George Barlow begins his third season at UNM and his first year as defensive coordinator. He was in charge of the Lobo secondary in 2009-10. He was named interim head coach on September 25, 2011 after the fourth game of the season.
In 2010, junior safety Bubba Forrest registered a 100-tackle season with two interceptions while earning honorable mention all-conference honors.
Now in his 21st season as a collegiate assistant, Barlow came to UNM after 10 seasons at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. He was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator/safeties coach at JMU for five seasons from 2004-08. He coached the defensive line in 2002-03 and running backs from 1999-2001.
The Dukes spent most of the 2008 season as the No. 1 team in the Football Championship Subdivision. They finished 12-2, falling to Montana in the national semifinals.
Barlow's 2008 defense ranked among the top-25 in the FCS in sacks (34) and total defense (307.1 ypg).
JMU was second in the FCS in sacks (4 per game) and fourth in rushing defense (84.8 ypg) in 2006, ranked eighth in total defense in 2005 (287.8 ypg) and was second nationally in rushing defense (86.8 ypg) in 2004.
In 1999, Barlow coached Curtis Keaton, who ran for team season records of 1,719 yards and 20 TDs and was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
Barlow also tutored tailback/return specialist Delvin Joyce, who in 2000 became the first Division I-AA player to reach the 1,000-yard career mark in rushing, receiving, punt returns and kickoff returns.
Prior to James Madison, Barlow spent three years at Oklahoma under John Blake, coaching outside linebackers and strong safeties in 1998 and serving as a defensive graduate assistant in 1996-97.
Barlow was the defensive coordinator at West Virginia State in 1995 and defensive line coach at Hutchison (Kan.) Community College in 1994. He started his coaching career in 1991, spending three seasons as a defensive assistant at his alma mater, Marshall.
Barlow was an all-conference safety at Marshall, where he played from 1986-90. The Thundering Herd was national runner-up in 1987.
Barlow, who was also a sprinter on the Marshall track team, graduated in 1990 with a degree in business administration and a concentration in finance and business law.
Barlow has a daughter, Kierstin Paige.
THE BARLOW FILE
Age: 43 (born Nov. 18, 1967) Hometown: Chicago, Ill. Alma Mater: Marshall '90 Playing Experience: Marshall (Safety, 1986-90)
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