Harlon Barnett is the assistant head coach and safeties coach for the University of Pittsburgh football program in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, beginning in the 2026 season. He arrived at Pitt after holding the same positions at Northwestern from 2024 to 2025 and brought with him more than 15 years of Big Ten coaching experience, along with past work as a defensive coordinator, position coach and acting head coach.
Barnett's coaching career has included multiple stops at Michigan State, where he served in a range of roles from secondary and cornerbacks coach to co-defensive coordinator, assistant head coach and associate head coach. He returned to Michigan State from 2020 to 2023 and was elevated to acting head coach during the 2023 season, leading the Spartans to two Big Ten wins. He also was part of Michigan State's 2021 Peach Bowl victory over Pitt, a season that ended with an 11-2 record and a No. 9 Associated Press ranking.
