Barnes Helps Bring it All Together

Coming into The Opening earlier this month Robert Barnes had big expectations about spending some time around his seven fellow Oklahoma commitments but the experience became much more than that when his entire VaporSpeed team came together. That collaboration, largely of Alabama and Oklahoma commits, went on to win the event's 7-on-7 championship and Barnes says it was more than simply talent.

"It was awesome, it was a great experience, to be up there with all of the commits. Just getting to know a lot of people and compete with the best of the best," Barnes said.

"You watch the games, the chemistry that our team had was so strong because (the Oklahoma commitments) were on the field at the same time, it was me at safety, Tre Brown and Justin Broiles at corner, and Levi Draper at linebacker. The Alabama commitments had their chemistry, when we got to know each other it was easy to go out there and ball out for each other. I think everyone on the team really listened to our coaches and what they had to say. It was no problem going out there and dominating."

There has been a lot of talk about all of the commitments on one roster but Barnes said that was the plan that he had been working toward and Chris Robison hammered home at the Elite 11 in June.

"We knew that we were going to be with the Oklahoma commits, I know Chris at the Elite 11 was asking them to see if they could put all the commits on the same team but we had no idea we were going to be with the 'Bama commits. So it turned out good," he said. "It was awesome, it never came up whenever we were on the team that we were committed (to different schools). Once we met our team, we were all tuned into competing and winning a championship."

And though he enjoyed his time around so many players that he has seen at various camps from within his region there was a player he was getting his first real look at that made a real impression.

"Oh by far Grant Calcaterra, Grant showed everybody that he is a top tight end in the country," he said.

For Barnes himself, who was a first-team defensive member of the 7-on-7 work, the chance to show the nation what he is capable of was truly exciting.

"It was awesome, just going out there and doing what I could do and just being comfortable and in the end it was fun to have that good of a linebacking corps in front of me that allowed me to get some of those picks," he said.

As the nation's No. 13 safety, and No. 150 overall player, Barnes now gets ready to head to Norman this weekend for the Sooners barbecue event where he is excited to see a few faces he doesn't get to see as often as others.

"That’s going to be awesome, a great experience, just for everybody, once again every commit we have should be up there. These visits so far the Texas and Oklahoma kids have been able to go up there but maybe some of the other guys haven't. The California and Georgia kids haven’t been able to like Trey Sermon and Grant. I think they are all going to fly down and it should be a fun time," Barnes explained.

Though it will be just over a month before much of the group reconvenes for their visit to Norman for the possibly monumental matchup with Ohio State on Sept. 17. But in spite of that 'SoonerSquad17' is still working out the plans of their official visit.

"We definitely all want to take (our official visit) together but we’re trying to figure that out right now. I’ll probably have to take mine during the basketball season because we have practices on Saturday and I’ll want to be able to take advantage of the two days," he said. "So we’ll probably have to take it during basketball season but I know a lot of us will be there for the Ohio State game."

But once the barbecue is over Barnes will quickly turn his attention to his season at mighty Southlake (Texas) Carroll as the Dragons once again begin their pursuit of another state championship.

"We have our strength and conditioning every morning but we’ll have our first practice on August 8 at the field until hopefully late December," he chuckled.

And one of his fellow Oklahoma commitments is part of his early season schedule and the two have already begun their trash talk after a memorable Southlake Carroll win in 2015.

"We play Arlington Martin, Rockwall, and Tulsa Union," he said. "Oh of course (Tre and I) are talking, every time we see each other."