRStang]

Not a ringing endorsement of Barnett by any means.

[mrydel]

I see nothing new here. Barnett was successful in his way, Hawkins is successful in his way. Which one do you think we have a chance to get?

Sounds like Barnett was not only successful but had the players respect and love for him as their leader.

I think he should remain on the list along with anyone else with similar winning credentials who is willing to coach SMU.

[ponyte]

I'd bring back Ron Meyer (no way that will happen). Since we will not be bringing back Meyer, how about bringing back the Pony Express uniforms?

[bubba pony]

well, if your going that far back bring back Haden Fry. There was one guy we should have never let get away.

[EastStang]

Barnett clearly stands behind his players even when they mess up. Like I said earlier, we could do much worse. I'd take him, Cutcliffe, Mason, Neuheisal, or Bowden. Whichever one Orsini wants the most, because then we'd have to beg and make changes necessary. A coach who wants a job too much might be willing to take the BS the school shovels just to get hired.

[chillinfool]

The description of Barnett, being a players coach, gets players input, etc. almost sounds like Wade Phillips, and he hasn't been doing too bad.