Reggie Barlow

College career

A record-breaking receiver and kick returner, Barlow was recruited to Alabama State University by coach Houston Markham. During his senior year at Alabama State, Barlow caught 58 passes for 1,267 yards. The Montgomery, Alabama native and Sidney Lanier High School standout finished his collegiate career with 133 catches and 2,536 yards.

Professional career

Barlow was selected in the fourth round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In 1998, Barlow led the NFL in punt return yardage, with 43 returns for 555 yards and a touchdown and was named a Pro Bowl alternate. He still ranks among the Jaguars' career leaders for most punt returns (79), most punt return yards (967), and average per return (12.2), as well as among the all-time single-season leaders in punt return yardage (555 in 1998, tied for 37th best all-time as of 2014). After five years in Jacksonville, Barlow joined the Oakland Raiders. In 2002, Barlow began his two-year tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won a championship ring in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Barlow ended his NFL career with 39 receptions for 522 yards and 1 touchdown. His largest statistical contributions were made on kickoff and punt returns. Barlow returned 80 career kickoffs for 1,855 yards and 1 touchdown, and 158 punts for 1,639 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Coaching career

Barlow joined the Alabama State Hornets football staff as quarterbacks coach in 2005. In his first season, Barlow served as mentor and tutor to future NFL second-round draftee Tarvaris Jackson.

In 2006, Barlow worked with a trio of quarterbacks without a single snap of college football experience between them. Under Barlow's tutelage, Alex Engram earned a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Newcomer of the Week award and finished eighth in the conference in total offense.

After that season, Barlow was named interim head coach. A few weeks later, the interim title was removed. Barlow took over as head coach in 2007 and has compiled an overall record of 48–42. In 2010, the Hornets went 7–5, claimed their fourth outright SWAC Eastern Divisional title and made their third trip to the league's championship game in eight seasons. In 2011, the Hornets improved to 8–3 winning the Turkey Day Classic over Tuskegee.

Barlow has coached a few current and former NFL players, including Seattle Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, who was a member of the Super Bowl XLVIII Championship team, Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell, and Washington Redskins offensive tackle Terren Jones, as well as former Oakland Raiders receiver Greg Jenkins and former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Nigel Carr (American football).

In 2014, after the completion of the school's football season, the Alabama State University Board of Trustees voted not to renew Barlow's contracft. The move was seen as controversial because Barlow had signed a contract-extension and salary increase months prior and had already begun getting paid at the higher rate. Litigation is pending in the contract dispute. The Hornets football team finished 7–5 on the season. This was Barlow's fifth consecutive winning season and his 49 career wins rank him second all-time among coaches in program history.

In December 2015, it was announced that Barlow had agreed in principle to become head football coach at Carver-Columbus HS in Columbus, Ga. Just a few months later, however, Barlow was mentioned as a candidate for the head football coaching job at Sidney Lanier (Ala.) HS, his alma mater.

Personal life

Barlow is the father of three children: Ericka, Reggie Jr., and Simone, and the grandfather of one: Tyler Grace.