Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

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John Barnett, the former director of football operations at the University of Southern Mississippi, joined the Eastern Kentucky football staff in the same position in March 2017.
 
At EKU, Barnett is responsible for travel arrangements for the team as well as coordinating summer camp activities and assisting with the day-to-day operation of the football program.  In 2018, he added additional recruiting operations duties to his list of responsibilities.
 
With his assistance, EKU landed top-20 ranked recruiting classes in 2019 and 2020.
 
Barnett served six seasons on the staff at the University of Southern Mississippi before spending a portion of the 2017 spring at the University of Kansas.
 
In January 2016, Barnett became USM’s director of football operations and served in that roll until February 2017.  He coordinated all aspects of team travel logistics, managed the football program budget, maintained the team calendar, served as team liaison with compliance, academics, strength training, equipment and development, served as point of contact for mass communication with players and staff, oversaw the football program’s fundraising arm, coordinated the annual golf outing and assisted with the planning and logistical operation of on-campus official and unofficial visitations.
 
Barnett first joined the Southern Miss football staff in August 2011 as the team’s video graduate assistant, filming all practices and games, and assisting with all day-to-day video operations.  
 
In 2013, Barnett was promoted to assistant director of football operations and assistant recruiting coordinator, working directly with director of football operations John Carr and recruiting coordinator Dayne Brown in all areas of recruiting and team operations.
 
In this role, Barnett developed and implemented recruiting evaluation process, coordinated roster management and recruiting boards, oversaw the recruiting database, implemented and maintained team social media pages, assisted with coordination of mail and social media procedures, helped coordinate all on-campus recruiting visits and summer camps and helped develop a summer meal plan voucher program.
 
The Merchantville, New Jersey native served briefly as the assistant director of football operations at Kansas before coming to EKU.
 
Barnett earned a master’s of science degree from Southern Miss in sport management in 2012.  He earned a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech in 2011, graduating Magna Cum Laude in human development.

Barnett is the son of Gregory and Tami Barnett of Winchester, Virginia.