Assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett discusses his history with head coach Mark Dantonio during a press conference on Dec. 16, 2015 at Spartan Stadium. Members of the coaching staff discussed team preparations for the upcoming Cotton Bowl against Alabama. (Alice Cole | The State News)
—After 11 seasons with MSU, associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett accepted a new job.
According to a report from Fox Sports reporter Bruce Feldman, Barnett accepted a job offer to become Florida State's newest defensive coordinator. MSU Athletic Communications could not confirm the report at the time this story was published.
Barnett, 51, was promoted to assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator prior to MSU's 2015 Cotton Bowl victory against Baylor after former defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi took the head coaching job at the University of Pittsburgh.
Willie Taggart was hired as Florida State's new head coach in December after one season at Oregon. Taggart replaced Jimbo Fisher, who took the head coaching job at Texas A&M.
MLive reported Taggart hired U-M tackles and tight ends coach Greg Frey on Thursday as the Seminoles' offensive line coach.
According to a USA Today salary database, Barnett's total annual salary was $452,570 at MSU. Charles Kelly, FSU's former defensive coordinator, made $858,000, according to the database.
Barnett played for MSU from 1986-89 as a defensive back. He was named a team captain and All-American as a senior and returned to East Lansing after seven years of playing experience and nine seasons as a coach. He was head coach Mark Dantonio's secondary coach at Cincinnati for three seasons, before joining Dantonio again at MSU in 2007.
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