Reece Barlow - Analyst/Defense - Football Support Staff

Reece Barlow

Title:
Analyst/Defense
Email:
DukeFBRecruiting@duke.edu
Phone:
(919) 684-2635

Reece Barlow joined the Duke coaching staff in January 2024 and serves as an analyst working primarily with the linebackers.

His second year saw Barlow help Duke capture its first outright ACC Championship since 1962. The linebackers he worked with helped the Blue Devils close the year on a four-game winning streak, including the ACC title and a bowl crown. Nick Morris Jr. was lost for the season in the fourth game, moving Luke Mergott into the starting position. Mergott went on to produce game-sealing interceptions versus Virginia and Arizona State in the ACC Championship Game and Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, respectively, as well as finish with a team second-best 90 tackles.

With the linebackers as a key component, Barlow helped Duke finish 11th nationally in fumbles recovered (10), 12th in turnover margin (+0.71), 14th in turnovers gained (24) and 16th in tackles for loss per game (6.6).

During his first year as a Blue Devil, Barlow’s work with the defense helped Duke rank in the top 25 nationally in tackles for loss (second/8.9), fumbles recovered (second/14), sacks (fourth/3.31), turnovers gained (seventh/27) and turnover margin (24th/+0.62). Within the ACC, the Blue Devils led in tackles for loss per game, sacks per game, fumbles recovered and turnovers gained and ranked second in passing yards allowed per game (213.5) and third in fewest yards per play (5.01).

Three of Duke’s starting linebackers received all-league recognition with Ozzie Nicholas a third-team pick and Alex Howard and Tre Freeman honorable mention selections. Nicholas led Duke with 100 tackles while Howard paced the squad with 14.5 tackles for loss.

Prior to his time in Durham, Barlow spent three seasons (2021-23) on staff at his alma mater Texas State University, where he served as a special teams graduate assistant his first two years (2021-22) before switching to a defensive graduate assistant his final season (2023).

In 2023, Barlow helped guide the Bobcats to the program’s first eight-win season and a 45-21 victory over Rice in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. Barlow helped coach the Bobcats’ defense to a No. 2 and No. 9 national ranking in tackles for loss (8.3 per game) and sacks (3.1 per game), respectively. In addition, Barlow helped mentor linebacker Brian Holloway to All-Sun Belt Second Team honors after the Clear Lake, Texas, native led the team in tackles (104), tackles for loss (16.0), quarterback pressures (8), and interceptions (4), while ranking second in fumble recoveries (2) and caused fumbles (3).

Barlow graduated from Texas State with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science in May 2021. While working toward his degree, Barlow served as a student coach working with the tight ends. He also obtained his master’s degree in education from the university in December 2023.