On Thanksgiving weekend, Ethan Barr performed within the closing recreation of his four-year profession at Vanderbilt, recording seven tackles in a 48-24 loss at Tennessee to wrap up a 2-10 season with the Commodores.
Six weeks later, the linebacker from Flower Mound, Texas, was on the sidelines at NRG Stadium in Houston sporting a Washington Huskies jersey as a member (kind of) of a workforce enjoying for a nationwide championship.
Now, one month later, Barr is enrolled at UCF and getting ready for spring soccer with the Knights.
“I’d say it’s been … I don’t actually know a phrase moreover simply, loopy, actually,” Barr stated of his final two months. “I’m actually pleased it occurred, nevertheless it was just a little irritating, I’d say. It was powerful.”
Barr’s odyssey started in early December when he introduced his choice to switch to Washington for his closing season of eligibility. He arrived in Seattle on Dec. 31 and commenced the method of getting acclimated to his new faculty.
“I used to be simply tremendous enthusiastic about what was to come back with the teaching employees and that workforce,” Barr stated. “And every part that Washington has to supply.”
UWFB x @MoPOP current #MontlakeMotion24 … Ethan Barr, welcome to Husky Soccer ☔️#NSD24 | @Ethan_BARR10 pic.twitter.com/azgkOm2EUI
— Washington Soccer (@UW_Football) December 20, 2023
Two days after coming back from the nationwide championship recreation, Barr was in the course of a vitamin assembly when he acquired the beautiful information: Washington coach Kalen DeBoer was being mentioned as a candidate for the Alabama job. Experiences on social media indicated he might quickly be on the transfer.
“I used to be like, ‘Are you kidding? You’re kidding.’ It appeared like a joke,” Barr stated. “I couldn’t imagine it.”
DeBoer finally did take the Alabama job, explaining his choice in an emotional workforce assembly. Barr began to weigh his choices after DeBoer didn’t say something to him about following the coaches to Alabama. He might keep at Washington below a brand new teaching employees and take of venture on the way it may shake out or he might bounce again into the switch portal regardless of having simply unpacked his garments in Seattle two weeks earlier.
He picked the latter — and in the previous few weeks made his technique to the alternative facet of the nation together with his fiancee, Delaney, and 16-week-old pet after committing to UCF on Jan. 19 to cap off a wild two-month span.
Let’s Goooo! pic.twitter.com/ZU3Yh36fLR
— Ethan Barr (@Ethan_BARR10) January 19, 2024
Barr first entered the portal in late November after 4 seasons at Vanderbilt, the place he registered 219 tackles, together with a career-high 85 tackles in 2021. A semifinalist for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy — sometimes called the “Tutorial Heisman” — Barr stated he cherished his time with the Commodores and that enjoying there was among the many finest choices he’d ever made. However with one yr of eligibility remaining, he felt prepared for a brand new problem.
When he initially entered the portal, Cincinnati, Baylor, Houston, Washington and UCF all reached out with fast affords. However Barr took simply two visits, to UCF and Washington. He ultimately picked Washington, drawn to this system’s coaches and tradition. He had no concept he’d be trying to find a brand new faculty only a month later.
“I don’t assume anyone suspected (DeBoer leaving),” he stated. “I actually wouldn’t have gone there if I had any kind of feeling that he was going to be leaving after the season.”
As Barr hopped again into the portal to weigh his choices, he rapidly circled again to UCF — a detailed runner-up to the Huskies the primary time round.
“Coach (Gus) Malzahn hit me again up and reached out, telling me that they nonetheless had a spot,” Barr stated of the method. “It was actually powerful selecting Washington on the finish of the day (initially) as a result of I actually did like Orlando. I preferred UCF, all of the coaches had been superb and simply the chance that was obtainable right here. So at any time when I got here obtainable once more, I sort of felt prefer it was an indication that possibly that is the place I’m meant to be.”
There’s a acquainted face at UCF, as properly. Two days earlier than Barr introduced his dedication, Malzahn employed Ted Roof because the Knights’ defensive coordinator. Roof coached Barr in 2020 as a freshman at Vanderbilt in his one season because the Commodores defensive coordinator.
“It’s sort of loopy and actually sort of cool,” Barr stated. “When that occurred, too, I used to be like, ‘That is going to be superior.’ A full circle second, getting again and connecting with coach Roof and with the ability to play for him once more.”
Now Barr will concentrate on studying the playbook and diving into offseason exercises to arrange for a season he hopes will set him up with a chance to play within the NFL.
Within the quick time period, Barr is raring to take a breath and get settled with Delaney and their canine after a tumultuous three months.
“I actually wouldn’t want (this course of) upon anyone to need to do it,” he stated. “It’s not one thing that you’d essentially select, (however) sure, I believe we are able to make it via absolutely anything.”
(Photograph courtesy of Ethan Barr)
