Bloomington Leader

Process Complete – Barner Ready for Next Tight End Step

You can’t take the linebacker out of AJ Barner. You can put him on offense, have him work on catching passes, study the intricacies of blocking and route running and still ….

The passion for hitting guys, tackling guys, and embracing full-throttle collisions doesn’t go away.

And in the Big Ten, where getting physical is as natural as breathing, you don’t want it to.

Kevin Wright certainly doesn’t. He’s Indiana’s tight ends coach and just because Barner is now the No. 1 guy in a young tight ends room doesn’t mean dialing back the hard-hitting intensity.

Wright saw it when Barner, the No. 3 tight end behind Peyton Hendershot and Matt Bjorson the last couple of years, made a big special teams mark. Barner recorded four special teams tackles in each of his first two seasons, earning plenty of opposing team attention in the process.

He also blocked a punt and returned a punt 13 yards, both against Idaho.

Wright imagines the tight end possibilities.

“He is a tough kid,” Wright says. “There is nothing tougher than running down the field on kickoff team and having to have a 40-yard head start and have someone trying to take you head off and running through blocks.

“From the get-go, he was forcing double teams on the (coverage) teams. So, you knew you had a tough guy, and he was growing into his body.”

Growth is complete. Barner is 6-6 and listed at 252 pounds. The attributes that made him a standout high school linebacker -- that willingness to hit people -- are enhanced after three years in a college weight training program.

“He has really developed his body physically,” Wright says. “In those early years, you knew you had a really good player who was going to take time to develop himself physically.

“Then, he had to learn the details and techniques of route running, of blocking, schemes and understanding football. Those are all things that are really hard when you are a high school kid that has played middle linebacker, which is what he did. He was the defensive player of the year in his conference and played a little tight end.

“You knew there was going to be a process.”

That process included seeing what Hendershot (now a rookie with the Dallas Cowboys) and Bjorson did so well.

“He learned that details matter,” Wright says.

“Peyton really learned that the last couple of years as he tried to progress into a position where he could play at the next level, how important those things were. AJ was able to observe that.

“Then, Matt played because he was a big-time effort guy. Not overly talented physically, but just a big-time effort guy. So, if you are AJ, you watch those two guys and take those qualities from both guys and apply that to your game.”

Barner really honed into those lessons at the end of last season. He had at least three catches in each of his final three games. He caught a career-high four catches for 29 yards in the season finale at Purdue.

Overall, Barner caught 14 passes for 162 yards with a 76-yard touchdown catch against Idaho.

Oh, Barner also was Academic All-Big Ten.

“He had opportunities to get in games at different times,” Wright says. “He was in the Michigan game two years ago at home when we won; he was in at a key time at tight end. He's waited his time and is excited and ready.

“He's ready to lead not just the (tight ends) room, but the offense. I think he got that from Peyton, and Matt. Peyton was the most productive tight end in the Big Ten the last three years and Matt played in every game for four years. They were two great leaders and (Barner) has absorbed a lot of those leadership qualities from them.”

Wright made sure Barner understood what was expected when the team met last January after the holiday break.

“It was just a natural progression to the top that (Barner) has to step up and lead,” Wright says.

“We always talk about the standards of the position, the expectations of the room. Peyton and Matt set such high expectations it was easy for AJ to step up. That's what his expectation was.”

Redshirt freshman tight end Aaron Steinfeldt vouches for Barner’s leadership.

“AJ has great fundamentals, great technique. Every time I see him in the game, I watch him to see all the little things he does.

“He's done a good job helping me understand defenses. He's been able to help me have an easy transition to the (college) game.”

Steinfeldt and fellow redshirt freshman James Bomba (whose father and both grandfathers played football at IU) add depth to the tight ends room.

Bomba can be especially effective in short-yardage situations when the Hoosiers go with two tight ends.

“James is a very big guy (6-6, 251 pounds), and he has learned to be a very physical guy,” Wright says. “He has soft hands and has shown that he can go in with AJ. Those are two big bodies that are athletic and physical and can catch the ball. James is a really good complement who can also play in the open field.

“Aaron (6-5, 246) may have the best ball skills in the room. He has learned he has to stick his nose in there and be physical and be an end-line blocker.”

Tight ends will play key roles in offensive coordinator Walt Bell’s attack. Wright aims to have them ready for now and the future.

“It’s a young room, and they all bring something,” he says. “I feel blessed. This is a really exciting group that I am going to have for a while.” 

Original source can be found here.