Alabama State offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Chris Barnette is expected to take the same job at North Carolina Central, sources told FootballScoop on Friday.
Barnette spent the past two seasons with the Hornets, where in two seasons he turned one of the FCS's worst offenses in the year prior to his arrival into one of the best. A unit that averaged just 20.6 points and 298.7 yards per game en route in 2023 was among the nation's best in 2025 -- ranking among the top 10 in FCS in scoring offense (42.4), total offense (460.5), rushing offense (211.8) and led the nation in passing efficiency (194.11). Quarterback Andrew Body hit over 70 percent of his passes for 11.1 yards per attempt with an astounding 20-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, while five Hornets maintained an average of more than five yards per carry on at least 43 attempts on the season. Alabama State finished 10-2 on the season.
Barnette has announced his departure from Alabama State on Twitter.
Thank you Dr. Jason Cable & Eddie Robinson for the opportunity to lead and serve at Alabama State University! Thank you to the Players & Coaches for the trust, dedication and growth mentality! I’ll forever cherish the memories and be proud of the growth into an ELITE Offense! 🐝 pic.twitter.com/A5HEcrK07Z
— Chris Barnette (@CoachBarnette) January 29, 2026
The move gets Barnette back to his native North Carolina, where he played at Guilford College, near Greensboro.
Barnette's coaching career began as a student assistant and continued to become his alma mater's offensive coordinator. He has also coordinated offenses previously at Winston-Salem State and North Carolina A&T, and also coached wide receivers at South Carolina State.
North Carolina Central went 8-4 under head coach Trei Oliver in 2024. Barnette will replace Matt Leone, who is now Tennessee State's offensive coordinator.