Chris Barnette is in his second season as Offensive Coordinator and quarterbacks coach on the Alabama State football staff.
Barnette's offense offensive rushed for 2,372 yards, including four games with 200-plus yards rushing. ASU ran for a season high 308 at Bethune-Cookman, 211 yards against Florida A&M, 203 against North Carolina Central and 204 against Alabama A&M. Alabama State rushed for 100 yards in 9-of-11 games missing the 100-yard mark with 97 yards against Alcorn State and Grambling State. The Hornets out rushed 9-of-12 opponents while the 17 sacks allowed are tied for third in the conference.
Barnette coached at Winston-Salem State as offensive coordinator and was the receivers coach at South Carolina State University before coming to ASU.
Before South Carolina State, he was the Offensive Coordinator/ Quarterbacks coach at North Carolina A&T State University from 2015-2023. He was the play caller and coordinated all aspects of the offense as well as preparing and organizing practice/game plans. While at A&T in his first two seasons as the Aggies offensive coordinator, the Aggies won the MEAC, the Celebration Bowl, and the Black football national championship. Also, in his first two seasons, the Aggies offense was ranked No. 1 in the MEAC in red zone offense.
In 2021, Barnette was a part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship with the Washington Football Team. He assisted with the wide receivers during training camp and organized team activities.
Prior to accepting the position at A&T, Barnette spent the past 12 years at nearby Division III Guilford College as a player, student coach, and offensive coordinator. He served the Quakers well in all three capacities making the GC offense one of the most prolific in Division III as a player and coordinator.
Barnette's coaching career at Guilford began in 2007 as a student assistant working with wide receivers. In the spring of 2008, Barnette served as the offensive coordinator for the Elancourt Templiers of the French Elite League. The team went 9-3 and reached the league championship game.
As a player, Barnette caught a school-record 266 passes for 2,953 yards and 30 touchdowns in a four-year career that concluded in 2006. As a senior, he was named an All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and D3football.com. It would be his second straight All-American season. He led Guilford's pass-catchers in each of his four years. In addition, the Quakers' first ODAC Offensive Player of the Year, Barnette, played in the 2006 East Coast Bowl and Aztec Bowl senior all-star games.
