Meet the new Dawgs: Barnes ready to be the center of attention

Chris Barnes laughed that he’s never played center a day in his life. Well, maybe with one or two exceptions during one of the various camps he attended over the course of his high school career.

But when he arrives in Athens with the rest of the Bulldog freshman, that’s exactly the position he’ll be prepping to play.

“Outside of two camps, I’ve never done that before,” Barnes said. “But hey, I’ll learn it. Once football season ended they told me that’s what I’d be doing so I’ve been working on it with my offensive line coach, working on my snapping.”

So far, so good.

Although snapping – especially out of the shotgun – can be a bear for youngsters just learning the position to master, Barnes feels progress is being made.

“I feel pretty good with it but it’s going to change once I put those pads on,” said Barnes, who is also working out with his high school quarterback to get used to the basics.

“Yeah, it’s not bad,” Barnes said. “When I don’t have a good grip on the ball it goes a little high, but it’s not that bad.”

Fortunately for Barnes, there is time.

Incumbent center Brandon Kublanow should lock down the position during his senior season this fall. But after that, Barnes figures to have as good a shot as any.

Redshirt sophomore Lamont Gaillard practiced some at center in the spring, but has worked predominantly at guard leaving walk-on Thomas Swilley to get most of the reps at center with the second team.

“I still don’t know if I will need to redshirt or not,” Barnes said. “If I do, that would be OK because it would give me a chance to get bigger, get strong and learn the playbook better.”

Barnes – who stands 6-foot-3 – reports his weight is currently up to 305 pounds, some 30 pounds heavier than he was listed as weighing this time a year ago.

Although head coach Kirby Smart has made it clear he wants bigger offensive linemen, Barnes said he’s not received any instructions as far as his weight is concerned.

“They never told me, but I’ve been gradually putting it on,” said Barnes, who added he’s bench pressing 385 pounds, squatting 505 and power cleaning “around 300.”

Getting to play for Smart is making all his efforts worthwhile, although when Mark Richt was first fired as the Bulldog coach, Barnes admitted to having second thoughts.

Rumors of him switching to Florida were rampant on social media. But when Smart was tabbed as the replacement in early December, Barnes said his mind was put at ease.

“It hit me hard. I had committed to Coach Richt and the way Coach Richt coached,” Barnes said. “It hit me pretty hard, but after I found out who the new coach was going to be, I told myself I was going to stick with Georgia. Knowing Coach Smart’s background at Alabama, it made easy.”

Learning who was going to be Smart’s offensive line coach, the highly respected Sam Pittman, would be only sealed the deal even more.

“After they told me Coach Pittman I immediately looked him up on line, saw who he had coached before, and I liked his background,” Barnes said. “I looked at all the people he’s coached, and that was all I needed to see.”

Barnes said he’s excited with what he thinks the future has in store.

“Coach Smart, he’s going to come in here, make the changes and we’re going to win a championship in the next four to five years,” Barnes said. “We’re going to get a ring. One of those years, we’re going to get a ring.”