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Barnes puts up some big numbers
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Dominique Barnes
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Youngstown State Dominique Barnes catches a 33-yard pass from Penguins quarterback Kurt Hess for a fi rst-quarter touchdown during Saturday’s game against South Dakota State in Brookings, S.D.
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
Two quick Dominique Barnes stories, both from Tuesday’s press conference:
YSU quarterback Kurt Hess was asked about Barnes moving up the YSU record books and, with Barnes listening about 15 feet away, Hess gave all the requisite compliments.
“Dom’s a great receiver,” Hess said. “He’s probably one of the best receivers I’ve ever played with. He has great hands, great speed and he runs great routes.
“He’s worked really hard in the offseason and everything he’s earning — his stats, his receptions, everything — he’s worked hard for it and earned it.”
When he was done, Hess looked over at Barnes and said, “Good enough for you, Dom?”
Minutes later, at the end of Barnes’ session, he was asked whether he was bummed out about not being selected to YSU’s homecoming court.
“They don’t make a crown big enough,” said sports information director Trevor Parks.
Barnes cracked up both times.
As you can guess, Barnes has a healthy ego — and, fortunately, a good sense of humor about it.
It doesn’t come across much in interviews — he invariably says the right thing — but as his teammates will tell you, he views himself as a big-time player.
He also plays like one.
Barnes made one of the season’s most memorable plays when he turned a simple screen into an 80-yard touchdown in the opener against Penn State. He earned offensive player of the week honors on Monday for his 10-catch, 110-yard performance against South Dakota State and now has 45 catches for 577 yards and three TDs this fall despite attracting the secondary’s full attention each week.
Last week, he caught a pass in his 31st straight game, breaking a tie for the school record held with Kyle Smith. (Smith actually sent Parks a text last week with this message: “Is my record going to get broken this week? Tell me the rumor I hear is false.”)
“It was a great honor,” Barnes said of the record. “It was just good to be in that category with some of the receivers that have been here. There’s been some great receivers at Youngstown.
“But it wasn’t all on me. Kurt did a good job finding me, and Brandon [Summers] the past few years.”
With three more games, Barnes has the chance to move up a few other lists. He needs five more receptions to move into second on the school’s career receptions list with 151. (The record is 186, held by Jim Ferranti.)
And with 1,728 career receiving yards, he needs 303 yards to reach fifth all-time.
“The records are great, but it’s my senior year and I wanted to make the playoffs,” he said. “That would have been the best accomplishment this year.”