Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast: Gary Barnett

Gary Barnett was a football player long before he was a coach. He started playing and loving the game from the age of 5 and played through high school and college at the University of Missouri. After college, he was a high school football coach and counselor and thought he’d made it… until the college ranks called. Eventually he became the 22nd head coach for the University of Colorado. On the field, Coach Barnett had a lot of success winning a Conference Title, four Big 12 North Titles, ranked #2 in the nation at one point and also twice being named Big 12 Coach of the Year. There was also a lot that happened off the field during Coach Barnett's tenure. In November of 2005, CU's Athletic Director Mike Bohn informed Gary and his coaches that their contracts were being extended. A few weeks later, he was fired after a 70-3 loss to Texas in the Big 12 Championship game. Gary and his wife Mary took a breath for a short time, but it wasn't long before he discovered a love for broadcasting. He was welcomed back to the CU community in 2016 as the color analyst for the Colorado Football Network. He is also very involved in charity work dealing with suicide prevention. To learn more about his charity work with the Mary & Gary Barnett Family Foundation visit GaryBarnettFoundation.org