Kurt Barber Position: Co-Defensive Coord./Defensive Line Experience: 3rd year

Kurt Barber heads into his third year at UNLV and will serve as the co-defensive coordinator as well as the defensive line coach. He was originally named linebackers coach on Dec. 8, 2004, after having just finished his second year at the University of Utah.

In his first two seasons on the sidelines, Barber was in charge of the Rebel special teams and helped produce one of the top punters in UNLV history in Kip Facer. Facer earned first team All-MWC honors in 2006, leading the league and ranking sixth in the nation with a 45.2 average.

Barber followed head coach Mike Sanford to UNLV from the University of Utah after two stunningly successful seasons in Salt Lake City. Barber oversaw the Utah linebackers during the 2004 season after coaching the defensive line in 2003, including producing first team All-Mountain West Conference end Josh Savage. The Utes turned in a 21-2 record during his two seasons, which included two Mountain West Conference titles and bowl-game victories. Savage and Jonathan Fanene are currently playing in the NFL.

"Kurt Barber is an oustanding coach who we have promoted to co-defensive coordinator," Sanford said. "I am excited to see the impact of what he is going to do to our front seven."

Barber moved to Utah after two years coaching the defensive line at Kent State. Previous to that, he served two years in the same position at Tennessee-Martin. He began his coaching career in 1998 at Riverside Community College, where he coached the defensive line and coordinated the strength and conditioning program.

A prep All-American, Barber was named Kentucky's Mr. Football in 1987 before choosing to play for Southern California and head coach Larry Smith along with then-assistant Sanford. A 1992 graduate of USC with a degree in communications, Barber was a four-year letterwinner (1988-91) for the Trojans, starting at outside linebacker as a junior and senior, including earning All-Pac-10 Conference honors from Football News. He was taken in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft (42nd pick overall) and went on to a five-year career with the New York Jets, Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears.

Barber has three daughters, Erica, Briahna and Nia, and two sons, Kurt II and Khoury.

BARBER AT A GLANCE

Born:	Jan. 5, 1969
Children:	Daughters -
		Erica, Briahna, Nia
		Sons - Kurt II, Khoury
Education:	USC, 1992
		bachelor's degree in communications
Playing Experience:
		NFL, 1992-97 (Jets, Broncos and Bears) - DE-LB
		USC, 1988-91 - linebacker
Coaching Experience:
	2007-pres.	UNLV - co-defensive coord., def. line
	2006		UNLV - defensive line, special teams coord.
	2005		UNLV - linebackers, special teams coord.
	2004		Utah - linebackers
	2003		Utah - defensive ends
	2001-02	Kent State - defensive line
	1999-2000	Tennessee-Martin - defensive line
UNLV Recruiting Area:
	Los Angeles, Pasadena and San Bernardino
E-mail Address:	kurt.barber@unlv.edu