Temple football has a new general manager. Here’s what to know about Clayton Barnes and his duties.
Barnes reunites with new Temple head coach K.C. Keeler after assuming a similar role during Keeler's time at Sam Houston State.
Temple football coach K.C. Keeler has continued to add to his staff throughout the month since his hiring. His most recent hire is for a position that’s on the rise in college sports amid the addition of the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness deals.
The Owls announced on Monday afternoon that Clayton Barnes will be the general manager for Temple football.
Keeler and Barnes worked together at Sam Houston State for the last five seasons. Barnes was hired as the director of football operations and player personnel before becoming general manager in 2020.
“It was very important for me to bring Clayton to Temple,” Keeler said in a press release. “He was a big reason for the success we had at Sam Houston. He’s already hit the ground running here at Temple. We agree on the type of student-athletes it takes to build a successful program.”
What’s Barnes’s background?
Before working with Keeler at Sam Houston State, Barnes spent one year as an offensive quality control coach at Texas State in 2016 before being promoted to director of player development. After two seasons in that role, which included some graphic design responsibilities, he became an offensive graduate assistant coach at Georgia Southern in 2019.
Temple previously had a chief of staff, Everett Withers, but his role and that of the general manager have some key differences.
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In the chief of staff role, Withers was in charge of helping put together former head coach Stan Drayton’s coaching staff. Withers helped guide the coaching staff along with Drayton because the latter was a new head coach.
Withers, the former defensive coordinator and interim head coach, built connections with the players and also worked closely with athletic director Arthur Johnson to communicate plans for the program.
Meanwhile, Barnes will be in charge of player personnel and scouting departments. Barnes will oversee all aspects of player acquisition, including scouting, recruitment, and retention.
What’s Barnes’ role at Temple?
In an era of the transfer portal and players coming and going, it can be hard for a head coach to manage player personnel on top of coaching duties. This is where a general manager comes in.
Barnes will assist Keeler in scouting, building the roster, and ensuring that Temple is bringing in players who fit Keeler’s scheme. As general manager at Sam Houston State, Barnes also helped plan team travel and meals, organize and promote camps, and manage the student intern program.
Barnes also will be in charge of the program’s long-term plans. Given the uncertainties of NIL and revenue sharing, Barnes will be key in helping lay the groundwork.
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