Luke Barker enters his third season on the UC football coaching staff after joining the program prior to the 2021 Spring season. Coach Barker enters his second season as the team’s Offensive Coordinator and third season as the Offensive Line Coach.
In 2022, Coach Barker led one of the nation’s best offenses. The Golden Eagles finished 1st in the Mountain East Conference and 7th in the country in total scoring (39.91 ppg). The Golden Eagles also finished 1st in the country in total plays (855), 6th in the country in red zone touchdowns (73% 40-55), and 16th in the country in yards per game (438.3 ypg). The UC offense finished 1st in the MEC in 4th downs, red zone efficiency, and red zone touchdowns.
Coach Barker helped the Charleston offensive line pave the way for Honorable Mention All-American and Offensive MEC Freshman of the Year Chavon Wright. He coached Donovan McCollister who received 1stTeam All-MEC, 2nd Team All-MEC guard Barnabas Baning and Honorable Mention All-MEC tackle CaDarrein Carter. The Golden Eagles offense received 6 All-MEC honors, including 4 first teamers.
Barker helped guide one of the nation’s best ground attacks in 2021. The Golden Eagles led all Super Region One in rushing and finished #16th in the country in total rushing (219.1ypg). He coached Elbert Munn to 1stTeam All-MEC honors. He also coached 2nd Team All-MEC tackle Donny McCollister and Honorable Mention All-MEC center Ebube Emeh. The Golden Eagles finished 3rd in the MEC and finished the season 8-2.
During the 2021 Spring season, Barker assisted the Charleston offense which averaged 221.8 rushing a game, while scoring 40.0 points a game. He coached Tariq Parkings and Elbert Munn to 2nd Team All-MEC honors, while Donovan McCollister earned Honorable Mention All-MEC. Barker assisted the Golden Eagles to an MEC South Divisional Championship.
Barker joins the UC program after spending the last six years at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). In addition to serving as the Running Backs and Tight Ends Coach while at IUP, he was also the Assistant Head Coach and was IUP's recruiting coordinator.
Barker became a highly respected young coach during his time with the Crimson Hawks, coaching a group of running backs and tight ends that were some of the best in Super Region One while helping one of the top ground games in Division II.
During his time at IUP, Barker helped the Crimson Hawks to incredible success on the field, including a 50-11 (.820) overall record, four NCAA playoff appearances, and a PSAC championship, national semifinal berth, and No. 1 Division II ranking in 2017.
Barker coached an All-Region or All-PSAC West player each year since 2015 and was responsible for 11 combined All-PSAC West selections during those same five seasons.
In 2015 Barker oversaw a running back group and helped the IUP offense transition from a pro style to a modern spread system. Running back Chris Temple earned All-Region and All-League honors as he rushed for 1,212 yards and 17 touchdowns in just 10 games. He helped IUP break a program record by averaging 293.6 rushing yards per game.
Barker also mentored running back Samir Bullock to All-Conference and All-Region honors during his four years at IUP (’16-’19). Bullock finished in top 5 in IUP history in rushing with 3,366 yards and 31 career rushing touchdowns.
Running back Justice Evans is a three-time All-PSAC selection (2017-19) who enters his senior season 12th on IUP's all-time rushing list with 2,443 yards. Barker also helped Evans to PSAC West Freshman of the Year honors in 2017 after he rushed for 1,011 yards with a 6.6 average. Barker has seen a combined seven all-conference running back selections since 2015, including two seasons with two backs selected.
Barker's tight end group has also seen individual success and is a huge part of IUP's strong run game. Four different tight ends - Kevin Edwards (2016), Rex Pearce (2017), Grant Smith (2018) and Jacob Watts (2019) - have earned All-PSAC West honors under Barker. In 2018, Smith became the first IUP tight end since Dan Pickens in 2007 to be named to an All-Region Team.
IUP broke seven more offensive team records during the 2016 and 2017 playoff seasons, including rushing touchdowns (48), total offense average (489.6), total points (555), scoring average (46.2), and total touchdowns (77) in 2016, and total offense (6375) and first downs (335) in 2017.
Five different running backs have combined for 26 100-yard rushing games since 2015, including four games that eclipsed the 200-yard mark.
Barker has also been a part of USA Football for more than seven years. In December 2017, Barker was selected as an assistant coach for the 2018 U.S. Under-16 National Team in International Bowl IX. He was the U.S. team's offensive coordinator and running backs coach in a 50-0 win over Mexico.
He served as the head coach for the Under-14 Pride in the Middle School Bowl Game Series in June 2018 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
He returned to the international stage to coach the running backs for the U.S. Under-18 Select Team for International Bowl X in January 2019.
Barker came to IUP from West Virginia Wesleyan. He spent two seasons with the Bobcats, coaching the Running Backs and heading up the special teams under head coach George Shehl.
During his two years at WVW, Barker worked with young running back Michael Anderson, who ran for a combined 1,156 yards and seven touchdowns during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Anderson also was a reliable receiving threat out of the backfield, catching 42 passes for 416 yards in 2014.
The Cincinnati native graduated from the University of Charleston in 2012 with a degree in Business Administration. He and his wife, Nicole, have one son: Wilson.
Luke Barker Quick Facts
Hometown: Liberty Township, Ohio
High School: Lakota East High School, 2009
Alma Mater: University of Charleston (WV), 2012
Degree: Business Administration
Year in Coaching: 11th (3rd at UC)
Wife: Nicole
Children: Wilson (1)
Year(s) Position School
2022-pres. Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line University of Charleston
2021-2022 Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line University of Charleston
2017-2021 Assistant Head Coach/RB’s/TE’s Indiana University of PA (IUP)
2015-2016 Running Backs/Tight Ends Coach Indiana University of PA (IUP)
2013-2015 Running Backs/Tight Ends Coach West Virginia Wesleyan
2012 Offensive Assistant University of Charleston
